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[First posted April 1, 2013. Features Sinaite VAN who ‘fast-forwarded’ his trek to know the God on Sinai, or so we fondly imagine . . . .
Many more similar discussions followed the incident recounted here dated three years ago, a credit to the two gentlemen of differing faith, who nevertheless endeavoured to continue their expression of convictions but never saw eye to eye, as is to be expected.—Admin1]
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On “Easter Sunday” late afternoon, just when the sun was at its most comfortable suntanning angle signalling it was time to take a siesta, a group of Sinaites and non-Sinaites were about to wrap up a most enjoyable drawn-out luncheon. But before anybody could initiate the parting of ways, the NONO topic suddenly surfaced out of the blue. There is ONE topic Sinaites avoid, nay shun, discussing with those outside of our little circle —and that topic obviously is: why did we leave mainstream Christianity and what do we believe in now.
Actually, that topic is like an ‘elephant in the room’ whenever we get together with two kinds of people we socialize with: unbelievers and Christians. We are all conscious it’s there, sometimes even wearing a bright yellow suit screaming for attention, so obvious yet nobody dares bring it up unless we want to ruin a so-far enjoyable get-together.
Why such a topic is disturbing to any otherwise calm conversation is a universal experience; as they say, you never discuss two things in a mixed social gathering: politics and religion.
Yet somehow, we suddenly found ourselves listening to a discourse between Sinaite VAN and the devoted Catholic husband of another Sinaite who has, to his credit, been quite tolerant and friendly toward us; even attended our Purim celebration during which he got quite emotional while discussing that same ‘elephant’. Since that last occasion, we had managed to keep conversation on every topic conceivable except that one. Who started it that afternoon, who knows but there we ended up uncomfortably.
To the credit of the discussants, both kept it at a polite and gentleman’s level, calmly stating their position, giving the other time to express his view without interrupting, patiently waiting no matter how long it was taking the other to get to the point. Did they eventually meet eye to eye? No.
Among the differences that became obvious in each side’s position, one point stuck in the minds of the peanut gallery (i.e. we, the silent listeners who were trying hard not to butt in by biting our tongue) and that is: the difference between “blind faith” and “belief based on facts.”
The Catholic made his point clear: any time you can explain God, He is no longer God; and any time you can explain faith, it is no longer faith.
What can a Sinaite say to a person who is so convicted?
It is pointless to bring up the fact that the only thing we will ever know about God (with assurance) is from what He chooses to reveal about Himself. And if God wants us to know how we are to relate to Him and to one another, He would have to tell us and not leave us guessing. If He did not do just that, then anything goes, we are free to forever guess what He is like and what He requires of us. He cannot blame us for resorting to that and we should not be punished for guessing in our effort to want to know Him and please Him in the human ways we know how.
If you have observed another person all your life without ever speaking to that person, you could possibly find out his name from other sources, come to some conclusions about him from your observations, and that would be about all you will know. But if that person talks to you and tells you everything there is to know about him, then you have a basis for your knowledge of him, granting he was truthful about everything he told you. His life and actions should validate his words about himself. If our own parents make sure we as children, know what they expect of us while living at home, how much more the Creator of this universe who seeks a relationship with mankind and evidently has already done so, if we are to beileve the Hebrew Scriptures?
This invisible God who created us did not just create us so we could live our lives any way we please; surely we were created for a purpose: to know Him. But to know Him, He has to tell us what He is like in terms we can understand within the limitations of our human understanding. That is why the Hebrew language and Hebrew thinking is so perfect for YHWH’s revelation, because we are taught in terms we can understand—speech, acts, experience, history, the Divine experienced in tangible ways.
The New Testament written in Greek and influenced by Greek philosophical world view teaches us big words like justification, sanctification, glorification, abstract concepts that are difficult to grasp by the more simple minded. The “Old” Testament translates those words into the acts of God in the history of mankind, specifically the history of Israel.
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A day later, Sinaite VAN sent in this article [highlights added]:
Faith vs. Knowledge
My Christian friends are always speaking about “faith.” To me this sounds a lot like blind faith. Is that really the essence of religion?
The Aish Rabbi Replies:
I’m afraid that this is another case of a Christian concept being mis-associated with Judaism.
Let’s first define our terms. What is faith?
Webster defines faith as “Belief without proof.”
What is knowledge? “An acquaintance with truth, facts or principles through study or investigation.”
Faith is usually a product of desire. Have you ever gotten a tip on the market that guarantees you’re going to triple your money in a month? A lot of smart people have gotten fleeced because they ignored the evidence and went with their feelings.
Knowledge, on the other hand, is based on evidence. We know there’s a place called China because we have too many products in our house saying “made in China.” There’s a lot of evidence for the existence of China, even though most of us have never been there.
Judaism unequivocally comes down on the side of knowledge, not faith. In Deuteronomy 4:39, the Torah says:
“You shall know this day, and understand it well in your heart, that the Almighty is God; in the heaven above and the earth below, there is none other.”
(This verse is also contained in the prayer, “Aleynu.“)
This verse tells us that it is not enough to simply know in your head, intellectually, that God is the Controller of everything. You must know it in your heart! This knowledge is much more profound than an intellectual knowledge. God gave us a brain because he wants us to think rationally about the world, our role in it, and our relationship with God.
A conviction based on desire or feelings alone has no place in Judaism. The Hebrew word “emunah,” which is often translated as faith, does not describe a conviction based on feelings or desire. It describes a conviction that is based on evidence.
Once this knowledge is internalized, it effects how a person lives. A person with this knowledge could transform every breathing moment into a mitzvah, for he would do everything for the sake of the heaven. But this is not a “knowledge,” that comes easily. Only intensive Torah learning and doing mitzvahs can achieve this knowledge. Every word of Torah we learn moves us just a little bit closer to that goal. And everyone is capable of that.
To learn more, read “The Knowing Heart,” by Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto (Feldheim.com). This entire book is an explanation of this verse!
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Wow, let us all get that book! If you fail to get yours, we will feature parts of it in articles on this website. Meanwhile, there is much to learn from the Jewish websites, please check out the links we have listed here. They are way ahead of us in this pilgrimage but we are all travelling on the same pathway. We thank them for indeed being YHWH’s ‘light’ to us gentiles.
NSB@S6K
