Someone rejecting the spiritual dimension is like a Stone Age person rejecting the existence of atoms
In this high tech day and age, it's tempting to think we are enlightened. We like to think we keep an open mind. Almost everyone in this era believes in the existence of atoms. In part, of course, this is because of the large amount of evidence for atoms. This evidence has emerged as our technology has been able to produce instruments capable of testing hypotheses about the existence of atoms.
But supposing we were able to somehow communicate without language barriers with a very intelligent Stone Age person. We could explain atomic theory to him or her. But no matter how well we explain atoms, and the lead-up to the discovery of atoms, and all of the scientific discoveries therein, the Stone Age person isn't very likely to believe in atoms. This is because he or she has no personal experience with atoms and no context in which to put this. They might think it's a conspiracy theory or a lie. Even if we describe the chemical process of combustion (for example in the case of fire, something that the Stone Age person could relate to), it's still unlikely that he or she will accept this explanation for what's going on every time a fire is lit.
A modern day person rejecting the spiritual dimension is a little bit like the Stone Age person rejecting atoms. We are unable to detect easily the existence of the spiritual dimension with our measuring instruments, just like the Stone Age person not having the instruments to detect atoms. But in no way does the lack of detection mean a lack of existence. The spiritual dimension does exist, and as C.S. Lewis said in his book Miracles, it is more real and less ephemeral than our immediate surroundings.
If you found this post interesting, you might like these related posts on this blog:
- Who says the watchmaker has to be blind? - The arguments of Richard Dawkins fall short
- Atoms vs God
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