Some personal thoughts on Christianity,
religion and fate.
Many years ago, I remember asking my father what he believed in terms of God and religion. He pondered for a while and then said he wasn't sure exactly, but he did believe in something. Perhaps because I was a teenager at the time, I found that answer woefully inadequate and I remember being quite short with him, though pursuing the matter did no real good as I got no better an answer. This question of God, religion and belief has always fascinated me, so, many years later, I set out to try to clarify my own thoughts and feelings:
I was brought up in a society which was profoundly influenced by Christian values and principles and, although I am not religious, it seems to me that Jesus was a great thinker and philosopher whose life and teachings contrasted with the relative brutality, aggression and oppression of his time. He taught, or set out to influence, by means of social persuasion and reason, using stories or parables to illustrate the points he wanted to make, appealing to reason and common experience, and encouraging people to show humanity towards one another.
It is relatively easy for us in the present day to accept Christian ideals as something reasonable and perhaps even obvious, but at the time of their first pronouncement this was far from the case. Order through brutality and fear were the norm and Jesus offered a brave alternative – a society based on mutual respect and consideration.
The fact that his “teachings” were based on social philosophy and appealed to common sense or experience is important – it seems to me that his teachings were not dependent on divine or spiritual authority but on human understanding and seeing the advantage of showing consideration toward others. His philosophy of social justice, fairness to all, and selflessness may be viewed as a sort of manual for the survival of society.
A common core of humanity whereby you treat others as you would wish to be treated yourself borders on the ontology of the Enlightenment Movement and even Existentialism. Can the early Christian era be likened to the eighteenth-century Enlightenment Movement? Both encourage consideration of others and demand accountability, and both threatened the established religious and political orders of the day. There may be parallels to be drawn.
With the passage of time and the development of the Church and its influence, conclusions or inferences drawn from the teachings of Jesus became commands and edicts. Faith (with the suggestion and mystique of a higher power) became more important than reason, and moral authority was created by those who had a vested interest in religious and political influence, two fields of interest so often combined by those in ecclesiastical authority, especially in the period of the crusades and in medieval times.
Jesus’s teachings were originally based on reason and the notion of equality and compassion, and the way the conclusions of his teachings were reached is at least as important as the edicts/conclusions themselves, if man is to learn to think for himself rather than simply follow commands. However, in my view, claimed divine and moral authority based on faith, deference or position steadily did away with reasoning and appeals to social justice.
Now let us consider the Question of God…
Do I believe in God and His influence? I don’t know – that is not rejection, but a personal reaction to what I have experienced. I think I may believe in some form of fate or destiny where some sort of influence is exerted and a balance is produced in the long term, but that influence and balance need not be attributed to the orthodox understanding of what constitutes God.
Use of the terms “fate” and “destiny” does not mean I believe that whatever happens is what is “written”, and neither does it mean I believe that whatever happens, happens for the best. I believe we can make the best of whatever happens, but the circumstances leading to choices we make can often seem “influenced” through apparently chance meetings, events or situations that arise. Naturally, this view of things depends on the individual’s perception of circumstances and I can quite understand people claiming this is entirely due to happenstance or coincidence, but so often things can appear to “work out” in the longer term due to exceptional conditions or situations and choices made as a result of these situations, as though an influence is being exerted in a certain direction. At least that is my perception or take on how events can unfold.
That said, when we perceive a pattern, does that prove the pattern exists, or does it merely prove that the perception of this pattern exists? Does perception of a pattern suggest existence of intelligent influence, or does it simply imply intelligence (or imagination) on the part of the perceiver? Is it possible that the pattern observed is just as random as any other occurrence, but its perception appeals to or is the result of man’s desire to render chaos manageable?
It is in man’s nature to seek order and try to make sense of apparent chaos. Providing an explanation or imposing order does not, however, mean that this order truly exists, merely that the explanation fits the evidence or circumstances as we perceive them.
My perception of direction or guidance in my life does not necessarily mean it is there, though inductive logic may lead me to conclude it is there and it is undoubtedly emotionally appealing and comforting to think that some influential force is indeed at work.
Even if we were to accept the existence of some form of influence over events, the perceived nature of the supposed instigator would have to be in keeping with the perceived nature of the influence.
Balance may be confused with justice. If a lie catches up with you, or you suffer as a result of an action you committed in the past, this is not evidence of an all-seeing and infinitely wise God. It may be, however, evidence of some form of balance, equilibrium or karma whereby one may suffer the consequence of one’s own actions, or indeed be rewarded for them, even if this takes place over a long term.
Is there intelligence at work in this scheme of things? I don’t know. Is God responsible? I don’t know. Is it purely down to coincidence? My desire to see a pattern and make connections between events says no, but I do not know.
To attribute these patterns and connections to an omniscient and omnipotent being goes far beyond the premise of the supposed evidence. Having said that, I think I am satisfied that I have seen too many coincidences for there not to have been some form of influence over events. That is my explanation of my perceptions – this is a conviction, not a truth and I can say no more, but no less.
It appears that man feels the need to believe in something other than
(and presumably greater than) himself. Religion will usually involve belief in
a superior being who may offer guidance and wisdom. However, as the result of
the development of various philosophies, some questionable ethics and general scepticism,
there has been a turning away from the traditional values of the church and
religion in general in the West, but there remains the fundamental need of a role-model
or a source of inspiration to provide hope and guidance. It also appears that this need, in an age where
celebrity is confused with worth and wisdom, can be fulfilled by a book or its
author, a film (or one of its characters), devotion to a sport, a particular
team or a gifted practitioner, or the advice of a doctor or a teacher. The possibilities
are endless, but all involve seeking truth, a code, a way of life – something
which will help the individual impose some semblance of order on what he or she
may perceive as the chaos of his or her life.
In conclusion, then, I have to say that I believe in something, but I'm not sure exactly what. I also have to conclude that I owe my father an apology as I have done no better in trying to answer my own question than he did!
My thanks for taking the time to read this article. I hope you found it of some value.
Stuart Fernie (stuartfernie@yahoo.co.uk)
No comments:
Post a Comment