Dangers of Faith

Salt Lake City Tribune, Forum, 9/10/98

In response to Samuel E. Richardson's comments about faith and Mormon truth (Forum, Aug. 22), I would like to make a few comments. It's true that faith can provide a powerful burning in the bosom. It's true that this powerful feeling can be, and is, used by people to convince themselves of various truths. It's also true that within the microcosm of one person's head the truth thus attained becomes their personal truth. However, faith can be also successfully used by non-Mormons to convince them that theirs is the one true religion. The burning in the bosom can be just as strong.

The elite of the Kingston clan have a burning in their bosom telling them they are the select of God doing God's will. God wants them to marry their sisters. He personally directs them to do so. They've worked it all out through faith. If anything, they are more convinced of their truth than Richardson is his.

The Heaven's Gate suicides used faith to become convinced of their truth. Ditto for Jim Jones' followers, David Koresh's people, and the teen-age boys sent to their deaths by the Ayatollah during the Iran-Iraq war.

The human psychology of religious experience provides the burning sureness. However, the fact that faith works equally well to bolster contradictory truths shows a rational mind that faith is not a useful tool for ascertaining absolute truth. Faith is an excellent tool for constructing compelling delusions. Unreasoned faith can lead to tragedy because people can be so sure, irespective of evidence, rationality, or ludicrousness.

That faith is powerful there is no question. It is so powerful that, in my opinion, great care should be taken in its utilization. It should be leavened with a healthy dose of reason. Used otherwise, it is too blind, too blinding, and too easily used to exploit the faithful.

Scott Stoddard
West Jordan