Summary So Far
(11/4/09)

 

These are my current underlying beliefs and suspicions relevant to believing that Jesus was the prophesied Jewish “Messiah.” This is where I’m trying to GET as many of my pins up in the air as possible – so as to “add them up.” What I need to do is say all these different things in a way that inspires, or triggers, the sought after feelings in me…

1. There are all these obvious, apparently insurmountable, barriers to believing the Jesus concept/story (c/s) … that seem to deflate under close scrutiny.

1.1. First of all, the Jesus concept/story is overflowing with “magic.” (I’m not yet referring to the “supernatural.”)

1.1.1. But then, I honestly do sense – or, at least imagine -- a “transcendent,” “magical,” dimension to reality – a dimension that seems to be outside of time, space, cause and effect, and (so far at least) not within the purview of science. A dimension that doesn’t fit with our classical scientific thinking. There seems to be a truly MAGICAL side to reality. (Link)
1.1.2. This dimension involves such things as personal consciousness, free will and ultimate meaning. Think about them.
1.1.3. (And remember -- if possible -- that I’m not so much concerned with convincing others at this point, as I am with reminding myself of my own relevant beliefs and suspicions.)

1.1.4. And, I’m not the only one who “senses” this aspect of reality.
1.1.5. Some of us humans sense this quality very strongly. Some of us not so much. Perhaps, some of us not at all.
1.1.6. Certainly, a lot of us look right through these experiences, take them for granted and never recognize their magical implications… Much, I suppose, like a fish does with its water.

1.1.7. Whatever, this sense of transcendence is surely the GERM OF RELIGIOUS BELIEF IN GENERAL.
1.1.8. Which means, for one thing, that we humans didn’t have to “invent” religion – as many skeptics would have it -- ONE WAY OR ANOTHER, RELIGION WAS IN OUR GENES…
1.1.9. Though, this genetic germ – being “survival beneficial” -- COULD be simply the result of natural selection. In other words, it need not reflect any “greater reality.” That IS a clear possibility.
1.1.10. But then, it sure FEELS real.
1.1.11. And further, there seems to be good reason for also THINKING that it’s real -- if we just turn up the magnification on our “analytic” microscope. (Link)
1.1.12. And I do TEND TO BELIEVE that it’s real.
1.1.13. So anyway, I pretty much believe that there really is something to religious belief – that such belief is not merely the result of wishful thinking. And, the universe is not the deterministic machine that classical science would have it.

1.1.14. That being the case, I cannot dismiss Christianity out of hand on account of it being religious.
1.1.15. Christianity must live or die with me based upon its own particular merits. No “summary judgment” here.

1.1.16. But then, I am not actually trying to evaluate Christianity in general, anyway. There is just too much variation, and room for error -- what with all the different sects, translations and interpretations.
1.1.17. What I’m trying to do here is effectively add up the evidence for and against Jesus being the prophesied Jewish Messiah.
1.1.18. While still being a very difficult assignment, this is not nearly as difficult as judging the truth of Christianity in general – and besides, it is really what I need to know.

1.1.19. In my own experience, there seems to be two, wholly different ways of thinking about things: there’s a scientific, rational way, and then, there’s a “magical,” personal way… I can feel the difference when I walk into church. That, it seems to me, is just the way it is…
1.1.20. And then, it turns out that my sense of two different ways is not so foolish after all -- it is seriously backed up by neurology.
2. Apparently, the two hemispheres of the human brain process information differently. One hemisphere (usually the left) processes info “analytically,” while the other hemisphere processes info “holistically.” (Link)
3. The whole being greater than the sum of its parts…
4. Then, it turns out that the holistic hemisphere is the seat of religious belief. (Link)
5. And analytic hemisphere has no appreciation for religion.
6. So, in other words, the LH is either transcendence blind, or the RH is hallucinating.
7. (And in truth, this kind of hallucinating would make sense in terms of evolutionary theory or natural selection.)

8. Then, it turns out that we each tend to be dominated by one hemisphere or the other (especially us men) -- and therefore, by one way of thinking.
9. And humans dominated by their LH’s tend to have little appreciation for magic and religion.
10. Then, it turns out that public education in the “west” (or at least the U.S.) teaches towards the LH.
11. And, Kids who excel in U.S. schools tend to be dominated by their LH’s, and become more so dominated as they progress.

12. But then, we still don’t know whether the LH is transcendence-blind or the RH is hallucinating.
13. But then, if you think about it, that what we call "reasoning" is analytic -- whereas ... reality, itself, must be holistic... (8)
14. And, trying to understand reality using (ordinary) reasoning must be like trying to solve a calculus problem using algebra. Or like trying to understand a black hole in terms of classical physics or Euclidian Geometry. Or like, trying to divide up a round pizza using a rectangular template. The whole being greater than the sum of its parts, something is intrinsically lost in translation, something is missing. (Consider the square root of two and Zeno's Paradox.)
15. IN OTHER WORDS, IT MUST BE THAT WE CANNOT FULLY UNDERSTAND REALITY USING REASONING...
16. And reality will be "magical" in that sense. Part of reality will just not make sense.
17. In still other words, if we listen carefully, the analytic hemisphere is "telling on itself." It is telling us that it cannot fully account for, or describe, reality... (We are getting this from the proverbial horse's mouth...)
18. And, we are justified in suspecting that this is where the “magic” comes from -- and why we shouldn’t be so quick to dismiss it.
19. So, analytically speaking, parts of reality are "irrational" and in that sense magical.
20. And, the RH is let off the hook. We still can’t be sure that the RH is not hallucinating, but the main reason for thinking that it is has been eliminated, and the magicalness of religion has a potential, if not likely, savior.

21. And noting that the well-educated tend to dismiss the magical Jesus c/s takes on a whole new meaning.

22. And then, our holistic conclusions are not well conveyed by our usual rationalistic prose.
23. They seem best conveyed by a kind of “osmosis” – they are best conveyed by such things as poetry, art, music, nature and stories.
24. And, with that in mind, it is easy to think of Jesus as bringing us – with his story and stories -- a whole different, holistic, holy, magical way of thinking.
25. Bringing us a way to think more holistically and to better sense magic, transcendence, G-d.

26. And also, apparently, a way to rise above the pains of our existence.
27. By the right attitude, apparently, we can “surrender” to Jesus, to “hope,” and to the RH -- and thereby, achieve a sublime security, perhaps otherwise unobtainable.
28. Jesus can bring us to the exit of the rabbit hole.

29. It would appear that life really is magical, and if nothing else, Jesus has brought us a way to fully appreciate the magic.
30. There would seem to be a loving side to reality – a side that makes it all worthwhile.
31. If nothing else, Jesus helps us to experience that side.
32. That’s the Good News -- and there’s no Bad News to follow.