Shall I Love You Because You Have First Proven Yourself To Me?

Logical arguments about, or a scientific investigation into, the existence and the nature of God is a waste of time. Yet it was necessary for every reflective and questioning human being to undergo in order to know that it is the case. The Bible is filled with stories, with a moral meaning, an understanding of how to live, and about the values. It would wrong for believers to treat it as though it was a scientific treatise; and it also would be wrong for scientists to treat the Bible as though it were a scientific treatise. In fact, I think it was the believers who got duped into approaching it scientifically. They went beyond their heads. On the other hand, those who are scientists are no different: they also fell into their own trap. It is their belief that scientific knowledge is the only valid kind of knowledge there is out there. With that wrong thinking, called scientism, they impose it on every aspect of human life – and non humans.

Proofs are for those who need convincing. And these people are looking at a specific kind of proofs. Looking for a specific kind of proof or evidence may have some utilitarian purpose, scientific even, but focusing only that limits one’s perception to other aspects of reality, especially the whole human experience of the whole person. To impose such a requirement on something like faith is fail to witness other aspects of being human.

The Bible like any other religious texts is a story about universal human conditions and about the relationship between humans and a reality that is beyond their comprehension, but a reality that has a significant effect on human lives. The bible and everything it stands for cannot be boxed within the confines of a laboratory. As such, the bible is not a scientific treatise. There is no need for proofs. Therefore, logical or scientific investigation for God’s existence is meaningless. However, the experience of asking for such proofs for God’s existence is necessary to realize the meaninglessness of such investigation. Rather than lose hope in a reality that is too large for any scientific venture, the realization should lead to another path. And, it is the path of understanding the existential experiences of faith and love. Existential truth is not scientific truth. It cannot be proven or experimented on. It can only be lived and known through the totality of being human.

So, the proper approach towards Religion, and God, and faith and love, is this: Understand then how you learned to believe and trust the person who bears great significance and influence in your life and theirs. Reflect on your relationship with your parents, your best friend, your brother or sister. The understanding of how we believe leads to a deeper understanding of the nature of trust and love for our significant other. Faith in, and the love for, the other are two experiences that are interwoven. Love begins when there is faith; and faith begins when there is love (as opposed to liking or having a crush on someone). Faith and love engender a respect for both parties. Neither imposes on the other. Faith and love requires no proof or evidence (You don’t say: “First prove to me that you can be trusted and love, then I will love and trust you!”). Rather, faith and love grow like a flower that trusts reality and, as a result, desires to live.