A note to readers about Pluscarden Abbey

The other week I had one of the most unusual and interesting weeks of my life, when I visited Pluscarden Abbey in the Highlands of Scotland. I thought I should mention it in case anyone starts to wonder about the sudden increase in the number of references to monks. And I imagine that in all sorts of ways in coming weeks, my experiences there will seep into what I’m writing.

It was certainly a wonderful week, and the fulfilment of a very long-standing ambition. I visited Pluscarden 29 years ago with my wife – just for the day – while we were having a holiday in Scotland, in order to visit an old school friend who is a monk there. I know Elgin is a long way away, and life is busy, but it’s taken nearly 30 years to get back. However, it’s a place where I’ve said to myself, “One day, I must go to Pluscarden”, so, now that I have the freedom of retirement, I took the opportunity to go. And I am very pleased that I did.

Pluscarden is a Benedictine monastery, with about 15 monks, set in a beautiful valley about 7 miles outside Elgin. They go into chapel 7 or 8 times a day (depending on whether it’s Sunday or not) to sing divine office, using the traditional Latin. I was staying in the guest house, and – while not attending all services, especially not the one that starts at 4.30am! – loved joining in several of the services each day, and I also had the privilege of joining the monks at lunchtime.

If I give just one thought now, which was the thing that struck me most of all. The monks live such a distinctive life, and it is clear that they have given everything in order to express their complete devotion to God. So, the question this raises is: how can I, in the life I live, express my complete devotion to God?

The importance of believing in God

Part 5: We are free to choose to believe in God

I am keen to give all due respect to the inner life of secular minded people. Although I’m tempted to, I must not deride the quality of the inner, spiritual life, which is a facility we seem to have by virtue of being human rather than through being religious. I am naturally inclined to think that secular people are just missing out on the riches of the inner life that I enjoy through being religious, but I mustn’t think that religious people have a monopoly on awe and wonder or reverence for the beauty and profundity of life. However, although I cannot get inside a secular minded person’s head to experience what they do, it seems reasonable to believe that a person who believes they are experiencing an intimate relationship with a person who has the qualities of God must be experiencing an extra layer of wonder which is not accessible to those without faith. Of course, the secularist wants to argue that the religious person is experiencing a fantasy, but the truth of that is not open to a certain answer, but from the religious person’s perspective, their relationship with God certainly appears to be genuine rather than a fantasy. Perhaps a secularist tried to believe in God but felt they could not do it because their doubts led them to conclude that the belief is a fantasy – and therefore they conclude that those who did not abort their life of faith have been fooled by a fantasy. However, to the person who does believe, they haven’t “failed to see that it’s a fantasy”, instead, they have worked through the doubts, rather than pulling back from faith because of them, and so simply experience God’s presence as real and authentic. I think this must open up to the believer a precious dimension of mystery that lifts them to higher and deeper experiences of life.

However, we raised the all-important question:  but is it true?

Even for those who don’t get caught on the hook of doubt, it still makes a fundamental difference whether or not their beliefs are true. Reassuringly/annoyingly, this is a question that will only be answered when it is too late – or it will not be answered at all. That is, if God is real, it will only be discovered after death, and none of us is coming back to tell the rest of us the answer – or we will die and simply lose consciousness, and so have no awareness that God is not real and so there is no life after death after all.

In a way, this does give believers complete freedom to go on believing. Provided there is enough evidence to make it not completely, ridiculously implausible to believe in God (which there isn’t) and provided the individual is able to deal with their own appreciation of doubts, then they are free to enjoy their life of faith, confident that they will be proved right in heaven – only to never know that they were wrong because, as above, they simply lose consciousness at death and so never discover that there is no life after death after all. Or they may be right, and enter into the bliss of God’s presence in heaven. Of course, this also means that the secularist is free to go on not believing. Their reading of the evidence, and their levels of doubt are such that they are content that they have made the right decision not to believe in God. If they are right they will, as above, never discover that they were right, and if they are wrong, then they’d better hope that God is as forgiving as the believers said he is. They are also then free to either adopt the altruistic principles of Mr Dawkins’ vision, or commit themselves to hedonistic selfishness – or anywhere in between: it’s their choice.

This all sounds reasonable, though I feel I’ve somewhat side-stepped the issue on the believer’s point of view. It’s not simply that we shrug our shoulders and say, “I don’t know if we’re really right about God, we’ll find out one day (or not find out!)”. Rather, these things are clear:-

• I want to believe in God
• Believing in God brings immensely precious value into my life
• I freely acknowledge that I may be wrong (We live by faith, not by sight)
• I freely acknowledge that there are alternatives to my faith, though, with the best will in the world, I can only see that these are equivalents of what I experience in my life of faith, or drawing close to what I enjoy, but certainly not exceeding it
• It is not ridiculous or unreasonable to believe in God. The evidence supports this belief as a valid possibility
• Therefore, given the importance of believing in God, I consider that we are free to continue doing so.

The importance of believing in God

Part 4: It’s not an easy call, but our human nature tips us towards our need of God

On a more positive note for secularists, we must be fair and say that they are able to marvel at the wonder of life just as religious people do. As we learn more about the universe, we are astounded and enthralled by what we discover. The riches of civilisation and the uplifting gifts of human society are truly wonderful – and to be wondered over. However, secularists can never know the intimate relationship that believers experience with God – so full of love, peace and joy, imparting comfort, strength and guidance, and instilling life with purpose and meaning simply through their relationship with God – rather than through enjoying some material advantage of the physical universe. Moreover, this relationship is precisely the thing that can never be lost, and which countless believers testify can become richer and more fulfilling the more that the material world becomes cold and hostile. Yes, secularists may choose a noble philosophy of life, but they are also free to “just go shopping”, and, given what we know about human nature, we suspect that a large majority will just think about themselves, most of the time. Yes, religious people are often not far behind in this self-centredness, but at least their beliefs contain an intrinsic imperative to care for others.

Both the secular and religious view can become the basis of community and world action for justice. Secularists have the powerful image of the world seen from space – our global village, home to us all; beautiful and precious, to be cherished, cared for and shared by all. Religious people have exactly the same views – but simply add in another layer of belief that this world is a precious gift of a God of love, and a responsibility to look after as good stewards on his behalf. And it is this that gives humanity the responsibility to live up to God’s standards rather than misusing our freedom in selfish pursuits.

There is an intense argument to be had: religious people have had thousands of years to “get the world right” and have hardly done a brilliant job. Yet secular ideologies show little evidence of being better; they give free reign to human selfishness that religion at least makes some attempt to curb; and, in practice, the most murderous regimes in history have tended to be secular ones. We must also beware of judging previous ages by the values of our own. Many of the principles and values which all people of goodwill have now adopted had simply not been invented till recently. We should not blame people for not doing things that they hadn’t even conceived of – especially as it’s reasonable to argue that it has taken the course of history to enable us to now conceive of them, and that would have been impossible in a previous age. My own view is that the problem does not lie in the weakness of religion, but in the weakness of human nature – which is precisely what religion acknowledges – and hence our need for God’s help. If human beings fully implemented the teachings of the great world religions, then we would be as close to an earthly paradise as you can get. Secularists might want to argue that if only everyone would take up Mr Dawkins’ vision then that would also produce an earthly paradise. There is much to debate here! Personally, I think that the religions have a deeper and sounder understanding of human nature, and so a better vision of what we should be working for – and, very importantly, how we should be working towards it. With God’s help, we might just have a chance; without it, I think we will fail.

The importance of believing in God

Part 3: Dawkins’ vision is a popped balloon

We may feel that “the Dawkins’ approach” wins out on the issue of not being troubled by the, “But is it true?” question. IF religious people are right in believing in God, then I think it’s clear that their approach is better than the secular one because – while the secular view might match, or at least give equivalents of – the religious view in relation to this physical life on earth, clearly the religious view adds the extra dimension of life after death. If God is real, then I think that he is also adding a dimension to this life, though secularists might think that they would be completely happy with their approach. But, clearly, a real God does add extras to what a secular person can experience. Nevertheless, the secular security that they know they are speaking verifiable truth is a big plus for them – simply because, even if faith claims are true, they cannot be verified. However, as I have written elsewhere, there is a way to understand God as the verifiable experience of transcendent truth and love, and to understand faith as the importance of believing in belief, and this approach might overcome these challenges.

However, the religious view clearly wins for those whom life deals a very poor hand indeed. If – in Dawkins’ image of briefly entering the light to stage your grand performance – your life ends in child mortality, or is casually or cruelly taken away by those in power, or if your life is endured in poverty, powerlessness and humiliation, then the Dawkins vision is a hollow, gaudy façade created by prosperous, liberal Western society, which, in reality, is a cruel mockery of countless millions of peoples’ lives. Yes, we can rise up in righteous anger and use this grotesque injustice to empower us to strive for justice and a life worth living for all. But we will not reach everyone in time – and many not at all. In comparison, the comfort of God’s love is real comfort, and the hope of heaven a real assurance of relief into a realm of all things being well. Yes, you can complain, “Why doesn’t God’s love put this right now?” but religious believers have answered this sort of question pretty well as they grapple with the agonising problem of evil and suffering. Rather than complain about God, we need to point the finger at ourselves, and in the secular vision there is no-one but ourselves to come to our aid – and this can hardly fill us with confidence, given the immense suffering in the world.

Some might want to use this point to claim that this shows that religion is just for sad losers – those who can’t manage on their own two feet have to call out to God to save them. But, in the secular view, given what we know about the immense power of systems of wealth and authority, it is grossly unfair to disparage the “losers”, nor to praise ourselves for being “so clever as to end up on the top of the pile”. Dawkins’ wonderful spotlight reveals a world with limited resources, and, while there is enough for all to enjoy life, that requires wisdom and generosity, which is something our species is often lacking.

Which brings us to a particular weakness of the secular view: while someone might choose to adopt an altruistic, compassionate and joyful attitude to this wonderful opportunity that life has given us, we are under no compunction to do so. If someone finds that lucky chance has, indeed, born them on top of the pile, and they decide to grab every good experience for themselves while they have the chance – and pull the ladder up behind them to prevent others joining in their bonanza – does anyone else have grounds to criticise them? They are just making use of the opportunities that life has given them – before life takes that opportunity away. Moreover, given the secular framework of understanding, although it’s not impossible, it takes a superhuman effort to respond positively to disappointment, tragedy and injustice. Given what we know about human nature, bitterness, hatred and rage are the more likely outcomes – and entirely justifiable, if you have had your one, brief chance of existence blighted by the selfishness of others.

The importance of believing in God

Part 2: Maybe secularism can give a decent account of itself after all.

It’s difficult to see how secularism can give me anything like as satisfying a psychological package as belief in God can. But we will try.

Richard Dawkins, among others, has given us an inspiring vision that some people may find sufficient to live by. He focuses on the extraordinary unlikeliness of us ever coming into existence. He has a powerful image: imagine an eternity of darkness both before your life began, and after it ends. But now, for the period of your life, imagine a bright beam of light illuminating a breath-taking universe and a life of wonderful opportunities. How fortunate to be alive! You so very nearly did not come into existence, but, amazingly, here you are! Yes, your life will end in less than two handfuls of decades, but we must accept the realities of existence in this physical universe. Don’t think on the end; revel in the extraordinary wonderfulness of being alive, and – within the context of society in which you find yourself – use your time to the full. Not just in selfish pleasures – you don’t have to adopt the ideology that life is about maximising consumer pleasures and completing the world’s most impressive bucket list. You can be altruistic and compassionate – for these bring us to the pinnacle of what it means to live, while also exulting in achieving personal goals and rejoicing in the wonders of the natural world. Be wise; be realistic: you cannot do everything you wish, but you can do many things. You are not invincible and invulnerable, but you are lucky enough to be alive in the 21^st century, in a democratic, peaceful, lawful society, with its scientific and technological wonders, its prosperity and its immense opportunities in a free, liberal society. Enjoy life! Be strong in spirit: it will certainly come to an end – and apparently all too soon, though in 80 or more years we will have time to do so much – and our life may be taken away from us through the carelessness, hatred or greed of others. But if we are lucky – and the chances are we will be lucky – and we are already so absurdly lucky to be here at all – just accept life as a temporary gift. Your consciousness came into existence, and it will go out of existence, but while you are conscious, embrace this outrageous gift that lucky chance has given you.

This is truly uplifting and inspiring, and achieves many of the goals that I set in order to live up to in a comparison with the religious person’s belief in God. It does give a framework of understanding for our lives. Many people may feel it’s a better framework because it is completely provable and therefore “honest” – certainly in the sense of not relying on any beliefs that cannot be proven. It provides a rationale for a moral and compassionate life, while also chiming in with the modern emphasis on personal fulfilment, the search for happiness, and the freedom to spend your life however you choose. I think we can easily see that people to whom “life deals a good hand” – so that they can indeed take advantage of the wonderful opportunities of life – and who have a strong philosophy of life to guide and strengthen them through trials and tribulations, could well be happy adopting Mr Dawkins’ ideology to live their lives by. Someone like me might want to say, “Ah, but you’re all on your own”, but the secularist can reply: “Yes, in a way I am – but that’s just accepting the facts of existence. And I turn that into a positive: it’s up to me to steer my course through life – I don’t “cry out to God” when times get tough”. And, they can add, that they’re not really alone, it’s simply up to them to nurture the immense resources of social relationships that life presents to us.

So, I’ve done my best to prove myself wrong and give a glowing account of how secularism can indeed provide a satisfying psychological pattern.

Is there a way to compare the two systems of thought?

The importance of believing in God

A review of what belief in God gives, compared with the alternative that secularism can offer. If God is not real, how do we manage without what God has offered? Can we compare the two offers?

(In 5 parts)

The importance of believing in God

Part 1: God gives us everything that we need, want or could hope for.

Believing in God provides me with a complete psychological package to live life to the full.

It creates a framework in which to live my life. I have been loved by God since before the creation of the universe. He is the creator, and, no matter how big or how long extended in time, the universe is just something that God can hold in the palm of his hand. He can switch it on and off and he is neither enhanced nor diminished in doing so. When I come to the end of this mortal life and die, that is just the start of my eternal life with God in heaven. This means that I am free to devote myself whole-heartedly to living every day, without fearing that my life might be taken away from me, without regretting that I am using it up, with no fear of the inevitability of death – it is just a door to even greater joy, in communion with God. So, God holds the beginning and end of my life which means I have no unanswered questions about my origin and my destination.

While I live this life, I am free to do so with complete peace of mind and assurance of a good outcome, because God is with me. Nothing can ever separate me from his presence, and his love for me is unfailing. God watches over me and gives me the guidance and strength I need to live my life successfully. He fills my life with good gifts and promises me his blessing. I live in relationship with him and can communicate with him whenever I want.

God is not like a fairy godmother who waves her magic wand to make everything perfect. I do not expect God to guarantee me success or to ensure that everything in my life goes smoothly, with all hardships instantly smoothed away. Instead, my belief in him is completely compatible with the challenges, joys and tragedies of living in a physical world. Even when I suffer, I am still held in his love. However, he does guarantee to me that I am never alone, and he guarantees that the final triumph of goodness, truth and love is assured. He guarantees that he will always provide me with the strength and guidance I need to bring me through all trials, and he assures me that he will bring me safe home. If the chances and trials of life mean that I should die prematurely, unjustly, horribly suffering, this does not mean that my life is in vain or that God has failed me. It just means that, in the mystery of his grace, I have gone to meet him sooner than I had expected.

Believing in God gives me a code to live by that encourages me to be loving, kind, forgiving, compassionate. He helps me to reduce the influence of my weaknesses and to grow in grace. When my folly, weakness and selfishness mean that I betray my code and my faith, he gives a way to redeem that and to keep on in my journey of life with him. If I mess up, he reassures me that he will forgive me, be at work to put things right, and help me to amend my life. He reassures me that the true riches of life can never be taken from me; I cannot be tricked or duped out of what is most precious, because God’s love is the most precious of all, and I can never lose him. Even if I should go terribly wrong, I believe that God will be at work to redeem me.

I believe that you can see that this is, indeed, a complete package. It allows me to live in the present moment to the full, while being intimately connected to my own life-story and the life story of the whole of creation. It allows me to keep living life to the full, looking forwards, giving and receiving, until the very last moment, when my life comes to an end; I close my eyes and open them again to see God.

Now, we turn to the big “fly in the ointment”: what if it’s not true? What if there is no God, and so all these wonderful things that belief in him provides me with are simply illusions? What if it’s a nice fantasy, but a fantasy, nonetheless?

You can see why I am extremely loath to give up belief in God, but neither do I want to believe in a fantasy, just because that fantasy makes me feel good.

Firstly, let’s see if there is any alternative to these beliefs that is valid.