Believe it or Not

What do y0u believe? Why do you believe? Is it necessary to believe? Is it wise to believe?

Do you believe the sun will appear on the eastern horizon tomorrow morning? No! You know the sun will appear. It has appeared there every single day of your life. So you see, it is completely unnecessary to believe the sun will appear.

It is only necessary to believe things that you do not know to be true. What a paradox–because, when stated that way, it seems a bit silly–to believe things that you do not know to be true.

Believing is a bit like telling yourself that something is true even if you’re not sure about it; even if there is no evidence for it; even if there is evidence contradictory to it. Believing is really wanting something to be true. When stating a belief, you are really pretending to know something that you don’t know.

Well, you might say, “My belief is true for me.” No, it isn’t. Actual truth is not relative. Something is either true or it isn’t. God exists or he doesn’t. Heaven and Hell are true places or they aren’t. Mankind began in the Garden of Eden or man evolved. Noah built the ark and put all the plants and animals of the earth on it or he didn’t.

Perhaps we should consider the evidence…