Human behavior, Personal growth

THERE ARE NO ATHEISTS

THERE ARE NO ATHEISTS

A few years ago, I attended a Leadership Conference that was broadcast nationwide.  The key speakers were; business leaders (BizL), authors, and spiritual leaders (SL).  The purpose of this effort was for leaders to see the balance necessary for spiritual principles to be incorporated into all leadership.

As the conference progressed, and as the speakers came and went, I realized that I got more out of the BizL and authors than the SL. 

After this event, I pondered on why this was so?  I found that the SL constantly referred to scripture to make their points.   Whereas the BizL searched for answers using the present factors and taking notice of the “unnoticed” things.  That is, those overlooked elements that could make things better.  They reframed circumstances with the purpose of seeing more clearly.  The BizL viewed the future from the present perspective, while the SL viewed the future from the past.

As I searched for deeper reasons, I noticed that both are needed. 

Principles found in the scriptures are to help people to make decisions.  The benefit of applying these principles requires faith that the principles are relevant and predictive.   The SL using scripture ought to be good?   The concept is that following principles help mitigate negative consequences.   Faith is believing in something unseen.

A prime example of this is driving.  We have faith everyone else driving will follow the rules of the road.  When you think about it, you place yourself at risk each time we drive, only by your faith in others do you find security.  And it works!

However, there is an enormous limiting factor in human beings.  We cannot see into the future, and we do not always see the past as it may really have been.  Our memories are clouded with biases and misrepresentations.  Those may be innocent, however, there also in a more sinister element, and that is self-deception.

The Bible is a living document that applies to all situations, in principle.  As in the past, presently we see a clash between the Spiritual and Material.  Material is something we can touch and feel comfortable with.  The spiritual takes us to a more vulnerable place.

The clash is not as much from God, but rather from the pride of man; thinking he know all that he needs to know. 

I enjoy the meaning in this quote: “Trust the person who is seeking, doubt the person who knows the answers.”

Caught in the projected perception of God, an individual fails to notice the difference between what God says and what man has interpreted.  God gets thrown out like the baby with the bath water. 

A sound Biblical principle is: “Let your “yes” be a yes and your “no” be a no.”  In other words, do not lie or twist the truth. 

This is one principle that is illustrated throughout the Bible.   To be clear, this refers to you, your being truthful to yourself.  That is, not deceiving yourself. 

We all need spiritual help and guidance, because we all have tendency to get captured in our own lies.  It is not God that is deceiving us, it is our own action.  Man’s inability to admit his limitations is a source of fear.  You are never free unless you are free from fear.  One may ask, “Will I ever be free of fear?”  Yes, is the answer, because you are wonderfully made. 

Once you are free, from the fear of who you are, only then will you see through a different lens.  Freedom comes only from dealing with the truth, also the truth about yourself.

Truth will hurt, especially if it has been piled on with self-deception for years.  For fruit to grow in our lives, or in business, it must be good fruit.  We must deal with the lies we tell ourselves, because the internal lies are the most destructive in creating good fruit. 

In The Brothers Karamozov, Dostoyevsky wrote advice given by the wise Elder to the muddling buffoon, self-deprecating, and self-destructive father of these brothers.

“…The main thing is that you stop telling lies to yourself.  The one who lies to himself and believes his own lies comes to a point where he can distinguish no truth either within himself or around him, and thus enters a state of disrespect towards himself and others.  Respecting no one, he loves no one, and to amuse and divert himself in the absence of love he gives himself up to his passions and to vulgar delights and becomes a complete animal in his vices, and all of its perpetual lying to other people and himself.”

This book was published in 1880.  The principle here is Biblical.

There are no Atheists, just people who admit that they hate being deceived, and forced to see God through other people’s eyes.  If the occasion arises, there may be found self-deception lurking in their conscious as it is in all of us.

Attila Horvath, author

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *