. . . still I look to find a reason to believe.
Well said Sir Rod, well said.
~ ~ ~
I was listening to one of my all-time favorite Rod Stewart songs a few days ago and I began to contemplate. I am sure that there are Christians who can identify with this sentiment from Rod Stewart's song ". . . still I look to find a reason to believe."
According to google, about 80% of Christians in the US became Christians between the ages of 4 and 14. I suspect that, of these 80%'ers, perhaps 99.999% of them did -
absolutely zero research
- into the Christianity that they were adopting as their faith. They became believers for emotional reasons (fear, love, anxiety) mixed with a healthy dose of pressure from family and friends. I suspect that not a single one of them simply sat down one day and started reading a bible, and their curiosity prompted them to do extensive research into the history of Christianity. They didn't seek out the views from experts, either from the Christian perspective or any other perspective. I was 17 when I became a Christian and I became a Christian by the same procedure that the 80%'ers did.
As they age, many these childhood converts, - especially the honest ones - begin to experience some doubts (buyers remorse?) concerning the faith that they have grown up with. They not only detect disappointing behaviors and attitudes in their own lives, but they see these same side affects to Christianity in the lives of many or most of their fellow Christians - even their trusted Christian ministers.
As a result of these revelations, some Christians experience a crisis of faith. They begin to ask themselves what good is Christianity if being a Christian doesn't cause Christians to live a life that at least seems better than the lives of those worldly multitudes, the lost, the unrepentant sinners - you know - atheists.
Of course, many Christians are entirely unaffected by the sins of sex and greed that seems to plague so much of Christianity. Very likely those believers brains are impenetrable to reason and clear thinking. Truly, their conscience is seared. They can not
~ will not ~
be swayed, even if the very church walls are falling in around them. Their fundamentalist foundation has solidified to the point that no amount of science, history, or personal experience can make a dent. In other words, these believers are truly, the truest of true believers, and they are proud of it.
But for those of you, the few Christians who actually allow doubts to find a foot-hold, I encourage you to actually do as Rod Stewart said . . . look to find a reason to believe. But as you honestly look, every now and then you will likely discover, from time to time, that there are people who offer reasons to no longer believe? I submit that if you are honestly looking, you must explore these reasons to no longer believe - you must. All you have to do is look, read, ask, and listen. There are millions who were where you are now, and they found many reasons to no longer believe - actual reasons - actual good reasons. For us, a crises of faith was the best thing that could have happened.
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