Shattering Illusions

Buy the truth and do not sell it—
wisdom, instruction and insight as well. (Proverbs 23:23 NIV)

It is not only important to study the bible; it is also important to study about the bible.  I think many misconceptions arise about the things we read in the bible because we are so ignorant about how and why they were written.  And sadly, many people would rather not know because it threatens their life-long illusions about the bible.  When we discover some of these truths, it forces us to look at the bible in a more realistic... rather than mystical... way and it may put a whole new truth to things we only believed to be truth.

The philosopher Nietzsche said, "Sometimes people don't want to hear the truth, because they don't want their illusions destroyed."  So true!  I remember the first time I was told that many of the books of the New Testement probably weren't written by the actual people whose names were on them.  It shattered something I thought I knew, and my first impulse was to reject this new information as maybe even heretical.  It destroyed my illustions.

I continued to find out new things about how the bible was written and how it was put together in the form we have it today.  Along the way, many illusions were shattered and many new truths learned.  It was difficult at times and even faith-shaking.  But in the end it gave me stronger and more mature faith.

So many Christian denominations make their adherents feel like it is a sin to question their beliefs or the bible even to the point that they are required to ignore science.  I can't believe that this is a healthy approach to religion.  If our faith isn't strong enough to withstand have illusions shaken and shattered, then perhaps we don't have real faith at all.  Perhaps we are just believing in fairy tales.

Father,
Help us to continue to grow in our faith and to accept truth even if it means changing what we thought we knew about you.  Amen.

Joys:  Cooking supper with Tracy yesterday... some good stuff came out of the kitchen!; unexpected time with Cecelia; Cecelia's "rules" for wearing a belt