"Could it be that questions tell us more than answers ever do?" - Michael Card
Somewhere around the 12th and 13th century the development
of an idea was proceeded by what Great Teachers called the questio (Latin:
"to seek") from which we derive our modern word "quest" and
by extension the word "quest-ion".
"The systematic asking of questions opened up wonder and encouraged spiritual curiosity by drawing out the pros and cons for answers to each question, thus refining the question itself instead of just looking for the perfect answer." - Richard Rohr
While most religions begin in this "seeking" stage
of development, history has demonstrated that eventually they become dogmatic,
unyielding and more concerned with preserving and defending a favored stance of
being right (orthodox - "right opinion") instead of exemplifying the
core precepts of the belief system they purport to uphold. (i.e. "Love
your neighbor AS yourself").
This has become the earmark of all fundamentalist religion;
It inherently grows stagnant through a failure to continue asking the (hard) questions.
Questions which would allow it to evolve, expand and grow beyond its current
state by exposing many of the archaic, magic and mythic beliefs it still clings
to. Teachings, ideas and concepts which have been handed down through traditions
(many that may have served it at one time) but which have ultimately made the
"word of God of NO effect." The
truths underlying these traditions are Timeless, but the doctrines themselves have
become static in both their understanding
of and application to present realities.
Why? .....Because, just like Hebrews trying to stockpile "manna
in the wilderness," it is no longer fresh but has begun to breed worms. This happens whenever what is
"known" it is no longer an "ever-proceeding word from the mouth
of God." The "Present Truth" is subsequently substituted for a
"belief system" when the "rivers of living water" cease to
flow from your Innermost Being. Truth cannot be defined by some rigid doctrine
or teaching, just as an Infinite God can never be reduced to a mere formula.
"Fundamentalism suffers from the same false seeing. It is basically a love affair with words and ideas about God instead of God himself or herself. But you cannot really love words; you can only think them. You cannot really love reality with the judgmental mind, because you’ll always try to control it, fix it, or understand it before you give yourself to it......The fact that some form of loving must precede true knowing helps us appreciate why the prophets used the intimate word for carnal knowledge or sexual intimacy when they spoke of “knowing” God.......So many of the Mystics had to make use of sexual images to describe the relationship of the soul with God. From inside experience, you know God’s Love is a tender dance of give-and-take, rescue and holding. We see what we are ready to see, expect to see , and even desire to see. There is some kind of mutual influence between subject and object, says the Heisenberg Principle...." - Richard Rohr from The Naked Now: Learning to See As the Mystics See
In quantum mechanics, Heisenberg's uncertainty principle asserts that there is a limit
to the exactness or precision with which anyone can know the complementary variables
(i.e. position, momentum) of the physical properties related to atomic particles
simultaneously. Heisenberg later proposed that the "observer effect"
at the quantum level could explain the uncertainty related to those variables.
When we apply the "uncertainty principle" to our
subjective experience of God, it becomes apparent that no matter how precise
our definition of the Divine, we can never simultaneously explain it while also
maintaining a complete Awareness of Its Reality. Hence the profound revelation of
Lao Tzu in the Tao, "He that says does not Know, and he that Knows does
not say."
We must realize that what is REAL in our Experience can
never be threatened by the beliefs of another. We must become Masters of Pandiculation
("the art of stretching oneself"). It is time that we learn from the past mistakes
of religion and truly begin to practice the non-judgment of the Mystics who in
essence taught us that it is better to be kind and loving than it is to be
right. For the only way we can truly and honestly ask the questions that
challenge our beliefs (and allow us to grow) is if we are willing to let go of
our preconceived ideas and judgments in order to acknowledge that, no matter how
refined our mental understanding of Truth may be, it will never be The Truth; Just
as the highest ideas, thoughts and notions we have ABOUT God are NOT God.
Those who truly "Know" have learned to be
comfortable living with the Paradox of "not knowing," in the sense
that, they recognize that the Mystery of Divinity is not something "to be
grasped" (i.e. apprehended by a mental understanding), BUT that Truth IS a
Living Reality which is fresh, flowing and perpetually new in each Present
Moment of Awareness.
May Love Be Our Journey, May Truth Be Our Quest!
-JSM
