It’s nice to see Godol back in his new incarnation as XGH. As always, he has something incisive to say on issues of faith keeping many of us on our toes. In his latest post he makes the following statement:
“I'm quite depressed by how so many even LW MO highly intelligent people that I know just cannot face up to the obvious truth.”
This is a reference to the fact that there are so many scientific facts which contradict the Torah narrative, it is impossible to understand how intelligent people can still be believe the narrative.
The basic problem here is the insistence that Emunah has to be scientifically based… that facts which seem to contradict an ancient text must trump the text. But this assumes that scientific facts are the sum and substance of all truth. This is what I believe to be the basis of those who have become atheists. They look at the conundrums that are much of the problem between science and Torah and just conclude that the Torah cannot be true. “How could it be?” they ask. “The Stiros are to compelling!” “My Rebbeim lied to me!” …a reasonable conclusion but not necessarily a correct one.
But that is not what Emunah is. It is not about proofs or facts. It is about beliefs. Godol once alluded to this in what I consider to be one of his finest posts. In his quest for Emes he came to the conclusion that Emes (Truth) is based on experience, not on scientific proofs. And in fact that is far a more compelling reason to believe than the problem a seemingly contradictory fact which science poses to the Torah narrative. But even experience alone is not enough to substantiate our Emunah, in my view. But if you add the myriad of other factors, one of which is expereince, you have a very solid basis for Emunah Sheliama.
What about this common charge by skeptics: “OK” they might concede. “There is a God.” But what about the many competing religions? Why Judaism? And yes, we tend to believe what we are taught from the time we are old enough to understand… to the exclusion of what others are contradictorily taught. So why believe in Judaism? Why not Christianity for example? For me Christianity has far more problems than Judaism does, and Christianity is in any case rooted in and a distortion of… Judaism. But I cannot answer that question entirely. I admit to a certain degree of indoctrination to Judaism plus a somewhat low level of knowledge of other religions. But still, I believe. And, yes, I consider myself lucky to have been born into Judaism and it is my hope that had I not been born into it, that I would have found it and converted to it.
As an individual with naturally skeptical tendencies, I have no difficulty rejecting other religions. So why am I not skeptical about Torah Judaism? It is a combination of factors that are way too complex to list all of them. But just to list some, I begin with a rational mind. That, combined with experiencing the grandeur, complexity, and majesty of the universe, the fact that Judaism probably has the richest body of literature dating way back before Gutenberg of all religions, its long term survival against all attempts to destroy it and is the root of the two other great religions. But there are many, many other factors.
But in the end it is a belief, not a fact. Facts belong in a science lab and though they can be a factor in supporting belief, they are not the only factor and contradictions between science and my beliefs will sometimes remain questions. But my faith is unshakeable not because of my rational mind but because of everything else that combines with my rational mind to indicate to me that the ultimate truth is the Truth of Judaism.
modified: 9/20/06
