You might be thinking “Duh! Who doesn’t know that?” Nevertheless, because Christians recite and read the beliefs of their faith a good part of their lives, it’s easy to perceive them as facts. Following are a few beliefs and facts contrasted in an attempt to demonstrate the difference:
Belief: Jesus died for our sins.
Fact: Jesus was crucified under the rule of Pontius Pilate.
Belief: Jesus is the Son of God.
Fact: Jesus gave his followers a God-like experience.
Belief: The Bible is the Word of God.
Fact: The Bible is filled with wisdom and the writers could have been inspired by God.
Belief: We will one day be with God in heaven.
Fact: We will one day die.
Some individuals would find these comparisons offensive, perhaps even sacrilegious. We might know the difference between beliefs and facts but when it is blatantly illustrated, there is a tendency to become offended, perhaps even angry. This is precisely the point… when we perceive our beliefs as if they are facts and defend them as such, there is the potential for conflict, disharmony, and even war in the name of Lord. Wouldn’t it be much more beneficial to put into perspective those things we cannot know and, instead, channel our passion toward constructive issues in the here and now, such as peace and justice, just as Jesus modeled for us?
Belief: Jesus died for our sins.
Fact: Jesus was crucified under the rule of Pontius Pilate.
Belief: Jesus is the Son of God.
Fact: Jesus gave his followers a God-like experience.
Belief: The Bible is the Word of God.
Fact: The Bible is filled with wisdom and the writers could have been inspired by God.
Belief: We will one day be with God in heaven.
Fact: We will one day die.
Some individuals would find these comparisons offensive, perhaps even sacrilegious. We might know the difference between beliefs and facts but when it is blatantly illustrated, there is a tendency to become offended, perhaps even angry. This is precisely the point… when we perceive our beliefs as if they are facts and defend them as such, there is the potential for conflict, disharmony, and even war in the name of Lord. Wouldn’t it be much more beneficial to put into perspective those things we cannot know and, instead, channel our passion toward constructive issues in the here and now, such as peace and justice, just as Jesus modeled for us?
1 comment:
Makes perfect sense. But it almost seems like you are saying one should not have beliefs if they are not based on facts. I hold many of those "beliefs" and it doesn't matter to me if they cannot be found factually true. That's why they call it "FAITH."
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