The Happy Feminist: BY WHAT STANDARD INDEED?

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BY WHAT STANDARD INDEED?

Crystal has posed the key question: What standards govern those of us who do not rely upon the Bible? Are we just "deciding" for ourselves what is right? Are we just doing what "feels good?" As Nathaniel asked me in one of Caleb's threads (October 6), do I think I know better than God? I am neither a theologian nor a philosopher and I do not speak on behalf of any particular group. But I can explain how I, as just an ordinary person, answer these questions in my daily life. My purpose is not to convert anyone to my point of view but to try to explain where I am coming from. As Crystal has noted, it sharpens one's intellect and one's faith to engage in dialogue with those who hold a different point of view.

I rely upon my reasoning, my experiences, the wisdom of others (acquired by their reasoning and experiences and often memorialized in books, including the Bible), and my conscience (i.e. my desire to do what is right). And I do have faith as well. I have faith in certain axiomatic principles that I may not be able to prove logically but that (I hope) inform everything I do. These include a belief in the inherent dignity, worth, and equality of all human beings, a gratitude for the things we enjoy in this world, and a conviction that life is worth living, if for no other reason than to be happy and free and to do what I can to allow others to be happy and free as well (including my family, my colleagues, my clients, my blog readers (!), and others beyond my immediate circle). I reason from those basics.

The fact that so many people base their faith (in one way or another) on the Bible is a testament to its value and its power. Nonetheless, the people who do so are relying on their own fallible humanity just as much as I am on mine. They have chosen the Bible (as opposed to the Koran, or other books widely believed to be the Word of God) based on the very human, very fallible tools available to them-- indeed, the same tools I mentioned above.

So if we can't have any absolute certainty about the meaning of life, why don't we all give up? What's the point of continuing to live? Is there any larger meaning to life? I haven't the foggiest clue. All I can do is make the best of things for myself and others. My faith is not dependent on proving or denying the existence of God. My faith will endure even if turns out that we are mere accidents of nature. My faith will endure even if it turns out that we are victims of an evil and unjust creator. My faith will endure if it turns out that I find myself standing (as Biblical Christians predict) before God on Judgment Day.

The Biblical worldview does not seem to provide any firm answers either (and yes, I have read the Bible and I promise that I will read it again soon.) It just moves the question up another level -- if we achieve eternal life with God, well then what? What is the meaning of it all? Who created God? What are we supposed to accomplish in heaven -- just be happy? How can we happy in heaven if people are suffering the eternal torments of hell? Wouldn't we be morally obligated to rescue the people in hell? Is God evil for putting them in hell? Does God's might make right?

I have no desire to dissuade anyone from Christianity. My purpose is to continue the dialogue. In Crystal's thread today, Cheryl raised the issue of whether it is worth talking about these issues with people who are not inclined to accept the Bible. As I promised in my first post, one of the questions I am interested in exploring is whether there is anything to be gained by people with such different worldviews talking to each other. I believe there is, but that's a teaser for another day.

October 19, 2005 in Religion | Permalink

Comments

I encourage you to read the Bible again. It is the Truth, the absolute Truth. There is no other source from which we can derive absolute Truth. Only in Christ. Christians have a peace that no other religion or faith can have because we know beyond a shadow of a doubt that what we believe is the truth. It is not a belief which is not based upon our own reasoning or our own infallibility-- it is based in the infallible, inerrant Word of God.

God is omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent. He has no beginning and no end. He is Eternal and Unchanging.

Heaven is not about happiness, heaven is about living in the everlasting presence of the Lord -- forever and forever. It is about glorifying and worshipping our great God who reigns on high. Hell is the exact opposite. It is eternal separation from God. Eternal torment.

No one deserves heaven. We are all worthy of death and hell. God in His rich grace and mercy sent His one and only Son to earth to die the most horrific death anyone has ever died so that those who call on the Name of the Lord and repent of their sin might have life everlasting.

Before I became a Christian, I struggled with great doubts and uncertainty... What is the purpose of life? Why am I here? Why is there death and hell? I struggled with this for five years. I was in mental anguish. I wanted to know the Truth. I wanted to be a good person. I tried so hard. I worked so hard. I prayed so hard. But, for all I did. It was never good enough. I was never satisfied. I was never at peace.

Since my salvation, God has done a remarkable work in my heart. I am a changed person. My fears are gone. My doubts are gone. My old desires and sinful natures are gone. I am no longer in bondage to sin. I have peace in my inner soul because I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that I am a child of God. I am no longer living in my strength and infallibility. I am completely and wholly relying upon the Lord. I have a desire to follow Him with all of my heart, to walk in holiness, to uprightly, to seek the Lord with my whole heart.

God is so good. I wish you could know His saving power and transformation and the peace and joy which only comes from salvation in Christ.

Posted by: Crystal | October 19, 2005 at 10:53 PM

Thank you, Crystal. I think that everyone has "faith" in something to one degree or another, perhaps without even realizing it. Although (as I have said) many things about conservative Christianity continue to baffle me, I respect the fact that conservative Christians think about the big questions in life on a regular/daily basis.

Posted by: The Happy Feminist | October 19, 2005 at 11:22 PM

I operate from basically the same framework, er, can I call you Happy? hah. I don't think there's any question that an ethical framework is essential for any human to be functional, healthy, and happy. It seems that even those who live by what "feels good" seek such a thing, even if they have no reference point by which to find it, stumbling drunkenly from one encounter to another in search of something meaningful. I know, because I've been there.

I was also once a devout Christian, so I understand drawing faith from the Bible and trying to live those principles, but in the end, when I saw the hypocrisy of my church leaders and those leaders in other churches, I realized that I cannot just trust people who claim to have the word of God straight from his mouth, whether they are people from 2,000 years ago or people that stand before me today. What's the basis? From whence does the authority derive? Not even the different denominations can agree amongst themselves as to what a Christian is. How is someone to decide from those differing opinions?

In the end, the realization hit me that we are all just people, fallible, error-prone, people. Nothing places one person above another. When you look at the world through that lens, it becomes much easier to believe in (as you put it) "the inherent dignity, worth, and equality of all human beings, a gratitude for the things we enjoy in this world, and a conviction that life is worth living". If we are all stuck in this together, then it is our duty to make it the best world it can be.

Nice topic...it really got me thinking.

Posted by: Jonathan | October 20, 2005 at 08:58 AM

This has hit a nerve with me.

What standards governed those who committed all the atrocities throughout history in the name of God? "I believe today that my conduct is in accordance with the will of the Almighty Creator." -- Adolf Hitler, Mein Kampf, pp, 46, to name only one.

When I looked at it's history and realized how much harm Christianity has done to humanity and to so many cultures, I became ashamed that I used to call myself a Christian.

Not everyone needs religion to make them a decent person, and some in fact use it to justify whatever they are inclined to do anyway. Maybe some people are decent because they are just willing to see the bigger picture. Maybe they don't live in a "me" world and are capable of empathy and sympathy without the threat of hell and damnation.

Imagine!

Posted by: Joyce | October 21, 2005 at 12:18 PM

Thanks for the feedback, Joyce!

Posted by: The Happy Feminist | October 22, 2005 at 01:44 PM

Hi Happy Feminist- I like your blog! I appreciate your honest and rational approach. You make many good points and ask good and real questions. I found my way here from Crystal's site, BTW.

I've seen the hypocrisy that Jonathan talks about in the Christian community. I grew up in a very legalistic church and it's taken my whole life to realize that that's not what God is.

Crystal and I have one thing in common. We both believe in Jesus Christ for our eternal destiny. I too believe that He died on a cross and took the punishment for my sins. However, my take on the Christian life perhaps differs slightly from what she describes as her experience.

I still have fears and doubts and questions. I still sin. I can't keep all the rules that some think you have to follow to be a Christian.

But I have a relationship with Him. He's my Father. But I am a mother of three and can think of how I view my own children. I love them unconditionally. I want wonderful things for them. I want to protect and nurture and guide them into the adults they are supposed to be. I want to have a close and loving relationship with them. I want to lovingly guide and discipline them when they need it. I would die for them.

That's what it means to me to be a parent. And I believe that that is how God views us. He wants to have a relationship with us. And to do that we need to believe and trust in Him. We need to be sorry for our sins. That's where faith comes in for me.

I also disagree that "knowing beyond a shadow of a doubt that what we believe is truth" is what separates true Christianity from other faiths. I'm sure there are Muslims, Hindus, etc. that think the same thing about their religion. I'm pretty sure some of those Muslim suicide bombers believe they are totally right about their beliefs.

My peace doesn't come from thinking I have God's ways all figured out. I find peace in God by surrendering my will to His- as a child who's loving father leads her by the hand. My peace comes from knowing that now that I am His child, I can trust Him to take care of my fears, doubts, wrong attitudes and actions.

Posted by: Anne | October 22, 2005 at 10:22 PM

I, too, have been asked many times whether I think I know better than God about religious truth. By definition, it would be impossible for me (a mere mortal) to know anything better than an omniscient being knows it. I recognize that. So I would never claim to know better than God about anything.

However, if my mere mortal mind can see that a particular belief structure contains inaccuracies, contradictions, a next level of questions, and so on, then perhaps that belief structure does not contain the full set of definitive answers that sprang fully formed from the mind of an omniscient being (if there even are such answers). Thus, when my questions lead me outside the belief structure, it may be that I am humbly coming to know God more fully through that questioning and learning process, rather than proudly asserting myself to be smarter than God.

Posted by: Beijing | November 12, 2005 at 08:09 PM

Hi, I found your blog very recently through a link on "Alas, a Blog" and have been reading it all over because your writing is very interesting and engaging :-)

I was raised in a very, VERY Catholic environment. I went to Catholic school for ten years. Had to take "Religion" classes, taught by nuns, every day, every year I was in that school. I was pretty much forced to go to church every sunday and on religious holidays for most of my life. All that time my impression of the standards was pretty much something like this:

God says "Do x". If you do "y", which is the opposite of "x", God will be mad and you will go to hell. Therefore, you are wicked. Don't do "y". Do "x".

I never felt any desire to go to church on my own or do any of the religious rituals on my own or do the prayers on my own. I always had to be coerced into doing it. I was also a very science-minded little kid (and I am now a doctoral candidate in astrophysics), so all these issues of God being infinite and eternal didn't exactly click in my head. What created God? What about the Big Bang? Etc.

I have not set foot in a church in about 10 years. My family is not happy about that, but they slowly accepted that it's not their choice to make. Now I dont have to subject myself to being afraid of an invisible deity becoming angry at me for doing something that he finds objectionable. I feel better now that I have developed my own moral compass, based on basic human decency and things like "don't do unto others what you wouldnt want done to you".

In the last 6-8 months or so I've had many internal conflicts regarding religion and identity and growing up (I'm 24, in graduate school, living on my own for the first time in my life --no roommates--, in a long-term long-distance relationship, with marriage in the post-graduation-future). I'm not sure if I believe God exists anymore. I'm not even sure I ever believed in his existence. So I apologize if the above sounds a bit incoherent or rant-ish.

Posted by: Emily | December 18, 2005 at 02:23 AM

Emily, thank you so much for your comment! I don't try to proselytize for the religion in which I was raised (Unitarian Universalism), but it does strike me that it might be a good match for you (to the extent you are seeking a religious affiliation at all). Unitarianism rejects dogma. There is no requirement to believe in God, for example, and most Unitarians incorporate the knowledge gained by modern science into their faith. The emphasis in Unitarianism is on the life-long, individualized process of developing a faith by which one can live valuably in our present world. I don't think that one has to go through this process through a particular church or organization, but Unitarianism tends to attract fellow-travelers whom I think you will find have gone through similar periods of questioning whatever faith in which they were raised. (For example, there are lots of ex-Catholics, ex-Baptists, inter-faith couples, you name it!) Good luck -- and I'm so glad that you like the blog!

Posted by: The Happy Feminist | December 18, 2005 at 11:37 AM