First Cause…and Beyond
Faith is believing what you know ain’t so. -Samuel “Mark Twain” Clemens
I cannot resolve the unavoidable, logical quandary of First Cause. This, I believe, is altogether and of essence beyond the scope of human comprehension. Our temporal, constrained perception requires that all that exists does so because something that “came before” gave rise to it. Clearly at some point, this process asks for the “first thing” that led to the second thing that led to all other things. In my most humble opinion, it is this First Cause (FC) that for millennia mankind has attempted to grasp, understand, explain, and, from time to time, “have faith in.” Further, I must conclude that the full nature of this FC is, as we are presently equipped incomprehensible. [Yet I do not rule out the possibility of my being deluded or grossly ignorant; conditions which may be correctable…or not.]
While I choose to NOT rely on myth where temporal comprehension is available (or possible), I have no desire to dissuade any other person in his or her choice of an object of faith in regards to this matter. It is clear that through the millennia of recorded history, countless religious and/or spiritual factions have been founded as a result of man’s attempts to understand the nature of Origination. It is unfortunate that most of these groups do not share my temperate tolerance. And many, quite to the contrary, are violently militant in their attempts to “convert” others to their “way” and gather-by a range of means from gentle persuasion to threats against life-as many “into the fold” as possible. Under the guise of being the visible hand of “the” invisible God, these preachers practice a profuse propensity for proselytizing in ways that purportedly please Pater Nostra. None of these rapacious groups can provide anything that approximates a rational or plausible platform for their professed propositions. Acceptance, adherence, adoration, and fellowship (validation and security) are all contingent on “faith.”
Only on arrival at the end of our understanding are we inclined to resort to beliefs and mythical “explanations.”
Along with this compulsion to collect fellows to the worship of THE GOD, who in the past “started it all,” many of these groups seek to secure for themselves seats with the Most High in eternity-AFTER their time here is done. So this focus on The Truth of the past, coupled with the reassuring Truth of future security-neither of which have any substantial basis-leaves us with little hope for the present.
Perhaps this seemingly inevitable shell game-that of avoiding present pain by looking to the past and future-is the point of it all… A sad proposition indeed.