I was reading Seth Godin’s book Tribes the other day and came across this quote:
“A fundamentalist is a person who considers whether a fact is acceptable to his religion before he explores it. As opposed to a curious person who explores first and then considers whether or not he wants to accept the ramifications.”
I grew up in a culture that was more fundamentalist than curious. The way to respond to new information or experiences was to hold it up against a framework of belief, deciding whether to accept or reject it. Adults around me often communicated this, refusing to discuss certain topics or possibilities that were not within our sphere of belief.
This response is one of fear.
After college I had a crisis of faith, hinging on this particular issue. I finally wanted to think through some alternatives to what I believed at the time and knew that if this changed me it could have a profound impact on my marriage and the relationships I had through my church. I was tired of discarding thoughts and experiences because they didn’t easily fit. After some time of emotional agony I can remember giving in, deciding that I would take things as they come and be open. I let go of my fear.
The funny thing was that I ended up feeling better, having some great conversations and strengthening my spiritual faith.
So I encourage you to release your fears of being wrong, of losing faith, of the unknown. Embrace new experiences, go through the tension between the known and the new, and then you will know whether to embrace or turn away.
