The Foundation of Truth, Part 1- Reality Shapers

In order to make sense of life, we all must hold some foundational truth. I submit to you that your beliefs about God are the absolute foundation of your reality.  For instance, if you believe that He does not exist, then your foundation is that of a world built by random chance that somehow managed to produce life, and you're not all that important.  If you believe it's possible that He exists and possible that He doesn't, then your foundation is a bit more murky: God might exist, but if so He's not that big of a deal, though sometimes cool unexplained things might be God.  If you believe God exists, and you also believe that He is all-powerful, all-knowing, all-loving, etc., then your foundation is of a purposeful creation of an amazing Universe with humankind as the crowning creative achievement.  You also most likely believe that you were created to live an eternal life and your role on earth is to live for that eternity and you are intrinsically valuable and loved.

I admittedly don't know all the details and fundamentals of all the world's religions so won't embarrass myself here by discussing them. Here's a few I vaguely comprehend: the New Age belief system (we are the same level as God in that God dwells in every molecule; Buddhism (following the path to Nirvana which achieves cessation of suffering; essentially no God), Hinduism (striving for Dharma or perfection; there is a God), Islamic religion (there is a God and I must strive to be perfect so that Allah won't reject me), etc.

For the sake of this article, I've flung core belief systems into five categories (rummage-sale style):

1. God exists

(with the subsets of earning vs. unconditional acceptance)

2. God does not exist

3. God might exist, but He also might not.

4. Many (mini) gods exist (and I'm one of them, or will eventually be one of them)

5. My religion is too complicated/bothersome for me to understand, but I claim it anyway.

What you believe shapes your entire life, your future, your mental and emotional health, and how you handle adversity.  What you believe is a choice. You choose to believe (or to not believe) based on a variety of factors, and most of them are not logical: experience/senses (I have never seen or experienced God, therefore He doesn't exit), what you were taught growing up (indoctrination), what you have read about and decided makes sense (study/intellect), or what you feel like should be the case (desires/ethics).

In upcoming discussions I want to define truth and why it's so important to seek and resolve to believe absolute truth as opposed to "many truths" that may sound appealing and all-encompassing, accepting and tolerant, but actually are completely imaginary...like a child's imaginary friend.  I also want to show you why insisting on believing in fallacy is deadly. Stay tuned...