Why go on a search for truth in the first place? In this post I will outline why many choose not to search, what I have lost from choosing to search, and why the benefits of searching far outweigh the losses. Here is a short definition of what I mean when I say search for truth: Take the time to examine all of the relevant evidence for and against the existence of God(s), as well as for and against every worldview.
Speaking from almost 4 years of experience now, I can say that there is quite a lot to lose from spending the time to fairly and honestly search. I grew up in a religious community with a staunchly single-minded background, where evidence means little unless it supports a previously decided conclusion. Having decided to question and come to my own conclusions, I have learned that most people would rather abandon an upstart searcher than spend the time necessary to have an open dialogue, much less go on a search for themselves.
Here is a brief list of things that can be lost from going on a journey to find the truth:
I think that searching for truth is a much better option, because your life is at stake.
On the one hand, it is possible that hell (any version, not just the Christian version) exists. If this is the case, and you don't find out about how to avoid it, you could end up in eternal turmoil (it is possible that hell does not last forever, depending on the meaning of the Greek word "Aeonios", but an eternal hell is also a possible interpretation). The possibility of eternal stakes makes an honest search for truth infinitely worth it.
Starting to sound like Pascal's Wager? Hold on a minute- the ol' wager only applies if the choices are limited to two options- a religion or not that religion. If multiple religions come in to play, then the wager becomes watered down with each additional belief system that is added to the set of possibilities. Realizing this, most will simply discard the wager. I, however, think it is best to examine every religion and cut down the number of ones that are taken into account. This way the wager becomes re-strengthened if enough worldviews/religions are cut out (i.e. We can throw out belief in Zeus, because he obviously doesn't exist).
On the flip side, choosing Christianity, for example, means throwing your life away, not saving it. Christians are among all people most to be pitied if Christianity is invalid, according to the Apostle Paul. This means that it is not a good idea to simply throw your life away, as anyone who is actually a Christian would, if Jesus did not rise from the dead. Those who hold to Christianity without a care as to whether or not Jesus rose simply don't understand Christianity.
The same argument holds true to a greater or lesser extent to any belief system which has a cost. I do note that some belief systems do not come with significant negative side effects. If a belief has no negative side effects, it is outside the scope of this conversation. An appropriate analogy would be the administration of various kinds of drugs. If a drug has no side effects and useful benefits- such as a fish oil supplement- then go ahead and take it. If a drug has extreme side effects- such as those used for chemotherapy- it is only worth taking if it is absolutely necessary.
I suppose I just compared Christianity to chemotherapy. Good if it is absolutely needed, bad otherwise.
In addition to acquiring a certain level of eternal security (if there is an afterlife of some kind), or avoiding the costs of holding to certain religious beliefs if they turned out to be true (as is the case with many beliefs), there is the added benefit of undergoing mind-expanding exploration. I have found this type of learning to be most joyous and fulfilling.
Conclusion:
We all have a single life to live. In order to live this life to the fullest, we need to figure out what the rules of life are. If the rules are that one can live forever by believing in someone, then believe in that someone. If you can go to paradise for being a good person, be a good person. If there is no afterlife, enjoy your life as much as you possibly can, because you only have so much time to enjoy. Searching for truth allows us to figure out how to obtain the most joy.
Speaking from almost 4 years of experience now, I can say that there is quite a lot to lose from spending the time to fairly and honestly search. I grew up in a religious community with a staunchly single-minded background, where evidence means little unless it supports a previously decided conclusion. Having decided to question and come to my own conclusions, I have learned that most people would rather abandon an upstart searcher than spend the time necessary to have an open dialogue, much less go on a search for themselves.
Here is a brief list of things that can be lost from going on a journey to find the truth:
- Time. Lots and lots of time. Possibly a whole life's worth.
- Work. It takes a great amount of energy to learn about all of the essential subject material. As one tiny example, to have a basic grasp on the Cosmological Argument (one out of man arguments) one must understand parts of Einstein's Theory of Relativity. To learn about that takes work.
- Relationships. If someone comes from a close-minded worldview, they are likely to abandon you. This may not always be the case, but abandonment was the general trend for me (with a few amazing exceptions).
I think that searching for truth is a much better option, because your life is at stake.
On the one hand, it is possible that hell (any version, not just the Christian version) exists. If this is the case, and you don't find out about how to avoid it, you could end up in eternal turmoil (it is possible that hell does not last forever, depending on the meaning of the Greek word "Aeonios", but an eternal hell is also a possible interpretation). The possibility of eternal stakes makes an honest search for truth infinitely worth it.
Starting to sound like Pascal's Wager? Hold on a minute- the ol' wager only applies if the choices are limited to two options- a religion or not that religion. If multiple religions come in to play, then the wager becomes watered down with each additional belief system that is added to the set of possibilities. Realizing this, most will simply discard the wager. I, however, think it is best to examine every religion and cut down the number of ones that are taken into account. This way the wager becomes re-strengthened if enough worldviews/religions are cut out (i.e. We can throw out belief in Zeus, because he obviously doesn't exist).
On the flip side, choosing Christianity, for example, means throwing your life away, not saving it. Christians are among all people most to be pitied if Christianity is invalid, according to the Apostle Paul. This means that it is not a good idea to simply throw your life away, as anyone who is actually a Christian would, if Jesus did not rise from the dead. Those who hold to Christianity without a care as to whether or not Jesus rose simply don't understand Christianity.
The same argument holds true to a greater or lesser extent to any belief system which has a cost. I do note that some belief systems do not come with significant negative side effects. If a belief has no negative side effects, it is outside the scope of this conversation. An appropriate analogy would be the administration of various kinds of drugs. If a drug has no side effects and useful benefits- such as a fish oil supplement- then go ahead and take it. If a drug has extreme side effects- such as those used for chemotherapy- it is only worth taking if it is absolutely necessary.
I suppose I just compared Christianity to chemotherapy. Good if it is absolutely needed, bad otherwise.
In addition to acquiring a certain level of eternal security (if there is an afterlife of some kind), or avoiding the costs of holding to certain religious beliefs if they turned out to be true (as is the case with many beliefs), there is the added benefit of undergoing mind-expanding exploration. I have found this type of learning to be most joyous and fulfilling.
Conclusion:
We all have a single life to live. In order to live this life to the fullest, we need to figure out what the rules of life are. If the rules are that one can live forever by believing in someone, then believe in that someone. If you can go to paradise for being a good person, be a good person. If there is no afterlife, enjoy your life as much as you possibly can, because you only have so much time to enjoy. Searching for truth allows us to figure out how to obtain the most joy.
