Why do we believe in what we believe in?

We cannot verify all the facts laid down before us. With all the information, the theories and the discoveries, we cannot verify by ourselves how old the earth is nor can we verify the speed of light (to most people, at least). These 'facts' we take were given to us by other people, experiments done before us who we believe and accept to be true. These 'facts' were given to us and we have faith that they are true. This is why the scientific community make journals so as to ensure that the publications in these experiments are credible and true. Yet even in the most credible of journals, plagiarism and data manipulation can occur.

The same can be said with religion. The religion we have (or don't have) right now is given to us by someone, and we hold these teachings to be true. But are they really? Can we trust them? Why do we believe in what we believe in?

Two nights ago, I asked myself this question. I was stumped. Do we humans believe because of feelings? experience? reason? faith? Are these reasons valid? I simply could not think of an answer. I thought that before I can answer this question, first, we should know "how do we believe in something?"

To believe in something, we have to know that something. The Bible puts its simply, "Faith cometh by hearing..." (take note that this is spiritual hearing). Not even the hardest skeptics can deny that to believe in something we first need to hear or have an idea of what we believe in. We cannot believe that God exists if the idea of God is not conceptualized in our mind. Likewise, you cannot believe that God does not exist if it never even crossed your mind that He does not exist.

Next, to believe in something, we test that something. Science tests hypotheses until they become theories, and theories until they become laws. Even postulates are tested: postulates are accepted as postulates because they are consistent and accepted to be true. The Bible also asks us to test our beliefs. The Bereans were applauded by Paul because "they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true." (Acts 17:11) 1 Thessalonians 5:21 says "Test everything. Hold on to the good." Even Jesus says that "Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves."  (John 14:11). When we have tested the teachings countless times, be it of science or of religion, we accept it to be true. To experience once is not enough; we should be completely sure, beyond reasonable doubt, of the truth that was presented to us. Now I have tested many branches of Science and the tenets of Christianity and found the latter to be true, so far (If you doubt my understanding of science, see me here).

Based on these two patterns I have proposed, we can say that we cannot believe in something because of feelings. Feelings are but an unstable platform, like a plank of wood drifting in a raging storm, never knowing when to break or when to sink. If we hold on to it we are sure to drown in the sea of doubt.

Perhaps what we need is experience. An experiment consistent after innumerable replications can be accepted as fact. Likewise, the revelation of the consistent character of God after countless times of dependency on Him can be accepted as true. But, a consistent trend does not ensure a predictable future. Extrapolation of data is not as accurate as interpolation. Case in point: The sun rises yesterday, today, and every morning of our lives, but how sure are we that it will rise tomorrow? How sure are we that it will rise next week? An unforeseen cosmic event may change the result. Can we be sure that the laws of physics will hold tomorrow? We cannot be completely sure of the future. Empirical evidence and experience are not reliable and are not enough.

If not experience, then reason may be a basis for belief. When we say that something is reasonable, it is probably true. But a deeper look into the nature of reason shows us that it is not reliable. Now we ask ourselves this: Why do we believe in reason? Is it reasonable to believe in reason? Is it logical to believe in logic? Why does logic even work? Because it just does. We did not need reason to believe in reason itself. We do not need reason to believe in something. How then do we believe?

"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." (Hebrews 11:1) We take by faith that the sun will rise tomorrow. After seeing it every day, we take by faith that the sun will rise next week. After consistently being able to describe the world around us, we take by faith that the laws of physics hold true. After all the technological proofs we have seen, we take by faith that reason and logic work. I take by faith that Jesus is God, that He lived and died on the cross but rose again on the third day.

Thus, first we hear, we test, and then by faith we believe. This is how we believe in what we believe in.

On a side note, perhaps you are wondering why am I using logic to prove, when I say that logic itself is not reliable? Is it not a circular reference? Not quite. First of all, I am not saying that logic is not reliable. I say "Logic is reliable, but why do we rely on it?" That being made clear, we move on to the main topic.

Now to answer the question, "why do we believe in what we believe in?" Simply put, we believe because of faith. We hold something to be true. Modern Science believes that God does not exist and that it can improve mankind's way of life. Atheists believe that God does not exist. These things they hold to be true. Christians believe that God exists and came to earth in the person of Jesus to save mankind. These things we hold to be true. Then we expound and explore what we hold to be true, giving birth to more truths, to more beliefs.

But finally, to truly believe in something we have to live according to that belief. Can you say that you believe in science when you are part of the occult? Can you say that you believe that the beauty of the golden ratio is absolute when you paint out of this proportion? Can we say that we are Christians when we do not do as Jesus commands? "Faith without works is dead!" (James 2:26) True belief brings actions. For what we believe, we think; and what we think, we say; and what we say, we do; and what we do, we live out. Just as everybody has experienced the fruits of science, we Christians should also let everybody experience the fruit of God's love in order for them to believe..




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