It amazes me how two people can look at the same picture, synthesize the same data and walk away with two opposite conclusions. This was on full display at The Venue this Saturday as we hosted Hemant, an atheist, and Ronald, a Christian. Hemant is the author of I Sold My Soul on Ebay and the Friendly Atheist website.  Ronald is a student at Trinity Theological Seminary. The two engaged in conversation about their beliefs and answered questions from the audience. 

Both spoke about how their doubts led them to their conclusions about God and mankind. Ronald questioned the meaning of life and wondered why he existed if there wasn’t more to it than what we see. In investigating Hinduism, Islam and other faiths he came to believe on Jesus. He alluded to Christ on the cross many times, how Jesus became real to him when he looked at the way in which Jesus died. For him, now, Christianity is logically, philosophically and experientially coherent even as he interjects his doubts.

Hemant, in much the same way, said that he is open to all religions, but has yet to see evidence that would conclusively show them to be true. He began to raise doubts about the existence of God in his own mind privately when he was a teenager. His investigation over the years has led him to deduce that God is a fiction. He sees a morality inherent in people, such as a child who refuses to steal a candy bar from another child because we, at our base, should know that we should not promote our own happiness by preventing someone else from the same. 

As much as I was amazed at the different conclusions these two men drew, I was impressed all the more by the things they did agree on. Both promoted open-mindedness and continual investigation into the truth. They both expressed a desire to have productive dialogue with those of other belief systems. They both want to do good in the world and leave a legacy that benefits others. Most importantly, they want peace between people across faiths. 

Each of us walked away with our own conclusions, but the one that stood out the most to me was the importance of seeking the truth. Whatever your beliefs, you can keep them fresh by exploring your doubts and reading, praying and asking. We at The Venue encourage everyone to begin with a simple prayer: “God, please help me to see you in my life and in the lives of those around me.” Whatever you learn as a result, please feel free to share it with us. Thank you for reading. I’m excited to read your comments.

-S. Hage