Posted by johnboy on April 16, 1999 at 12:39:02:
i would to unqualifiedly embrace Christianity
for i have heard of no greater love than the love expressed in its story of the Christ
for i have heard of no greater justice than the mercy contained in its description of the Father
for i have neither seen nor heard nor have been able to conceive of a greater beauty than that evoked by its Spirit
and if in my unconditional trust and surrender to the divine providence expressed in Christian teaching
i should somehow discover that i have missed the mark and if in missing the mark reality reveals a truth which is higher and nobler than the love and justice and beauty contained in the myth of Christianity
then i shall still be safe
for if the beauty and justice and love of Christianity is in any way exceeded by yet a Higher Truth
then we are safer beyond our feeble ability to comprehend
and so this leap of faith is entirely reasonable
and if i miss the mark and if in missing the mark reality reveals the truth that the universe is ultimately unfriendly, that beauty is an illusion and mercy is not to be had ...
then i shall defy the universe and i shall love no differently and cling to my people no more tightly (as if that were possible) and i shall be more noble than that universe which slay me
and that is Pascal's Wager and as safe a bet as one could ever take for what could one do to fight the unfriendly universe?
and so faith is no leap, it is the only choice in answer to our infinite need for truth, beauty, justice and love
and these needs can not be denied even if their ultimate fulfillment is suspect
and besides,
and once we unreservedly and unconditionally surrender to this path, the mystics testify to a confident assurance in what we hope for and to a conviction of things unseen ... what am i waiting for? ;>)