sincerity is not enough

In our exploration of the Eastern Hemisphere, we have seen all kinds of people who believe all sorts of things.  Hindus, Buddhists, animists, ancestor worship, appeasing household gods, Muslims, Sikhs, and Christians: their ideas and way of life have peppered each book we have read.  It came as no surprise when my daughter recently asked me at bedtime, "Mom, how do we know Christianity is the right religion?"

I love the way Rachel's heart was prepared for our next book, But Don't All Religions Lead to God? by Michael Green.  In this short, easy-to-read book the author examines the questions common to our culture about faith issues.  Many in America today promote tolerance and acceptance of all religions.  I thought I would summarize the things we are learning here, because Rachel's question, or one like it, "What IS the right religion?" is one we all must wrestle with at some point if we are going to be serious about the pursuit of truth in matters of faith.

Micah did an excellent job summarizing the first chapter, so I will let his words speak here.

The world says, "It doesn't matter what you believe as long as you are sincere."  That doesn't work.  Sincerity is good, but not enough.  You can be sincere but still be very wrong.  People nowadays aren't known for philosophical thinking.  We don't like to think about "life and death" issues, so we just pick a religion, be sincere, and hope we get to heaven.  What if you were sincere, but wrong?  We would not apply the sincerity question to science or math, so why apply it to religion?  Belief is the spring of action, so right belief leads to right action.

I can sincerely believe that 2+2=5, but I am sincerely wrong.  Hitler sincerely believed that exterminating Jews was necessary for a better world, but he was sincerely wrong.  We are quick to spot error in examples like this, but are we willing to pursue truth to its end and bank our eternal destiny on an answer that may not even make sense, let alone be right?

Have you encountered this thinking, that it doesn't matter what you believe as long as you are sincere?  If this statement is incorrect, then the conclusion that follows is that what we believe matters very much.  More on that to come!