“I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. ~John 16:12-13 NIV
After watching ‘The Truman’s Show’, I wondered: What is real and what is unreal? Which means that, in my opinion, it’s a good movie: one that leaves you with questions; that leaves you wondering. And I love questions a lot. I love to wonder.
It’s not that I hate answers. I love them—especially those that stir more questions that lead to more answers and then more questions; and on and on. Nevertheless I prefer questions to answers; especially the absolute conclusive types that stifle dissent.
On the long run, though, it may not be far fetched to think of answers as instruments of control and bondage. How can you be truly free if you don’t think your own thoughts, find your own answers and draw your own conclusions? And how can you do all those if all you do is feast on and regurgitate other people’s answers?
I’m personally wary of folks that want others to swallow their perspectives hook line and sinker. And I pray to never be one of them.
I’ve always been suspicious of conclusive answers. In my view, anything that sabotages curiosity, ultimately weakens the mind. So I feel better with questions and contradictions; I prefer them to absolute statements and conclusive answers. Questions make me think; they awaken my mind. My mind needs room to breathe; to roam; and I can’t do much of that within the stifling atmosphere of absolute statements and conclusive answers.
Back to my opening scripture verse:
“I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. ~John 16:12-13 NIV
Now, think about this: If, as Jesus Christ Himself promised, the Holy Spirit—not you, I ,anyone or any religion— is the One that will guide us into all the truth, then shouldn’t I concern myself with provoking questions within you rather than providing you with answers? And then pointing you to Him?
In any case, when my work anywhere is done—be it a lecture, poem or song—I pray to leave behind far more questions than I found; intensely curious seekers, instead of robots and drones. Else I’m nothing more than just one more reason for the wretched blindness and bigotry of humanity.
I hope this piece leaves you with more questions, and provides you with some food for thought.