Seeking Truth Through Religion
Originally written in the mid 80’s, this work began as a paper for an advanced philosophy of religion class at BYU. I liked it so much I decide to update and polish it up a little more.
This paper discusses why it is important to seek truth through religion as well as the secular learning of science and philosophy. Both are important and both are worthwhile when it comes to finding and applying important truths in our lives. Too many people focus on only one or the other, rather than recognizing and accepting the significance of both avenues. The final conclusion is that while the truths of religion are often difficult to demonstrate to others, religion should never be abandoned as a meaningful source of truth.
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The following is an excerpt from this manuscript:
DIFFERENT LEVELS OF IMPORTANCE
At this point, I believe it is important to realize that some truths in existence are much more significant and pertinent than other truths. If, for example, I were to announce to the world that I owned a red coat, the chances are pretty good that the reply would come back, “Big deal, who cares if you own a red coat.” If true, this announcement makes no real change or difference in the way any one lives or conducts their life. Nor does it really affect me to any great degree. I might just as well have a blue coat, or a brown one. On the other hand, if I were to announce to the world a statement such as, “True happiness can only be found by being a moral person,” the effect would be quite different. In this case, how we choose to deal with this announcement will have a great affect on us. For, assuming this is a true statement, it cannot help but affect our lives. If a person chose to be moral, he or she would find happiness, whereas if a person were immoral, unhappiness would be experienced. If this statement were true it could not be avoided without direct results of some kind affecting our lives.
This latter statement is also something that we must do or act upon. To be either moral or immoral requires action on our part. It takes time and effort of some kind. This is not true of the statement concerning my coat. I do not have to act or react in any way because of the color of my coat. Morality seems to touch on almost every aspect of our existence. We must maintain it with action and effort in order to be able to be counted as moral or immoral. In other words, though different levels of morality seem to exist, a person cannot be at two different levels at once. You cannot be a moral person and an immoral person regarding the same topic at the same time.
It is important to note that even if a person were indifferent on the subject of morality, even if he decided not to choose at all and to postpone judgment, if the statement on morality were true, he would have still made a choice. And that choice would still bring about the resulting happiness or unhappiness. By its very nature, it is impossible for a person to exclude himself from the morality issue. We are all moral and immoral in varying degrees. From such things, we cannot hide. Even if we do not choose at all, we would still find ourselves at some level of morality.
Another more physical and obvious analogy could be made regarding a child who plays with fire. Suppose a child did not know whether fire was hot or cold. He may choose to believe that the fire is hot or he may choose to believe that the fire is cold. He may also choose to be indifferent on the subject and simply continue handling and treating the fire in the same carefree way he always has in the past. After all, he has never seen anything wrong with it in his past experiences. The point to be noted is that regardless of his choice or belief on the subject, it remains true that the fire is hot. It also remains true that the child will have to suffer for any mistakes he might make with the fire. This is true regardless of his belief, non-belief, or indifference towards the fire.
Just as with the child and the fire, our statement concerning morality is one that could not be avoided without direct results of some kind affecting our lives. If true, our belief, non-belief, or indifference towards the issue will make no difference in whether or not we are affected by the truth. In all cases, we will be affected according to our level of morality, not according to our beliefs concerning the issue.
Contrast this now, with the idea of my coat being red. Would the effect be that significant if my coat were some other color instead? Would it necessarily require effort on anyone’s part just because it’s red, instead of some other color? Would it affect everybody on earth? Though it is difficult to judge some of these things I believe the point is clear. There seems to be a great difference in the importance these statements have in our lives. One is very unimportant and deserves little attention. The other is greatly important and deserves much more attention.
Likewise, many such examples could be given to show not only a need to gain knowledge of truth but to make somewhat of a priority list in our search for truth. We should always place a higher priority on the truths that are most important to us and that have direct bearing on our lives.
TWO WAYS OF SEEKING TRUTH
But how do we gain this knowledge of truth and how can we know or recognize truth from error, assuming it is possible at all? At this point I believe it would be helpful and significant to suggest two main categories or ways of pursuing truth. I feel that everybody on the face of the earth falls into one or both of these categories. The first, is to choose to seek truth through the learning and experiences of man, i.e. science, philosophy, psychology, etc. This can be referred to as “secular truth.” The second is to choose to seek truth through religion, i.e. revelation from a possible supreme being, whether direct or indirect. I believe that these two categories are very important, meaningful, and useful for several reasons. Throughout history mankind has sought truth diligently through both of these basic categories. There have been many who have claimed to receive great and significant insights concerning new truths by pursuing either one or the other. The remainder of this paper is intended to shed more light on each category and the importance each has to us in our search for truth.
Let’s now explore some of the various differences and similarities involved with these two ways of seeking truth.