I got a mailer form The Skeptical Inquirer recently, wanting me to subscribe to their magazine. To be honest, I was thinking at first, that I would do it, but as I read their material, they talked me out of it.
There is a difference between skepticism and cynicism. Skepticism is when one is introduced to a new idea or a new concept, and one says, “I don’t think I believe that, but let me investigate it and see if it is true.” Cynicism is when one runs across something new, and immediately begins listing reasons why it can’t be true. Skepticism is very healthy; cynicism is not. Skeptics sometimes find themselves convinced by things that they would not have expected; cynics often paint themselves into a philosophical corner trying to explain away very real things that they don’t want to believe.
I have applauded efforts of skeptics in the past that have investigated, and debunked ridiculous ideas that appeared to have credence at first. As I read the material from the Skeptical Inquirer, though, it seemed to me that many of their selling points were cynical in nature, rather than skeptical. One statement that I found particularly distressing, they mention an article that they published showing the vested interest that science has in making sure that they get things right, as opposed to religion which, according to them, has no such interest.
I suppose a case could be made for the idea that, since the score for the final exam doesn’t come during this lifetime for religion, religious leaders don’t have to worry so much about making sure that they put out the right material. It seems to me, though, that religious leaders are going to be judged in much the same way that the rest of us are, so, yes, they do have a vested interest in getting things right, if anything, they have more interest because they have more responsibility. At the same time, though, since they haven’t completed the course, either, they may be unintentionally be putting out bad information. It is even possible, that, although they teach the accepted values of their religion, they don’t actually believe that, and subscribe to the philosophy of, “The one who dies with the most toys wins.” As opposed to the more common sense philosophy of, “He who dies with the most toys still dies, and then has to give account.” The thing to keep in mind though, is that this life doesn’t even compare with the life to come. Most of us will live to be less than 100. A few will live to be 120. Compared to eternity, that’s not even a grain of sand compared to all of the beaches in the world. We have an absolute vested interest in being right.
The bottom line is that each of us is responsible for ourselves. We can try to help others around us, with the understanding that there will be others who will try to bring them down, or we can selfishly worry about our own soul’s salvation (which is self-defeating).
A friend of mine, many years ago, gave me this analogy: Suppose that you want to go on safari, and you want to be prepared, so before you go, you read a book on lions. In this book, it says that if you look a lion straight in the eyes, then it hypnotizes the lion, so that he (or she) cannot attack you. So you keep that in mind as you go on Safari, hoping that you won’t ever need that information. As it happens though, the day comes when you find yourself face to face with a lion, and you look him straight in the eyes, and then realize that this lion hasn’t read that book.
We have the book written by the Lion. He has given us instruction and direction, and has made it pretty clear what we should do. When we get to judgment, God is not going to accept the excuse that, “My pastor said…” or “The televangelist said…” His Word is available to all of us. One would hope that pastors and TV preachers would help us to understand God’s Word, but it is your immortal soul that hangs in the balance. Check your pastor, and the leaders at your church. If it doesn’t match up, then make your way out.
There is a difference between skepticism and cynicism. Skepticism is when one is introduced to a new idea or a new concept, and one says, “I don’t think I believe that, but let me investigate it and see if it is true.” Cynicism is when one runs across something new, and immediately begins listing reasons why it can’t be true. Skepticism is very healthy; cynicism is not. Skeptics sometimes find themselves convinced by things that they would not have expected; cynics often paint themselves into a philosophical corner trying to explain away very real things that they don’t want to believe.
I have applauded efforts of skeptics in the past that have investigated, and debunked ridiculous ideas that appeared to have credence at first. As I read the material from the Skeptical Inquirer, though, it seemed to me that many of their selling points were cynical in nature, rather than skeptical. One statement that I found particularly distressing, they mention an article that they published showing the vested interest that science has in making sure that they get things right, as opposed to religion which, according to them, has no such interest.
I suppose a case could be made for the idea that, since the score for the final exam doesn’t come during this lifetime for religion, religious leaders don’t have to worry so much about making sure that they put out the right material. It seems to me, though, that religious leaders are going to be judged in much the same way that the rest of us are, so, yes, they do have a vested interest in getting things right, if anything, they have more interest because they have more responsibility. At the same time, though, since they haven’t completed the course, either, they may be unintentionally be putting out bad information. It is even possible, that, although they teach the accepted values of their religion, they don’t actually believe that, and subscribe to the philosophy of, “The one who dies with the most toys wins.” As opposed to the more common sense philosophy of, “He who dies with the most toys still dies, and then has to give account.” The thing to keep in mind though, is that this life doesn’t even compare with the life to come. Most of us will live to be less than 100. A few will live to be 120. Compared to eternity, that’s not even a grain of sand compared to all of the beaches in the world. We have an absolute vested interest in being right.
The bottom line is that each of us is responsible for ourselves. We can try to help others around us, with the understanding that there will be others who will try to bring them down, or we can selfishly worry about our own soul’s salvation (which is self-defeating).
A friend of mine, many years ago, gave me this analogy: Suppose that you want to go on safari, and you want to be prepared, so before you go, you read a book on lions. In this book, it says that if you look a lion straight in the eyes, then it hypnotizes the lion, so that he (or she) cannot attack you. So you keep that in mind as you go on Safari, hoping that you won’t ever need that information. As it happens though, the day comes when you find yourself face to face with a lion, and you look him straight in the eyes, and then realize that this lion hasn’t read that book.
We have the book written by the Lion. He has given us instruction and direction, and has made it pretty clear what we should do. When we get to judgment, God is not going to accept the excuse that, “My pastor said…” or “The televangelist said…” His Word is available to all of us. One would hope that pastors and TV preachers would help us to understand God’s Word, but it is your immortal soul that hangs in the balance. Check your pastor, and the leaders at your church. If it doesn’t match up, then make your way out.
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