Photo by *Micky

Rene Descartes said the famous “I think therefore I am.” Descartes put down this famous axiom to provide an absolute truth or foundation on which to build other truths. It basically begins with a doubt of all things that we consider to be true. I can doubt the apple that I see on my dining room table. Maybe my eyes are playing tricks on me. I can doubt the car I see in the parking lot. I can doubt the feeling of wind across my face. I can doubt all my senses.One thing that I cannot doubt is my own existence. Why? I cannot doubt my own doubt. By doubting, I establish the existence of my own thought. None of you may be real… but at least I know that my own thinking is real. My own doubt cannot be doubted. It establishes itself.

Now Descartes used this foundation, or absolute truth, in order to prove the existence of God. His proof has many holes in it, but it was based on “Cogito ergo sum.” This is one of the basis of enlightenment thought. The triumph of reason began it’s reign.

Many people have used reason and rational thought to establish other types of truths that cannot be contended with. This is the extension of Descartes reasoning. They forget however, that Descartes own argument for the existence of God was riddled with holes. While cogito ergo sum proved ones own existence, it proved little else. In a strange sense, it serves to prove the limitations of rationality rather than the power of reason.Yet today, many Christians assert that there are truths that are “for sure” and definitely knowable. They are beyond doubt. And they base these “for sures” on the bible. “Don’t surf too much, otherwise you’re too worldy.” “You must wear a tie to church” “Hymns are better than praise songs.” “Women cannot preach in church.” “Do not kiss before marriage.” Their reasoning? The bible says so. Or rather, they interpret the bible to say so. The bible is the ultimate authority, and rightly so. However, they do not realize that their own application of the biblical text is based more on their own ability to interpret and use their “language reasoning” than on the truth of the biblical text itself.

And at the same time there are so many holes in their biblical application. They don’t care for the poor though the bible commands them to. They ignore missions though the bible commands them to spread the gospel to the ends of the earth. They create rules and regulations beyond what the bible says. How is this possible? These people have been reading the bible all their lives. They’ve read it so many times, they should know what it says.  How did they miss it?

Why? Because they rely on their own reasoning and do not allow other things to provide doubt in their interpretations. They don’t listen to non-Christians when the decry the injustices of Christianity. They don’t listen to other more “liberal” Christians which ask them to feed the poor. They don’t learn from the traditions of Christians who have come before them who have made similar mistakes. They don’t seek education. Their own reasoning is good enough.

They still ascribe the Cartesian enlightenment point of view which says that individual reasoning is the ultimate mediator of truth.