Wednesday, February 12, 2003
"Sincerity is not a test of legitimacy."
On the face of it, I would agree with this statement. Just because you believe the world is flat, that man never landed on the moon, or that flying planes into buildings will further your political agenda, does not make it true. You are sincere about a belief, not about a fact.
However, this phrase has been used in recent weeks around Gainesville to promote a local Baptist church. The church's pastor, in radio advertisements, uses this statement after describing a conversation with a waiter at a local restaurant, in which he waiter tells him "it doesn't matter what religion you believe in, as long as you are sincere."? And that is when the pastor goes into his "legitimacy" speech, quoting the Bible, and challenging people to come to his church and ask "hard questions"? about their faith.
His argument is flawed. In essence, he is saying you should challenge your beliefs, then convert to my religion, because it is legitimate. His commentary leads us to believe that his religion, Christianity, is a truth, not a belief, as other religions are. It's hypocrisy on a monumental scale.
This week, his new ad questions the basic nature of man. Although some believe man is good and others believe that man in neutral and society shapes them, he counters that the Bible tells us that man heart is basically "deceitful", and that we must accept this to truly understand our place in the world.
What is this man saying? Is he saying the 5 billion of so individuals on Earth who practice a religion not based on the Bible are wrong? How can he make such an assumption? Could not one argue that all religions are a reflection of one basic truth? Is he saying man is basically evil? What kind of message of hope and comfort is this sending?
No matter how eloquent or persuasive his discourses might seem, this pastor's statements seem positively Medieval, as if spoken by a fervent devout monk on the Crusades. "Mankind is evil and full of sinners! All who do not believe are heretics!"? If this is what is entailed when challenging your beliefs, I think I'll let sleeping dogs lie.
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