It matters what you believe

A view that’s become popular in the last few decades is the idea that it doesn’t really matter what you believe – about God, about science, about the meaning of life. According to this view, beliefs about these kinds of subjects are interesting, perhaps, but morally insignificant and logically irrelevant. The point is how we live, not what we believe.

What can we say in response to this? Well, on the one hand, it seems rather a noble sentiment. The way we live our lives is indeed important. But what this view overlooks is the simple fact that what we believe shapes the way we live our lives.

It only makes sense to live a religious life if you believe in the object of the religion. For instance, only pray to God if you believe in him. Prayer is not just an expression of hope (or even trust) that things will go right – it’s a communication addressed to God, a being whom you believe will hear you and understand you, and maybe even respond. Prayer simply makes no sense unless you believe in something to pray to, a real, conscious, listening being.

Only worship God if you believe in him. Worship is not just an expression of awe at the world around us – it’s an act of deference to God, a being that you believe is worthy of worship because of his nature or his acts. Worship makes no sense unless you believe that something exists that’s worthy of being worshipped. True beliefs are good and useful, because they lead rationally to sensible, prudent and appropriate actions. False beliefs, no matter how sincere, are bad, because actions based on them run the risk of being silly, unwise and dangerous.

If you don’t believe that aspirin can alleviate pain, don’t take aspirin for headaches. If you don’t believe that Jesus was the Son of God, don’t bear witness to him when you meet unbelievers. If you don’t believe that there’s a God who wants you to deliver sinners to the depths of hell, don’t strap bombs to your chest and sit on a crowded bus.

Far from being irrelevant, what you believe matters fundamentally.

 

 

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