<< That which cannot be seen- Pt.I

 A very good friend asked me what was the danger for society of forgetting god, religion and letting new things take place. It’s a question that has inevitably taken me a bit of my time to respond, an answer I can only formulate it as it follows:

We cannot dispense of religion because of humanism, we rather need it because we want those humanistic values to prevail.

The fundamental tenets of equality, respect and universal love among mankind is not granted. It comes from deeply ingrained religious mechanisms that point to the presence of god in each and everyone of us. The whole concept of life’s sacrality binds me to respect other human beings simply because as a believer I must recognize divinity in you if I am to recognize it in me.

This simple idea is one of the fundamental bedrocks in which we have established western societies; law systems, cultures and governments stem from it. Systems that despite its multiple flaws and mistakes, remain open to criticism and alteration by its members. 

At the same time, these beliefs have historically demonstrated to be tremendously good at taming human’s capacity for evil. There is something in the idea of the sacred that if properly instilled halts to a great degree our destructive impulses. 

One interesting history of the WWII in Norway tells about a priest: Arne Fjellbu, bishop of the Norwegian church and a central figure in the Norwegian fight against nazism. 

Busch narrates (1) how in 1942; Fjellbu, faced off against a Nazi guard sent to cancel the mass celebration by stepping into the altar. The holiest place of the church. As he carried on the sacred celebration, people that had flooded into the town as a sign of support (in -25 C nonetheless) who were being brutally repressed spontaneously began to sing A mighty fortress is our god (2).

This alone should suffice as testament of the strength of that which we cannot see. The power of the divinity expressed by human conviction that defies rationality, cold, hunger and stops violence. 

This sole act of resistance was destined to start a movement. The following months 645 out of 699 priests laid down their offices as a sign of support, and planted the seeds of resistance deep into the Norwegian subconscious.Urging them to fight against injustice and stand up for their freedom (and that of others).

So... what do we lose if we lose our faith and belief in god?

Well, we lose the value that each other have as an expression of divinity, we lose the bindings that tie the monsters and give us peace. And worst of it all, we lose ourselves and fail to see what is wonderful about human experience.

Simply put: we lose everything,

return 0;

Notes:

(1) Motstandkamp fra Trondheim (113-120)

(2) Vår gud han er så fast en borg