The Trap of Reason

A Rational Mind

Reason is most worthwhile, especially when considering important truths. God created mankind with a capacity to reason – a capacity solely in man in this world for it comes from the very breath of God Himself. This ability to reason has presented man with the ability to choose and free will in life, with the knowledge and evidences necessary to make those choices. However, when the pursuit of what is “reasonable” ignores this Divine quality, it can become a trap of man’s own making.

A Shift in Thought

A few centuries ago, thought among philosophers and scholars shifted from what was known as the Age of Mysticism to the Age of Reason (or the Enlightenment). This was ostensibly a shift from the pagan-influenced superstition of the past into an age of understanding and the scientific method. Such a change was partly for the good. Even among “believers” many aspects of superstition had superseded the reality of God’s work and power in the universe.

In time, however, this press for reason led to a growing religious skepticism. Instead of trust in the supernatural power of our Creator, the focus looked to do away with the supernatural altogether and find natural explanation for all phenomena. In hindsight it is hard to see how such a focus was meant to benefit belief in God, but many “believers” embraced such a philosophy, seeking to demonstrate God’s power through its explanation.

This led to varied theories seeking to explain all events naturally, many of which still exist today. Evolutionary Theory was created to naturally explain man’s origins. Redaction Theory was created to naturally explain Biblical inspiration. Mental illness was suggested to naturally explain demon possession. All kinds of natural explanations were created to explain miraculous events in Bible, such as the Flood or crossing the Red Sea. In time, everything had its own “natural explanation”.

A Dangerous Consequence

In the end, man believed to have reasoned out all that was supernatural, and as a consequence has in large part reasoned out God Himself. The great irony is that, when considered objectively, none of man’s “reasonable” explanations are adequate to explain the power shown by our infinite God. God is the most reasonable explanation for all such things. By seeking to reason out God, man’s own hubris caused him to theorize explanations which made less sense than the pagan mysticism of old. How tragic that in Enlightenment, so many have failed to see the Light.