Whether the venerated traditions of Christianity, the ancient tenants of Hinduism, or the towering salt pillars of institutionalized atheism, belief is a ubiquitous human experience. Every religion, philosophical system, or scientific discipline requires the acceptance of certain axioms - Jesus is our Lord and Savior, Existence exists, Logical processes can resolve any question. These accumulated beliefs become one's religion.
How does one come to hold these beliefs? Why believe? When is a belief justifiable and when is it not? These are the most intimate, introspective questions one can ask, and as such, I feel I can only examine them from my personal perspective.
How does one come to believe? I, myself, have come to hold certain maxims to be true about the world - everything changes, everything dies, and words are power. I suppose these phrases comprise a personal “religion” of sorts. I find the question of God irrelevant because if God is perfect Good, then he must be also be perfect Understanding. Judgment is not possible with perfect Understanding, and so God cannot condemn if he is Good. If God is not Good, then I have no desire to labor to please Him. I came to these beliefs through a religion-free household, my readings, and by having the free time to question my world.
The question of arriving at a belief belies the even greater notion of why believe? I think that belief is unavoidable, that I must accept something as true in order to function in this world, even if I am only accepting that there is a world in which I am functioning. I have to accept that my senses properly convey the “true” world, and that there is a such thing as truth. I have to accept that life is preferable to death, at least for a time - and I have to accept time and space and dimension. Not to accept any of these as axiomatically true would render me ineffective in the world.
Are my beliefs justified? No, I do not think they entirely are. Immediately I ask myself why be effective in the world? Infinite regress is possible. Nevertheless, I think justification also lies in a willingness to alter one's beliefs as one moves through life. I think the act of questioning is more important than the ultimate answer, even if one exists, that so long as I continue to search for and to ask questions, that my current beliefs are justifiable as milestones on a path that goes I know not where.
I suppose that we believe because we must, because we need to establish basic premises and see them to their conclusion to determine their validity. I have witnessed and rejected institutionalized religion based on its effects worldwide, yet billions embrace it. Each of our paths on belief are different, but I don't know if one is any better or than any other, since each path a part of a greater journey.
