Q&A: Is Religious Faith Simply a Matter of Convenience?

   

Q. I am currently a student in a Hesder yeshiva [combining advanced Torah study with IDF military service], trying to build in myself a strong faith-based outlook. I hear many classes from various rabbis and read various books, but have still not found an answer to the question that is bothering me. It is this: Isn't it simply "convenient" for us to believe that there is something above and beyond the material world? It is not just "convenient" to believe that there is a G-d Who sees everything and thus gives meaning to life? Could it be that it is just this "convenience" that causes us to believe in G-d? We see, for example, that many of those who become religiously observant were looking for meaning in their lives, and "found" it in their faith in G-d.

A. Yes, you are right that there is something comfortable in having faith, in believing that one's life has meaning, that there is a supreme power leading the world, etc. On the other hand, of course, there is also an aspect of faith that is not particularly comfortable: It requires of us a specific mode of behavior, which is not always easy. In addition, the feeling that man is not the center of the universe, but is rather surpassed by a Supreme G-d, is not always pleasant. Nor is the sensation that man does not exclusively control the world or his own destiny, and that these are rather under G-d's domination.

In general, it can be inferred from your words that the measure of the veracity and truth of an idea or belief is whether it is inconvenient or not. If it is comfortable, then according to your question, we should suspect that it is not objective truth, but rather an invention that sprouted from man's subjective feelings of what he likes. Although there is some logic to this claim, I do not feel that this is the way to measure the truth of a given idea or notion, for this reason:

There are many ideologies that are comfortable for people, yet they are still clearly genuine. For instance, the idea that a man should be ethical and good to others brings him social benefits, as well as a good feeling of fulfillment and satisfaction; should we then conclude that this idea is incorrect?

And on the other hand, there are some quite uncomfortable outlooks, yet this does not at all prove that they are correct. For instance, Communism obligates people to give up their private property, while Jihadic Islam requires dying for the cause – but of course these are not proofs of their veracity. 

In the final analysis, man's soul is something very complex, and every ideology can be assumed to have both comfortable and uncomfortable aspects. Every outlook on life gives one a sense of meaning, while it also makes certain demands upon him. Should we then negate every ideology that has a comfortable side, or adopt every idea that makes demands upon us? Clearly not. Rather, every idea must be tested on its own merits, whether it is easy to implement or not. 

Actually, the fact that faith has aspects that are very compatible with man's soul can be used to support the exact opposite of the conclusion that could be drawn from your question: Might it not be that G-d created not only the world and mankind, but also instilled in man's soul various aspirations? It is G-d Himself Who gave us the drive for that which is above and beyond our physical reality, and provided us with the ambition to seek meaning beyond the material world – namely, spirituality and faith in G-d. That is, it is not that the comfortable aspects of faith are what bring us to have faith, but rather G-d's creation that formed this feeling inside us.

{Let it be clear, however, that faith is not "proven" by this feeling of comfort. Rather, I am simply explaining from a faith-based point of view why faith jibes so nicely with man's soul.}

Answered by Rav Shmuel Ariel, yeshiva.co/ask, translated by Hillel Fendel