Degrees of belief

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This is one of my favourite quotes. From the God delusion by Richard Dawkins::

”There is something distinctly odd about the argument, however. Believing is not something you can decide to do as a matter of policy. At least, it is not something you can decide to do as an act of will. I can decide to go to church and I can decide to recite the Nicene Creed, and I can decide to swear on a stack of bible that I believe every word inside them. But none can make me actually believe it if I don’t. Pascal’s Wager could only ever be an argument for feigning belief in God. And the God that you claim to believe in had better not be of the omniscient kind or he’d see through the deception. The ludicrous idea that believing is something you can decide to do is deliciously mocked by Douglas Adams in Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency, where we meet the roboti Electic Monk, a labour-saving device that you buy ‘to do your believing for you. The de luxe moel is advertised as ‘Capable of believing thingsthey wouldn’t believe in Salt Lake City’.

It gives me an understanding why evangelism doesn't work. Some people will hear the Gosple and it just washes over them. They may understand the concepts but its something in the heart that dosn't click. They arn't been difficult, just honest.

One of the things through reading of Marcus Borg and looking seriously at textual criticism as well as looking deeper into the 'Quest for the historical Jesus" is that there are cross roads through out your walk where you have to make decisions. Did this really happen? It is for me a case of intellectual honesty. It comes back to the above quote. There are some things that you belive and can never be taken away and other well you just have to let them slide.

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Enter Joe Hockey on the religious debate...

Joe Hockey, who I think will one day have a crack at the top job of Prime Minister has layed out his religious credentials 'In defense of God' and it is fascinating.

Part of the extract::

One reason why Christian faith has declined in the West is because of the reliance placed on a literal reading of the testaments. Such an approach has tangled the Christian faith in a confusion of contradictions.

By encouraging literalist analysis of the Bible, many churches have inadvertently invited people to question the validity of a faith that seems to be based on questionable facts or outdated prescriptions.

I think this is pretty spot on. That the evangelical church has lost the ability to sell the 'Mystery' That there is one box, that if you fit in it you have to believe in such a way. If you have 'grays', you are not encouraged to speak them out, and are discouraged to do so, under the threat of been cast as a black sheep.

So, fundamentalist churches have increased, to much applause by those who inhabit them. (I suspect mainly by people, within the walls who like the security of boxes). The Western Church including Australian belief in Christ and overall Church attendance has declined.

Is there a way of stemming the tide? Well I think there needs to be honesty. That there needs to be a more than just tolerance. Actually loving people who have a slightly warped view to yourself.

It will be interesting the rest of Joe's speeches. I would also be interested in his personal spiritual practices and how much that informs his decisions in life...