THE FRAGILITY OF CERTAINTY
“Nobody is going to pour truth into your brain. It’s something you have to find out for yourself.”
ORDERING CHAOS
Life, at its core, is absurd and chaotic. Paradoxically, the only thing that is certain in this life, is that change is inevitable. The more we explore the regions of the micro within the quantum realm, the more discoveries that are uncovered that are puzzling and often contradictory. For many centuries, religion has sought to provide order amid this chaos, by explaining the unexplainable in ways we can grasp and attempt to organize our lives in some way. However, the truth is often far stranger than fiction and cracks inevitably form in any system that tries to organize what is inherently disordered.
During the Scientific Revolution, the validity of the Bible as an ultimate source of truth came under scrutiny. Confronted with the realization of a dwindling flock, and in response to the growing dissonance between the scriptures and the science, theologians crafted doctrines such as “inerrancy” of the scriptures to defend their institutions. This birthed dogmas like the 6,000-year-old Earth, the literal worldwide flood, and the future-oriented interpretation of Revelation—all relatively modern constructs.
Even today, the idea of scriptural inerrancy is complicated by discoveries like the Dead Sea Scrolls, which although they support the historical existence of the scriptures, they also reveal discrepancies in translations and contextual meanings across centuries. But what happens if we take these scriptures at face value?
The Biblical mandate to “go forth and make disciples of all nations” is a core belief and mandate to many practitioners. So, let’s follow this scenario to its ultimate conclusion. Imagine if tomorrow, every soul on Earth embraced Christianity. Would this create heaven on Earth? A paradise of unified beliefs?
Imagine if suddenly, everyone begins practicing speaking in tongues. [This is where the Baptists would say: “Well wait a minute, we don’t believe in it that way.”]
Okay, well then there will be wonderful Men and women who will lead churches together. [The Fundamentalists will say “Not so fast!”]
Worship will be conducted from heavenly choruses and adorned with heavenly instruments. [The Church of God speaks up “Worship is to be created with the human voice, never by instrument.”
I see, well then we have many giving reverence to Mary. [Evangelicals will say: “We are not Catholic and only Jesus should be worshipped.”]
Confessionals begin popping up everywhere. [Protestants shout: “Whoa, wait just a minute!”]
Joseph Smith appears. [Everyone except Mormons: “Hold up, who?!”]
If even the promise of universal religion cannot bring heaven to Earth, what assurance do we have that heaven itself will be harmonious? The fractures we create here reflect the fractures within us.
“Thinking is difficult. That’s why most people judge.”
THE CALL TO THINK CRITICALLY
I once believed religion provided the best explanation for our existence—until I realized it often discourages deeper exploration. By checking into religion, many of us check out of curiosity.
The truth, however, will never force itself upon us. It must be sought, unraveled, and lived. This is what gives life its zest. “The joy is in the journey” as they say. And while religion may pervade our society in a multitude of ways, open-mindedness is the key to understanding ideas that initially feel strange or even absurd.
This doesn’t mean discarding religion entirely. There is truth within its stories. Just as the Dead Sea Scrolls confirm the historic existence of the scriptures, third party historical evidence affirms that Jesus was a real person who walked the Earth and preached, as documented by contemporaries at the time. Likewise, however, just as the Dead Sea scrolls present us with obvious contextual differences in the content or meaning of the narratives over the centuries, the message that Jesus was actually trying to bring to us is a question we must ask ourselves.
Polarization is the enemy. More than one thing can be true at the same time. Conversely, more than one thing can be false. The most meaningful and impactful aspects of life are far too complex to be expressed in this or that scenarios. It’s important to not disregard entirely or adopt with unwavering certainty such philosophies that cannot be comprehensively proven or disproven.
“Every moment of one’s existence, one is growing into more or retreating into less.”
A HUMBLE PERSPECTIVE
Allow me to provide a brief vocabulary lesson, which I hope will stick with you and reveal some new words that I think describe concepts in a beautiful and meaningful way:
Epistemic: Relating to knowledge and its validation.
Humility: The freedom from pride and arrogance.
Epistemic Humility, then, is the understanding that our experiences are limited, and our knowledge is filtered through our experiences. It is the willingness to admit that we may be wrong and not know everything. It recognizes the inherent complexity of the world and the intricate interplay of various factors that shape our understanding of it. Together, they remind us that our understanding is shaped by our limited experiences. The willingness to admit we don’t know everything is not a weakness but a strength.
Umwelt: German, referring to something’s surroundings or environment.
There is a beautiful word in the German language that describes a concept that we have no English word for. Umwelt, (oom-velt) meaning “environment,” describes how each species perceives the world through its unique sensory and perceptual systems.
Notice the seemingly speedy movements of a mouse or a bird. They seem to move through life at such a high speed to us. But from their perspective, this would be a normal pace. A bird may see humans as slow-moving curiosities, while a tortoise might view us as frenetic blurs.
Similarly, each human life is a tapestry woven from individual perspectives and backgrounds. Our differences should not divide us but enrich us. The world is not black-and-white; it is a kaleidoscope of experiences.
“If you’re not growing, you’re dying.”
BRAVE VULNERABILITY
To seek truth is to embrace complexity and confront uncertainty. Yet, our modern world is increasingly shaped by polarization—a dangerous force that thrives on certainty and the rejection of nuance.
Religious dogmas, when introduced into governance, risk turning faith into legislation and morality into mandate. History warns us that when one worldview seeks to dominate, diversity of thought suffers. This is not just about religious belief; it’s about how rigid ideologies erode the foundation of a free, pluralistic society. One must ask themselves when faced with such ideologies: who stands to benefit or prosper from the successful instillation of such beliefs? And who stands to potentially suffer loss from the same?
When beliefs become weapons, wielded to shape laws that govern all, we lose the ability to celebrate differences and instead foster division. The promise of truth is not in conformity but in coexistence.
We must remember: no one holds the ultimate monopoly on truth. Epistemic humility teaches us that our perspectives are limited, and our experiences, no matter how profound, are but a fragment of the greater whole. It is only through dialogue, understanding, and the willingness to admit we might be wrong that we can hope to bridge the growing chasms between us.
Our shared humanity demands that we find common ground—not by forcing others to believe as we do but by respecting their right to seek truth in their own way. Our understanding of the processes and landscape of the fabric that undergirds our reality is not static; it continually evolves as we learn more and are able to test our theories against what is known. But even in areas that we are certain are truthful, we must avoid the instinct to instantly scoff at hypothesis’ that contradict our understanding. The seeds of horrific cruelties can begin to sprout at the point from which we cease to listen to and empathize with others. Practicing discernment, while humbly providing space to learn and grow from individuals with credible counter-positions is what creates meaningful dialogue and intelligent societies.
The nature of these turbulent times requires us to stop the rhetoric and pause for a moment to allow conversation and understanding to flourish. In the days and years ahead, let us choose curiosity over dogma, empathy over judgment, and unity over division. The future of our society depends on it.
Reference for further evaluation:
Abegg, Flint, & Ulrich. (1999). The Dead Sea Scroll Bible. Harper Collins.
