Accepting Ignorance

Greek philosopher Socrates once said, "I know nothing except the fact of my ignorance," and this is something that I've learned to understand and accept, and what I believe many—if not all—people should realize.

Religion and science, two branches of "understanding" that people base their knowledge of life upon. Each makes up for what the other lacks in explaining how and why the world works the way it does. Although I come from a Christian family, was baptized, and used to go to church, my mom and dad never pushed religious teachings upon me. As a result, I was able to easily discover my own beliefs, which incorporate religion and science—I’m an agnostic theist.

What’s agnostic theism? The philosophical view that encompasses both agnosticism (the belief that there can be no proof either that God exists or that God does not exist) and theism (belief in the existence of a god or gods). As an agnostic theist, I believe that the proposition that at least one deity exists is true, but I also believe that this proposition is unknown or inherently unknowable.

The experiences, trials and tribulations I endured throughout the past four years of my life have "taught" me that there are no clear-cut answers or explanation s to anything, and that even if they are just that, there is no way for us to know.

For example, the things that science "teaches" us may not even be what it authentically is—maybe it's just a minuscule portion of a larger, more elaborate and complex phenomena that we as human beings will never be able to grasp in our minds.

I feel as though there is some higher form of power, but unlike people whose religions provide characteristics and traits of their deity or deities, I do not have a description of the power in which I believe. Why? Because there's no indisputable proof for me to base such a statement upon.

I don't look down upon people who hold beliefs that I find unreasonable, but I believe there comes a point when such people need to just admit to themselves that they do not actually know what they claim to know. Perhaps I am wrong, but the way I see it: the "knowledge" gained through religion is, in actuality, just hope—nothing more.

No matter how intelligent, knowledgeable, or enlightened someone claims to be, the truth is that it is impossible for someone to actually know or understand the raw truth behind life and all it contains. If everyone could just realize or admit this, I believe life would become at least somewhat less stressful.

Here is the bigger picture: although we believe we have control, or believe we are capable of gaining control, over things during our lifetime on earth, we ultimately have no way of controlling, or knowing how to control, what happens to us after we die.

Admit, accept, and just be. If ignorance is bliss, why would anyone chose not to live blissfully? I've realized and accepted this intrinsic ignorance, and I feel happier and less stressed than I did prior to this realization.