As my first post I want to get to the very heart of the matter. Most of my quotes will come from a speech given by Hugh Nibley entitled “The Terrible Questions” which can be found in print in vol. 12 of the collected works of Hugh Nibley, Temples and the Cosmos. He, of course, addresses this subject more eloquently and far deeper than myself. I previously addressed this same topic in a letter I wrote in response to an atheist some time ago which I will post as well. I’ll start with a quote from Mr. Nibley:
“There is only one question, the sole question for religion, the only reason for religion existing at all. Religion alone is supposed to answer it, and if religion can’t then religion can’t do anything–let us forget religion….There is only one justification for religion, one sole question, so let us not talk about the endless, abstract problems (for example, the nature of God). In the hereafter, what difference will these questions make? The real question, of course, is, Is this all there is? That is what everyone wants to know, the only question that bothers us. If you answer that definitely, then our troubles are over; there is nothing left to worry about…..Who cares about how politics turns out? Or the economy? Or even the military threat? We’re going to die anyway; what difference do any of these things make?…if we exist only to drop into a sea of Nirvana, a sea of nothing–if we are to vanish entirely, we don’t care whether there is one god or thousands; whether he’s fierce and ferocious, or kind and loving. It makes no difference to you at all; you won’t be there. You won’t be anything.” Continue reading →
