Ryan wrote, in part:
>>there are many times when things in the Bible cause my =
reasoning mind to simply come up sputtering.
I have no clue how the hi(story?) of Eden, the flood, Jonah,
vegitarianism, et al. fit in to the big equation of things but I'm sure
we've all gone through our own personal mental gymnastics on these and
other issues. Confidence in our knowledge is so important for those of
us involved with science. We don't particularly cherish the thought of
willfully disengaging our minds when we hear, "Don't worry, its the
truth. Just trust me."
But my question is how to I get past my unanswered questions so that I
can confidently proclaim with utter certaincy that... "I don't know why,
but I know that I know this is the Truth.">>
For one thing, by accepting our human fallibility. A recent book, THE
MYTH OF CERTAINTY (sorry -- don't recall the auther) treats this issue
as well as I've seen it done.
For me -- becoming a Christian (about age 30) was tightly coupled
to the knowledge that (1) I did not believe in Christ, (2) I was of the
opinion that the whole thing was, if not irrational, at least a-rational,
(3) if it was true in any way, then the God (in whom I did not believe
except, perhaps, in a vague deistic way, was going to have to
persuade me and (4) if point 3 was true, perhaps he would if I just said
to him -- "Lord, I don't believe in you. But I'm willing to, if you really
are the truth."
Much to me surprise, it appears to me that God took me up on my "prayer,"
or whatever it might have been. From my perspective, the
willingness was key.
Subsequent events, not many, but some, have quite convinced
me that this Christianity stuff is "real." I'm still working it
out as to what to do with it. I probably always will. Carol Regehr
alluded recently to Polyani's concept of "private knowledge." That's
a good starting point, perhaps.
In a deeper approach to this question than this LISTSERV post -- let
me recommend to you an article by George Murphy in the current
PERSPECTIVES.
While I sometimes disagree with George on things, in this case he
has written something worth studying (he does this often and I am
somewhat envious!). I think his article speaks, at least partially, to the
questions
you posed. Good questions, I might add. Good questions are those which
hardly ever have a completely satisfying answer!.
Best
Burgy
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