Monday's thoughts

"Seeing is Believing; or Is It?"
An important part of our faith is the way we are exposed to new insights. Sometimes we discover a new logic and faith begins to make sense in a new way. Sometimes it isn't logic it is an epiphany of a mystical nature and we aren't exactly certain why we have a new understanding but something has happened to us to lead us in a new direction.

Many religious people are mystics. They are able to deduce new levels of faith through some kind of mystical intrusion into their reason or logic. They believe because they have been led by the Spirit to believe. The believe, not because they see, but because they know by faith; they know by the heart. John Dunn called it the logic of the heart.

I am an empiricist. It is important for me to be able to see or touch or hear something that brings out a logical conclusion to my faith before my faith is able to evolve. Seeing is believing for me; and, for there to be any other means of faith development, I have to be able to see it.

Seeing is believing; or is it? Two weeks ago we went to the Lincoln for an evening of illusion and magic. If seeing is believing I still cannot believe what I saw. I saw colors change before my eyes. I saw doves fly out of hats that seemed empty. I saw a person be sawed in half and they walk away in a bloodless reconnection. I heard a man pick a number out of a phone book that he called before someone picked up the phone book to find it.

I don't know how the illusions were accomplished but my empiricism has been punctured.

I now doubt my doubts. If a skeptic doubts his doubts does that make him a believer?

What do you think? Are you an empiricist or a mystic. If you have an opinion on this write me at charlesschuster@fcfumc.net. If you are willing to have others read your thoughts click on the box below.

I look forward to hearing from you.


Charles Schuster

By the way;
Monday from 9 - 12 Eugene Lowry will work with clergy and preachers and any interested laity on how to write and preach sermons.

Monday at 6 there will be a pot luck dinner and Dr. Lowry will preach and our adult choir will sing at 7. You are invited to attend.