Q&A: Belief in God
Belief in God
Question
I don’t know how to copy links, but there was something on Facebook by Rabbi Ilai Ofran about faith that really touched my heart, so maybe the Rabbi or someone else could upload the link. Maybe the Rabbi would be willing to discuss his words, because they seem important.
Answer
I assume you mean this (it appeared on the yeshiva study hall WhatsApp): https://www.facebook.com/100003376416321/posts/4154045644717942/?sfnsn=mo
When I get a chance, I’ll read it and see whether it’s worth responding.
Discussion on Answer
The mental-state issue is being attributed to someone who wallows in these questions for years and doesn’t simultaneously continue with his life (studies, career, family) while integrating them with some degree of success. Someone who in practice withdraws from the circle of life, that is, languishes like in depression—it may very well be that this really is depression, though of course there are such questions even without that. In my opinion, that’s true too.
And what about those who suffer from a lack of depression? Those children walking around with smiles on their faces, suffering from joy and happiness? Who will support them and explain to them that their psychotic view of life and their delusional self-confidence are based on hallucinations and intensive brainwashing meant to keep them from asking questions and wondering about the meaning of things—in other words, from growing up stupid?
I would suggest diagnosing those who don’t ask themselves whether their faith is correct. How can a person allow himself to live without questions? … And if we want to use “professional language,” we could diagnose them as having a “false self.”
All right, I read it. I don’t agree at all, but I’ve written entire books about this (especially The First Existing Being). In particular, I don’t agree with the last section, that when someone asks questions like these one should take an interest in his mental state and give him warmth and love. That is outrageous and the root of all evil. I also addressed this at the beginning of The First Existing Being.
He suffers here from the same failures as his grandfather, who mixes up a first intuition with an arbitrary assumption, and also assumes there is neither any possibility nor any point in discussing it. Those are two mistakes. But as I said, I discussed this at great length.