One of the more interesting things I heard last weekend at the American Psychological Association convention in Boston was this line, “Absolute certainty and evil are actually the same thing,” from a presentation on the belief systems of religious extremists. It struck me as something that many in the Cultural Hall might agree with. Certitude may give people an enhanced sense of meaning, but it reduces the number of alternatives one perceives to be available. The result is increased extremism, both in attitudes and in actions.
When I heard that idea, that absolute certainty and evil are the same thing, I couldn’t help but think of LDS lore. Remember the story about the suggestion that it might be better to make everyone do the right thing, so that all return to God, vs. the alternative that people have choices? Whether or not you believe that those two proposals were actually put forward in a heavenly council, it is an idea worth pondering. Choice is a basic Mormon ideal, and it seems more real to me when we are less certain. Certitude enhances meaning in one’s life, which has certain benefits, of course. But certitude also limits the number of alternatives we see, which impacts our ability to choose among our options.
Our individual preferences regarding certitude’s benefits (meaning in life) and its limitations (choice) might be one way that people in the cultural hall are different from those in the chapel. What do you think?
This reminds me of a sig line my friend David used for a while:
One of my pet peeves is the testimony crack, “I don’t just believe, I know.” ‘Cause faith isn’t enough, you see.
to me it seems that within LDS circles (at least those in the chapel, as you say) uncertainty is extremely looked down upon.
it’s okay to claim you don’t understand certain scriptures or doctrines or event’s in church history…
but uncertainty about the ‘essentials’ (those things you should bear testimony of, those things you need to KNOW) is really not considered an option.
in those instances, uncertainty becomes near to apostasy.
(and perhaps, they are right.)