Faith vs reason
Published:Friday | October 1, 2010 | 12:00 AM
The Editor, Sir:
Kindly allow me to comment on two letters which appeared recently in your columns: 'Poor Rev Dick' by Michael Dingwall and 'The universe did not create itself' by Patrick Gallimore.
Unlike Messrs Dick and Gallimore, comfortably self-assured in their faith-driven world, freethinkers like me and Mr Dingwall search for life's truths in the only way they know, hoping to develop good ethical values and a life of personal fulfilment by thinking rationally, and self-examination.
The tragedy is that few people question how they acquired their faith. Indeed, what we believe is largely determined by our cultural upbringing. Growing up in a Christian society, a bedtime prayer may consist of "If I should die before I wake, I ask the lord my soul to keep". Not exactly meant to warm the heart and lift the spirit of a five year-old. Later, we are subjected to Bible-thumping clerics in their pulpits spewing the fear of God and hellfire. If Messrs Dick and Gallimore were born in a nice, God-fearing Muslim family in Iran, or a Hindu family in India, or a Yanomamo family in the Brazilian jungle, it would be very unlikely that they would be extolling the greatness of the Bible, let alone proclaiming that their God created the universe. They might even end up (God forbid) paying homage to the Japanese god, Baku, endowed with the head of a lion, a horse body and tiger feet.
Contradictions
Mr Dingwall's letter, in turn, drew the ire of Mr Gallimore, who defiantly and with considerable authority said, "I know that God exists, because the Bible exists and the Bible is the inspired word of God." I wonder which Bible he is talking about? There was never an original Bible but there are copies of copies of copies of contradictions, historical inaccuracies, incredible stories and at least 50 versions of the Bible today, including our own patois Bible. He continues "biblical scriptures lay out moral principles by which mankind ought to live."
Religion, undeniably, has moral codes but is not the source. Our morality stems from our minds and our actions. A human mind feels pain, knows sorrow and grief. Can a God shed a tear? Which mind is in a better position to make judgements about human actions and feelings? We all know life is a hard slog. The short journey from womb to tomb is all we have. How will you chart your life? By relying on the moral principles of a book (a book which everybody knows of but hardly bothers to read), or on our own innate qualities?
I am, etc.,
Dr ETHON LOWE