Thursday, September 16, 2010

Is it true?

"He said to them, "Because of your unbelief. For most certainly I tell you, if you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you will tell this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you."


Author: Matthew 17 Verses #: 20

This is Jesus saying that problems do not go away because of unbelief.  All that is necessary for life and health and wealth is belief.  Is that statement true?  Was it true at the time?  Is it true now?  This is a man claiming to be god and know god stating that belief in god fixes everything.  What about peak oil?  What about climate change?  What about destruction of the planet with pollution?  What about death and destruction by war?  What about illness?  What about poverty?  What about food shortages?
 
Jesus is saying problems can "magically" disappear with belief.  Is this a true statement?  Has anyone had a problem disappear by apply an ascent of faith to the problem?  NO.  Logic and reason and knowledge and science and math lead to problem resolution not mysticism.  For  2,000 years women and children died from a lack of science about obstetrics.  When someone wants a safe delivery they go to a doctor that is trained to deliver babies and protect the life of the mother and the infant.  There is no evidence that a greater "belief" in god solved any health or public crisis in the last 2,000 years of mankind applying christianity to culture.  If  struggling to reach a state of "greater belief" leaves you exhausted and unsure that you arrived anywhere, feeling guilt for the problem that does not go away and believing the problem is the fault of  "unbelief" or lack of "faith" is exactly the place where religion wants you and needs you to be.....guilty, and feeling inadequate and insecure and in need of more religion and more faith.  The solution to the problem is scientific, political, economic or cultural, not a lack of belief in an unseen and absent, silent, and mystical deity.  Ask yourself if it is true that nothing is impossible?  Growing old?  Getting sick?  Having an accident?  It is not true and never was true.  If everyone believes a lie...it is still a lie.  If no one believes the truth...it is still the truth.