The Danger Of Assumptions
I recall late one summer afternoon a few years ago jumping into my hammock on our back verandah intending to relax for an hour with a book. I’d done that many times before, so I didn’t bother to check the hammock first. I assumed that, as on every past occasion, it was secure and I would soon be swinging gently from side to side in the cool afternoon breeze. I jumped, and the next thing I knew, I was lying on my back on the concrete with a splitting headache and stars in front of my eyes. With hindsight, I think I should have checked the ropes first.
It seems to me that many of the beliefs we have about God are based on assumptions that we have never tested. By assumptions I mean things we might have heard other people say, or something we saw on social media, or something we vaguely recall from when we were forced to go to Sunday School fifty years ago. And any actual facts we do have are so mixed up with all these half-truths that even usually thoughtful and informed people end up, whether they know it or not, relying on unfounded assumptions about God. The bible uses stronger language. “They traded the truth about God for a lie. So they worshipped and served the things God created instead of the Creator himself, who is worthy of eternal praise!” (Romans 1:25).
As my hammock experience made clear, assumptions can be dangerous. Assumptions can lead to false conclusions our safety or well-being. And false conclusions are dangerous if they are something our safety or well-being is dependent on.
All of that says to me that we need to reality-check our assumptions about God by finding out the facts and comparing those with our beliefs. This is something that our well-being relies on. The bible says, “I pray that… you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding. For I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ’s return.” (Philippians 1:9-10).
If you’d like to know where to start the process of reality checking, just ask. I’d be happy to help.
Neil Percival
It seems to me that many of the beliefs we have about God are based on assumptions that we have never tested. By assumptions I mean things we might have heard other people say, or something we saw on social media, or something we vaguely recall from when we were forced to go to Sunday School fifty years ago. And any actual facts we do have are so mixed up with all these half-truths that even usually thoughtful and informed people end up, whether they know it or not, relying on unfounded assumptions about God. The bible uses stronger language. “They traded the truth about God for a lie. So they worshipped and served the things God created instead of the Creator himself, who is worthy of eternal praise!” (Romans 1:25).
As my hammock experience made clear, assumptions can be dangerous. Assumptions can lead to false conclusions our safety or well-being. And false conclusions are dangerous if they are something our safety or well-being is dependent on.
All of that says to me that we need to reality-check our assumptions about God by finding out the facts and comparing those with our beliefs. This is something that our well-being relies on. The bible says, “I pray that… you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding. For I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ’s return.” (Philippians 1:9-10).
If you’d like to know where to start the process of reality checking, just ask. I’d be happy to help.
Neil Percival