A Fresh Perspective - 10/31/08
Unfortunately, there are still many religious people who think that if they question what they believe and what they have been taught, that such questioning shows a lack of faith. I would argue just the opposite. If our faith is limited to our belief system and our belief system collapses, then we have no place to stand. But if our faith is deeper and stronger than our belief system, then we can question our belief system without fear of losing our faith. In fact, a growing faith requires a constantly developing and changing belief system.
Consider this analogy: Let the heavens represent the vastness and greatness of God; let the rather simple telescope we use to view the heavens represent our belief system. If we allow only what we can see through our telescope to constitute our faith, then our faith will be severely restricted and fragile. No single telescope can enable us to comprehend the vastness and complexities of the universe; no single belief system can capture or explain the vastness and complexities of God.
When we limit God to what we can see only through our telescope (belief system), we inevitably provide a climate for fear and defensiveness to grow. When we confine God to our theological box, we are then compelled to defend our views and prove that we are right. We end up claiming a monopoly on God. We treat our beliefs like treasured commodities that have to be protected at all costs. So we hunker down in our fortress, ready to shoot down anyone who would trespass on our belief system. This is how religion becomes oppressive and evil.
A belief is the result of our attempt to grasp or explain something at a given point in time. For example, in time past many people believed that the earth was the center of the universe. Of course, that belief was overturned as scientific observation revealed otherwise. Every belief comes wrapped in the cultural package of a particular time and place. This is why our beliefs need to be constantly revisited and challenged.
If we go deeper and nurture a living faith in the Divine Goodness that sustains and supports all life, then we are free to question our beliefs. We discover the freedom to pursue a relationship with God and with the truth wherever God and the truth are to be found - in our own faith tradition, in the faith tradition of others, and in the world at large.
Our questions need to reflect the truth that our deepest experience of God confirms. Do our beliefs help to transform us into more loving, compassionate persons? Do our beliefs inspire the pursuit of justice (the equity and common good) of all people? Do our beliefs help us to recognize pride, prejudice, and favoritism when we see it (not just in others, but especially in ourselves)? Do our beliefs help to nurture an abiding faith in the unconditional love, grace, and forgiveness of God?
A vibrant faith is nurtured and strengthened by an evolving belief system. It makes possible direct experience of God that drives out fear and defensiveness. It opens our minds and widens our hearts; it expands our imagination and enlarges our hospitality. A living faith inspires compassion, enlivens our spirit, and sparks a contagious joy.