That Deafening Silence

Mom reminded me in her e-mail this morning of the special February 23 issue of TIME devoted to Science and Faith: The Biology of Belief. She commented on how the articles coincided with my thoughts of the last couple of weeks. I have to admit that there is some consoling affirmation when a national publication validates the subject’s worth, because as far as this blog is concerned, I haven’t “incited” a comment since January 27, and that was about my confusion over the economy. Now I must admit that I have received some personal e-mails since then (and to Steve the Elder I can only ask for his patience as I compose a response worthy of his articulate thoughts) and am blessed by a mother who believes I’m a genius, but I think I can empathize with the standup comedian who delivers his best punchline to a sickening thud from an unimpressed audience. Just as I hoped to elicit a response from the National Security Agency for calling George W. Bush a criminal idiot (and failed), so I had hoped that I might at least goad some fundamentalist Christians into a lively theological debate. Alas, theology just doesn’t get anybody fired up. And that’s too bad, because there is no other topic that may as comprehensively address our future as human beings. In the meantime, I encourage you to read the articles in TIME in the light of the distinctions I’ve attempted to draw between theology, religion, faith and belief. Perhaps these authors of reknown can make a believer of you.