I Don't Know

I have had many rants, discussions, and debates in regards to to theology and my personal faith. These discussions have taken place with people of various backgrounds, upbringings, and religious beliefs. Many of them have brought up many points that I have never considered before and I find myself shrugging and saying "I don't know".

I never think of this as a bad thing but there are those who do. Unfortunately, there are some who believe they have infallible authority in regards to the faith they represent. I am of the opinion this sets the individual up for disaster because there will come a time when he or she will be unable to answer a challenge. A perspective, not yet considered by them, will shake them and instead of admitting a personal lack of knowledge the individual in question will give an inadequate answer.

In all fairness, it is not completely the fault of the person of faith. There is pressure, for sure. There comes a moment that I call an "AH HA!" moment. This occurs when someone is intentionally trying to find flaws in a thought process or belief. When they believe they have found a weakness and make an claim against it they internally exclaim "AH HA! Got you!" No where is this more evident than in the debate among theists, agnostics, and atheists (the political arena is also notorious for this).

No one likes to be put on the spot, however, all egos aside, it is important to acknowledge that sometimes we just don't know. I do not see this as weakness, just an honest assessment of your personal knowledge at the time.

When I was an undergrad student I was in a survey course about the various religions. The professor in question was ordained and one day a student asked him: "What do you think is going to happen when we die?" Without missing a beat he said:

"I don't know, but I am ready to be surprised."