Friday, August 24, 2018

HOW CORRECT ARE SOME POPULAR BELIEFS? (PART VIII)


7. “My belief is the only right one!”

A few years ago, two colleagues of mine, one of them a clergyman admitted in conversation that some aspects of the faith they both adhered to does not make sense when considered rationally. They however maintained that they will continue to follow their faith regardless!  All they had to do according to them was just to believe!

If however we truly seek the Truth we will have to ask ourselves: Is my belief the right one? Is the belief I came to accept since childhood really valid?  Does it ring true in all its ramifications or am I just practicing blind faith?

There is really nothing special or genuine about blind faith! A belief based on blind faith is tantamount to building something on nothing and expecting it to stand. It will certainly not stand. And if your belief in the Almighty is tainted with a lack of conviction in His Love and Justice expressed in His eternal Laws, you mark yourself as a hypocrite. It is the same where you believe in impossible things about the Almighty or regard the Almighty as being arbitrary. Remember: Christ did not turn stones to bread, neither did He jump from the pinnacle of the temple as these are against the Laws of His Father!

Many of us think that we honor the Almighty by accepting what others tell us about Him without question! We are told for example in some circles to “command” the Almighty and many of us accept this without question! How daring, bold and bigheaded can a mere creature be to even indulge the thought of commanding One to Whom he owes his very existence? And this is just one example of many such audacious and false beliefs!

As believers in God we need to ascertain that our belief is pure, true and living! It must not be based on blind faith or just a crowd following exercise supported with a comfortable feeling that billions of men and women who have the same belief as ours cannot all be wrong! Remember:  2000 years ago when Jesus the Son of God proclaimed the Truth on earth, only a few accepted Him. The majority sided with the opponents and eventually started crying “crucify him” with baseless hatred. They followed a tragically misinformed crowd. It happened then and it is happening today. Many will today bypass the Truth just because it sounds different from the tenets of their religion. Indeed the Truth from God negates all dogma and sets one free from the heavy shackles of false beliefs!

Clearly, Christ Jesus did not concern Himself with creeds! Rather, He sets us free from them!

The Truth is eternal, unchangeable, belongs to God and is not a property of any particular religion. It is universal and is the foundation of Creation itself and therefore predates all religions and tenets! We must therefore be unrelenting in our seeking the Truth even if it means looking outside of our current dogmas and tenets!  Our yearning spirit will be struck when it hears the Word of Truth. It will be clear and unmistakable, will stimulate independent thinking and will never ever demand that we follow blindly! It will ring true and confirm for the thirsty spirit the Laws of God. The Word of Truth is comprehensive, logical and answers the questions of life and existence. Let us therefore be alert so that when we do come across the Word of Truth which will now be brought to us by the Bridegroom as foretold in that Parable of the Lord Jesus, we shall be ready!

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