Head or Heart?

There's a guy that's making the rounds on my YouTube feed named Billy Carson. I was listening to one of his podcasts while doing the dishes last night. In it, he makes the claim that the god referenced in the Old Testament of the Bible isn't the one Creator God. He talks about how the violent nature of his commands should be an indication that something is amiss. He ends up referencing other ancient texts and draws comparisons between Yahweh and other deities.

Billy is seen as a dangerous speaker, as discussed in this video by a popular Christian apologist who refutes his claims. He says Billy appears so convincing because he holds his beliefs so confidently. The apologist advises any time someone makes a claim, it's best to investigate the matter yourself as charismatic speaking can circumvent critical thinking. 

Melissa heard the video and agreed with the apologist. She said it bothered her that he spoke with such authority. She wanted to know how he came to be so confident. I can agree with that. The internet is full of opinions, some based on external evidence and others on speculation.

I'll admit that right now, people who speak against the Bible and orthodox Christianity capture my attention more. This is because of the trauma I experienced. You know that saying, "The enemy of my enemy is my friend?" I can tell that when I have an emotional connection with the speaker, their arguments hold more sway.

Is this a good thing for truth-seeking? I would say it depends. Is truth a matter of the head or the heart? If it's the head, then we need to look outside ourselves and investigate objective claims, putting aside our emotions as best we can. If it's the heart, then we need to look inward and trust our emotions as signs pointing to something.

So, which is it? I would say the answer is probably both. It seems to me that what makes something true is how well it corresponds to reality. Both the external reality of the objective and the internal reality of the subjective. The Christian church may have objectively true statements about the historicity of the Bible and the life of Jesus, but if these claims don't explain or provide solace to the emotions of a person, the truth has no explanatory or influential power in the subjective world.

Deep truth must be both true and beautiful. The message of Christianity as it's commonly portrayed, is not beautiful. Asking Abraham to kill his son is not beautiful. Commanding the Israelites to slaughter women, children and livestock is not beautiful. Condemning other religions to hell is not beautiful.

Like the Latin phrase "scis te ipsum" states: know thyself. It seems in pursuing truth, we need a balance of head and heart. If you're the kind of person that enjoys logic and intellect, it may be helpful to go inward and access your emotions. If you're a feeling person and tend to get persuaded by charisma, it may be good to grow some skepticism and critical thinking. Like most things, the truth probably lies in the middle.

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