Religion's "Truth"

If someone never knew of religion and one day walked into a Catholic church during service, the experience in many fundamental ways would not be very different from walking into a doctor's office located on a medical complex. She would find a well ordered staff, people of great authority and knowledge, texts which are strictly adhered to, an ornate building of intricate and costly design, and various plaques or paintings denoting authenticity. Upon entering this environment, she would undoubtedly claim that it is a very professionally run, financially successful establishment. Using reason, the visitor would begin forming a positive judgement of the credibility of the claims that institution made.

A little further investigation would yield information regarding a well ordered and adhered-to hierarchy as well as the vastness and depth of the church's priestly schools. Clearly, the church approaches its services carefully and takes its claims seriously. In addition, it could be noted that no fee is required of those who enter the church. At the most, small notes are offered up as a means to support the church's activities, but no outrageous sums are demanded from the congregation. Apparantly, becoming rich is not a motive for the priests and nuns of the church. For the visitor, these observations could only serve to further convince her of the church's authenticity and truth.

Yet more research into the religious institution's history would produce information regarding its history dating back nearly 2 thousand years. Surely an organization that old would be founded upon undeniable truths, right? Common sense might compel one to think that if a group was founded on lies that the group would not long survive-that reason would ultimately reveal falsity of its claims.

Finally, the visitor to the Catholic Church service would witness something that she could never hope to see at a doctor's office. The church would be full of hundreds of people who apparantly believe the claims of the church. If asked, most of these people would profess the "truth" unflinchingly, and they'd do so with more conviction than one normally hears regarding even the most established facts. This is the sort of testimonial a doctor or scientist will never receive. At best, one may only hope to talk to a few past patients or flip through some files.

So, we find that reason seems to support the notion that there is a great deal of truth behind the claim that god exists and that life continues after death.

I'll note that reason is not logic. Logic is science. If properly applied, it will lead only to truth, like 2+2=4. Reason on the other hand is the practice of intelligence with no limits other than those imposed by the person who is able to infuse the most logic into his/her argument. Reason is free form intelligence. How do we infuse more logic into our search for truth?

This and more to come...