The Path of Spiritual Skepticism

I’ve always had a problem with just accepting things on the basis of faith or authority. I used to believe that my tendency to pick away at things until they fell apart was a character fault, but I now see that it is my most valuable asset. My skepticism has brought me to a place in life where I’m completely comfortable with doubt and uncertainty. I’m happy to enjoy the mystery of life, and I no longer feel the need to believe in things just to make me feel better. I don’t need religion or even science to give my life purpose. When it comes to the big questions – such as the meaning of life, the existence of God, and life after death – I’m comfortable with admitting that I just don’t know. I’ve given up on these questions because they don’t need to be answered in order for me to find inner peace.

Spiritual Skepticism

I’ve talked on here before about spiritual skepticism .This is the path that I’ve chosen for myself. I should point out that this approach to life has very little in common with the modern skeptical movement – I’m only interested in skepticism as it applies to my own beliefs, and I’ve no desire to police the beliefs of other people. I view all beliefs as being potentially dangerous, so I try to treat them like sticks of dynamite – this means that I try to hold onto any beliefs I have lightly. .

I do assume that there exists some type of ultimate truth, but I’m not convinced that humans will ever be able to comprehend this truth fully. It is beneficial for me to get as close to this truth as possible though – in my experience this leads to real inner contentment, and it obliterates fear. It is my understanding that all beliefs act as filters on the world, so all they really do is make the truth more elusive. I don’t see how it is possible to get closer to the truth by believing in things that we can never know for sure are true. This is not to say that religion or science is lacking value – only that they may be poor tools for getting me closer to the truth.

Getting Rid of Excess Baggage

I don’t view spiritual skepticism as a form of seeking. It is just an attempt to live my life more truthfully. It is not about believing in anything, but all about getting rid of the beliefs that have been getting in the way of my life. It is an honest attempt to look at things to see what is really there. It is not about seeking altered states of consciousness or trying to rise above the common herd. Spiritual skepticism has helped me see that nothing special has to happen in order for me to be happy – it is all about trying to love what is. If I’m feeling whimsical, I can imagine that I’m following in the footsteps of Socrates who claimed that the only thing he knew for sure was that he knew nothing.