Someone once told me that I need to question the world I am presented with and not just blindly accept my Catholic faith. They told me I need to really think through the whole God thing, because when I did, then would I realize how foolish I have been. I would realize how blind to the real world I have become.
But what is the reality I'm presented with? Is social media booming with praise for Christians? Are teachings of the church praised on TV? Is following Jesus trendy in society? No, because all I see is a music industry glorifying partying and drugs. I see a film industry promoting sex and alcohol. I see social media trending crystals and tarot cards. Nothing about the trends of society today screams Christianity.
The only thing I ever blindly accepted was the culture of this world. Christianity had to be preached to me again and again throughout high school for me to want to take part. It was something that I didn't care to understand, for society deems it boring and unnecessary. Yeah, I grew up in a church-attending household, but getting older made me start to disregard the teachings of the church. I started to question how this could be the way of life. I questioned every aspect, which brought me to the conclusion that it was nonsense that didn't align together.
I think most of my disbelief or questioning about the religion came from a false notion about what Christianity is. When I came to know the true teachings and the depth of the church, only then did I throw my life at it. It's not a thoughtless, mundane routine in life, but the most debated-upon subject in my own head. I follow Jesus because I know he is the truth, not because of habit or non-questioning.
I came to know this when I learned about the law of non-contradiction. It states that two opposite claims cannot be both true. Morality in this life must have a truth. So, in this case, God either exists or doesn't. If the Christians are right, then he exists, and his existence is an objective truth that isn't hinged on me knowing it, liking it, or believing in it. He exists independent of my opinion, and my beliefs don't change the reality I'm presented with.
The aspect of Christianity that separates it from all other religions is that Jesus died and rose from the dead. Nowadays, historians agree that Jesus existed, but the dispute comes at the argument that he is God. C.S. Lewis said that Jesus is either a lunatic, a liar, or the Lord. This means that Jesus was either delusional, trying to trick everyone, or is actually the Lord. No one else in the history of humanity has conquered the unconquerable death we all face. Yes, people have been revived, but resurrection is a whole different case. The entire religion should be thrown out the window if Jesus didn't really come back to life. So there are two options here. Jesus either is God or isn't, it can't be both. Christians believe that Jesus is God.
Christianity is not a result of blind routine. I am not Catholic because it is the cool thing to do, for this world has never deemed it cool. I follow Jesus because he is the truth. Questioning every aspect of the reality we are presented with is important in order to not live blindly, and to come to know the ultimate truth about life.
