Thinking About Stuff People Know
By Carl S ~
People tell you there's a life after death, though no one knows what happens after they die. But “they” know for sure because other people do. Besides, “Someone” promised them an eternal life after death, and “that person” couldn't possibly lie because other people know he couldn't. Another reason they know this is because “that person” assured them in an ancient book, a collection of tales written by unknown men. That reference book tells them: “Whatever is in this book is absolutely true.” And, though they'll admit human beings lie, they know these men never lied.
They've never met “that person” who promised them an eternal life, but they know he's real because they feel his presence in their hearts. They know he knows their most intimate thoughts and desires. In their same hearts also reside all those they've loved and trusted, who they knew in their hearts loved them, but in the end betrayed, divorced, or disappointed them. Still others know in their heart “that person” never expected them to take their wedding vows seriously, and know in their heart he will forgive whatever damage they cause.
They tell you this time it's not trusting a mere mortal; this time it's different. Now they know with absolute certainty: their heart tells them “Someone” they've never met loves them unconditionally, absolutely. They know without a doubt they're loved, without any reaction from the one they love, such as a simple smile of approval, hug, or frown of reproach. Others assure them of this same knowledge, since they know in their hearts, and for the same reasons. It's considered a gift to tell each other “You know what I mean,” without having to explain what they mean.
People tell you they know there is only one true god. They even know what the attributes of this god are. They tell you he's an all-mighty and all-knowing god. But they refuse to think about what those labels mean. Say, for example, an all-knowing god knows you will have an accident tomorrow morning at 8:23 a.m. Because this god knows this absolutely, he or she has no choices to change this; it will happen. It's pathetic, since an all-knowing god can't learn, can't take chances or be surprised, and is impotent to change the future, since such a god already knows the outcomes of everything that happens.
People also know this god is a he-spirit, although a spirit is non-sexual, so the disembodied “male” spirit can't experience what it means to be a woman, let alone a human being. So it's impossible for any spirit to be an all-just and all-merciful, unbiased, judge. As for being all-mighty: even an almighty god can't change the past.
People tell you their god is everywhere, yet resides in another realm often called heaven or paradise. They say no one can see this god until after they've died, and here we go back to the same problem of experts knowing what no one knows: what happens after you die, only now with the added problem of how you can see without living eyes. In all the immensity of space you would expect to find some evidence for this god, but nope. Nevertheless, people know this god exists, is everywhere.
People know the Universe was created by a god, though no one was there to witness when it “began.”People know the Universe was created by a god, though no one was there to witness when it “began.” They know this particular god cares about this planet, what its inhabitants do, think and feel, more than anything else in the Universe. They know he makes living in it challenging by populating this planet with spirits, some of them friendly protectors, others who are deceivers and wish them ill; just like people. The latest estimate for the size of the Universe is two trillion galaxies, each galaxy consisting of billions of stars and planets. With this in mind, think about Earth's “exclusive” status. Go to any beach and remove one grain of sand, and watch the effect this has on the beach. This is what would happen if their god's “special” planet were removed from the Universe.
People know the money they give their missionaries will support indoctrinating other people to accept The Truth, the “truth” being nothing more than the party line of their particular sect. They really don't know what the missionaries are teaching and/or, fabricating.
To understand the power this knowledge has, one needs to be aware of how it is employed on this planet: its chief advocates have and are still using it to persecute, jail, and kill those who question or deny it.
Many ordinary people know extraordinarily unknowable things. And they teach them to their children, so they will know in the same ways they do. And when the knowers are not so sure about something they know, have questions - they consult Experts. There must be a profound human need for these experts. All over the world, Experts are making their livelihoods knowing what no one knows.
I suspect that when it comes to certain special things those people are always so sure about, it must be terribly, scarily, frighteningly, horribly hard to say “I really don't know.” For those people, it's not really about what they know; it's about what they hope.
They've never met “that person” who promised them an eternal life, but they know he's real because they feel his presence in their hearts. They know he knows their most intimate thoughts and desires. In their same hearts also reside all those they've loved and trusted, who they knew in their hearts loved them, but in the end betrayed, divorced, or disappointed them. Still others know in their heart “that person” never expected them to take their wedding vows seriously, and know in their heart he will forgive whatever damage they cause.
They tell you this time it's not trusting a mere mortal; this time it's different. Now they know with absolute certainty: their heart tells them “Someone” they've never met loves them unconditionally, absolutely. They know without a doubt they're loved, without any reaction from the one they love, such as a simple smile of approval, hug, or frown of reproach. Others assure them of this same knowledge, since they know in their hearts, and for the same reasons. It's considered a gift to tell each other “You know what I mean,” without having to explain what they mean.
People tell you they know there is only one true god. They even know what the attributes of this god are. They tell you he's an all-mighty and all-knowing god. But they refuse to think about what those labels mean. Say, for example, an all-knowing god knows you will have an accident tomorrow morning at 8:23 a.m. Because this god knows this absolutely, he or she has no choices to change this; it will happen. It's pathetic, since an all-knowing god can't learn, can't take chances or be surprised, and is impotent to change the future, since such a god already knows the outcomes of everything that happens.
People also know this god is a he-spirit, although a spirit is non-sexual, so the disembodied “male” spirit can't experience what it means to be a woman, let alone a human being. So it's impossible for any spirit to be an all-just and all-merciful, unbiased, judge. As for being all-mighty: even an almighty god can't change the past.
People tell you their god is everywhere, yet resides in another realm often called heaven or paradise. They say no one can see this god until after they've died, and here we go back to the same problem of experts knowing what no one knows: what happens after you die, only now with the added problem of how you can see without living eyes. In all the immensity of space you would expect to find some evidence for this god, but nope. Nevertheless, people know this god exists, is everywhere.
People know the Universe was created by a god, though no one was there to witness when it “began.”People know the Universe was created by a god, though no one was there to witness when it “began.” They know this particular god cares about this planet, what its inhabitants do, think and feel, more than anything else in the Universe. They know he makes living in it challenging by populating this planet with spirits, some of them friendly protectors, others who are deceivers and wish them ill; just like people. The latest estimate for the size of the Universe is two trillion galaxies, each galaxy consisting of billions of stars and planets. With this in mind, think about Earth's “exclusive” status. Go to any beach and remove one grain of sand, and watch the effect this has on the beach. This is what would happen if their god's “special” planet were removed from the Universe.
People know the money they give their missionaries will support indoctrinating other people to accept The Truth, the “truth” being nothing more than the party line of their particular sect. They really don't know what the missionaries are teaching and/or, fabricating.
To understand the power this knowledge has, one needs to be aware of how it is employed on this planet: its chief advocates have and are still using it to persecute, jail, and kill those who question or deny it.
Many ordinary people know extraordinarily unknowable things. And they teach them to their children, so they will know in the same ways they do. And when the knowers are not so sure about something they know, have questions - they consult Experts. There must be a profound human need for these experts. All over the world, Experts are making their livelihoods knowing what no one knows.
I suspect that when it comes to certain special things those people are always so sure about, it must be terribly, scarily, frighteningly, horribly hard to say “I really don't know.” For those people, it's not really about what they know; it's about what they hope.