As a young boy, when asked why I acted in a specific manner or behaved in a certain way I would respond, “because so-and-so did it.” The typical response that many of us received from our parents or instructor was, “If everyone in class…at school…in town…around the world…jumped off a cliff, would you?”
“Of course not, it’s a cliff and I’d die.”
What sort of silly question is that anyhow? Did our parents actually think that sort of logic would compel us to quit running with “the wrong crowd,” or hanging out with the kids of “low character?”
As kids we knew the difference (at least I think I did) in something that was immediately harmful and something that just looked fun. We had not the faculty of mind to reason out the long term affect or impact of unwise decisions made in our youth, that’s where our parents, having wisdom and experience of years truly had our best interest at heart. It’s not until later in life, when we began to gain some wisdom and have experiences that we discover “birds of a feather flock together,” and “if it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck and has feathers, it’s probably a duck,” and that “the majority, a majority of the time are majorly wrong.”
How is it that we are able to apply this reasoning in our secular life yet, when it comes to our spiritual life we are content with the majority position? How is it we can observe present conditions in light of history and ultimately object and profess our mistrust of government processes; but when it comes to “our church,” “our religion,” “our faith,” we follow blindly, without any investigation, question or hesitation. Like baby birds in a nest we sit with our mouths open consuming any and everything passed down from our favorite pulpiteer.
Is there no one who seeks diligently after God anymore? Is there no biblical truth to be taught much less to be learned? Is there no such thing as absolute truth which can be known, understood and acted upon? Are you content with what you are hearing or do you yearn for something more?
When one claims with authority that something is such and thus I like to ask, “are you sure?” I then follow up with, “where do you get your facts from?” If it’s a biblical or scriptural statement I like to know, “where that is found in scripture?”
We live in a very unique time, endless streams of information are available at our fingertips. There is no excuse to not be informed. At the very least we should not be disseminators of misinformation.
What if what you know just isn’t so?
“You keep using that word. I do not think it means, what you think it means.”
In our faith systems we tend to adhere to the system. All of these systems, without exception, tote tradition more than truth and most often declare their particular brand of “tradition” to be truth. When one comes to this reality the question becomes “What Is Truth?” Many a soul has lost its way when the lies that have been promoted as truth for so long are laid bare.
What you know just isn’t so?
A deconstruction is usually in store. Clear down to the bedrock. If a firm solid foundation was laid at the beginning then the faulty, defunct structure can be razed and new structure built on the solid foundation. The problem is that all of these faith systems have faulty foundations. No matter what goes into the structure it will be inherently unsound due to the voids, hollow spots and lack of binding material in the foundation.
Construction begins with a corner, the chief cornerstone, Jesus the Messiah. Upon him the foundation is constructed which consists of the Apostles and the Prophets. A building constructed in this manner can never be shaken. We know this to be true, at the very least most of us believe this is the manner in which our faith was constructed.
But sometimes, what you believe you know just isn’t so. Especially if what you believe and know happens to be what the majority professes to believe and know to be so.
Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few. (Matthew 7.13,14)
I would like to tackle some of these “a-biblical majority” knowns that just aren’t so. Stay tuned for more.
Those Who Can't 