What is belief? Is it something of lesser value than knowledge? The false notion that compared to our beliefs, knowledge, especially the scientific kind, is far superior and therefore the former should be looked down upon in the presence of the latter is rampant in our age. Why is it a false notion? The truth is that all of us as children learn the facts of and in life from our parents, elders and teachers based on our belief in them and the truth of what they say and teach us. We see that our belief in them as children blossoms into trust in them and every piece of 'knowledge' the children acquire arises from their belief in them. On a wider setting, for a society or community of people, we may note that it is 'culture' that stands as the background of our 'world-view' (the way we look at the world). This world-view is built upon our core beliefs gained from culture defining our perception of everything that pertains to our existence. Our understanding of reality is supported by certain basic assumptions, which are not themselves supported by any thing else but our culture, and accepted by us as most solid facts. This is the nature of culture and no one who lives in a society or community is exempt from it.
Does it mean that belief alone is the source of our knowledge and we don't have to depend on verifiable facts as they do in sciences? Not at all. As we move on in life, doubts creep in into our belief systems and we are forced to learn about how things really are and our investigations into "facts" are the foundation of our knowledge. Knowledge, thus, is later than belief and does not, because it cannot, question the overall foundation of our belief system. This is the case with our belief in the resurrection of Jesus from the dead that may proceed to faith because of the special nature of the reality
of resurrection. Given the nature of resurrection both as this worldly and other worldly there is nothing repugnant if both belief and knowledge as well as faith are required to take in this reality. Jesus formed a community of disciples in order to train them to combine this multifaceted reality into a coherent whole. The Gospels tell us how the disciples led by the Apostles struggled to do the same by gradually believing in Jesus and verifying the evidences of .resurrection culminating in their solid faith in the person of Jesus for whom they surrendered their life itself.
Does the above analysis give sour taste in anyone's mouth as it looks like less rational than our scientific knowledge? In this connection, we have to draw attention to the fact that according to Linguistic Analysis any meaning whatever is based on our shared life in communities. Outside a particular community of shared life and experiences, a person is at a loss to understand what is said and discussed by the members of that particular community. This is applicable to all kinds of discourses, not only to the scientific and religious ones, but also to the most mundane ones like jokes cracked by performers at certain events. Therefore belief and faith are not something to be derided at as they belong to the very structure of our reality that no one can sensibly deny. Belief in the resurrection of Jesus Christ, therefore, is most sensible and we should not give into charlatans who look for cheap applause from audiences that may be caught unawares. To pray always and be watchful is the advise given by Jesus himself in order to navigate safely through this very complex web of life we are immersed in!
Does it mean that belief alone is the source of our knowledge and we don't have to depend on verifiable facts as they do in sciences? Not at all. As we move on in life, doubts creep in into our belief systems and we are forced to learn about how things really are and our investigations into "facts" are the foundation of our knowledge. Knowledge, thus, is later than belief and does not, because it cannot, question the overall foundation of our belief system. This is the case with our belief in the resurrection of Jesus from the dead that may proceed to faith because of the special nature of the reality
of resurrection. Given the nature of resurrection both as this worldly and other worldly there is nothing repugnant if both belief and knowledge as well as faith are required to take in this reality. Jesus formed a community of disciples in order to train them to combine this multifaceted reality into a coherent whole. The Gospels tell us how the disciples led by the Apostles struggled to do the same by gradually believing in Jesus and verifying the evidences of .resurrection culminating in their solid faith in the person of Jesus for whom they surrendered their life itself.
Does the above analysis give sour taste in anyone's mouth as it looks like less rational than our scientific knowledge? In this connection, we have to draw attention to the fact that according to Linguistic Analysis any meaning whatever is based on our shared life in communities. Outside a particular community of shared life and experiences, a person is at a loss to understand what is said and discussed by the members of that particular community. This is applicable to all kinds of discourses, not only to the scientific and religious ones, but also to the most mundane ones like jokes cracked by performers at certain events. Therefore belief and faith are not something to be derided at as they belong to the very structure of our reality that no one can sensibly deny. Belief in the resurrection of Jesus Christ, therefore, is most sensible and we should not give into charlatans who look for cheap applause from audiences that may be caught unawares. To pray always and be watchful is the advise given by Jesus himself in order to navigate safely through this very complex web of life we are immersed in!
No comments:
Post a Comment