Thursday, July 16, 2015

Faith, Gravity and Dictators

Gravity exists.  We know that. Trying to deny gravity will cause the ground to quickly remind you that gravity is there.  We may not fully understand it but we have a pretty good notion of how it works.  It may be that future research changes our understanding.  But the outcome will be the same.  We have no choice but to live within the rules of gravity.

And yet, human nature is such that we have always tried to find ways to circumvent that about which we have no choice.  The story of Icarus and his wax and feather wings is an object lesson to those who would defy gravity.  Da Vinci's journals contain detailed descriptions of flying machines.  Climbing trees.  Soaring monuments.  Kites.  Hot air balloons.  Airplanes and rocket ships.  Defying the required order.  Finding ways around.

Dictators and tyrants are in the same boat as gravity.  They take a population and force obedience.  There may be great public outpourings of love and respect.  But humans will find ways to break free of that forced love and unearned respect.  The dictator has to always keep his feet beneath him. He can't trust anyone.  Loyalty taken by force and money can be bought by greater force and more money.  It can more easily be earned by a leader who delivers freedom of thought and action.  Humans want to go their own way and choose their own path.

Faith depends upon doubt.  If there is no doubt, it is not faith.  The existence of doubt makes faith appealing.  As humans we can choose to believe. We can pick the path that is right for us.  Because there is doubt, faith is a choice.  Any great leader would prefer to be chosen by his followers. Because earned love and respect engenders true loyalty.  So God has given us the choice to have faith and doubt or to robotically comply.  It is up to us to choose which sort of leaders we want, and we’ll get the ones we nurture. 

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