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Embracing the irrational
Sep. 23rd, 2010 01:13 pmThis is, I know, a topic I tend to return to often.
People, by our nature, look for meaning. We look for patterns. We learn by comparing new information to old information and determining the connections. We look for meaning, and sometimes we make meaning. That's not a criticism, it's an observation.
People also, to a greater or lesser degree, seek certainty. Some of us have a greater tolerance for grey areas than others, but we like to have at least a few things in our lives that we are sure of. Whether we view truth as relative or absolute, we like to have that anchor.
So given these two things, how is it that we can be confident of anything based on faith? How can we be sure that we have not created the meaning we've found because it's what we want and it's what our minds do naturally?
Thing is, that's what my rational mind says, but faith says that the gods are with us, and I am sure of it. How is it that I don't find this contradictory?
People, by our nature, look for meaning. We look for patterns. We learn by comparing new information to old information and determining the connections. We look for meaning, and sometimes we make meaning. That's not a criticism, it's an observation.
People also, to a greater or lesser degree, seek certainty. Some of us have a greater tolerance for grey areas than others, but we like to have at least a few things in our lives that we are sure of. Whether we view truth as relative or absolute, we like to have that anchor.
So given these two things, how is it that we can be confident of anything based on faith? How can we be sure that we have not created the meaning we've found because it's what we want and it's what our minds do naturally?
Thing is, that's what my rational mind says, but faith says that the gods are with us, and I am sure of it. How is it that I don't find this contradictory?
