There are few things in the world more powerful or useful than asking a good question. Without asking good questions we can’t identify our problems. Where we don’t notice our problems, we certainly can’t work on solving them.
Today we find ourselves in a fiercely divided human world. Whether we prefer to approach the problem of humanity from a framework of science, religion, philosophy, or fierce individuality and emotion—most of us find it difficult to have our assumptions challenged and rejected by others.
What’s even more difficult (and more necessary) is finding the honesty and courage to challenge our own assumptions and reject them when they’re proven false. Of course, without asking good questions this project is impossible.
Consider this carefully. What makes you right when others are wrong? What justifies your truth? Some of today’s pop-philosophers say: “Don’t worry about that, everybody can be right.” Well, what if I disagree with that? What if I disagree with you? Am I “right”? How does that work in a logical world? We live in one—don’t we?
Others might say: “I’m right because So-and-So was right.” Or: “I’m right because my favorite book says so.” But why are they right when so many others make different truth-claims based on competing books and sages?
Are all books equally true? What does the word “true” mean?
How do we measure the truth-value of somebody’s just-so claim? How do we test the reality of a brute-fact when it is unique to one particular worldview?
Most importantly, if I am wrong about something important, is it even possible to recognize the mistake and change my mind? Do I have free will, or have God or the laws of physics made my mind up for me?
Can the truth be tested? And if it can—should it be?
Note well that I have revealed some common absurdities and brought some troubling problems into focus simply by asking the “begged-questions.”
The project of western philosophy was sparked in the late 5th century B.C. by a guy called Socrates. He turned asking begged questions into an art form and used it to reveal many unwarranted assumptions infecting the Greek thinking of his day. Socrates was pretty good at this, and many of his contemporaries were frustrated by his questions. They wanted him silenced, so they invented an excuse to “cancel” him. Socrates was tried and convicted of blaspheming the gods and corrupting the youth of Athens. He was executed for these alleged “crimes” in 399 B.C.
It was too late. The fire was well and truly lit. Plato, Aristotle, and many others began trying to answer as many of Socrates’ questions as they could. Of course, each question they examined revealed a bunch of new questions to work on, and the western love of wisdom (philosophy) grew from the Socratic spark—asking a good-question.
Even so, the Greeks didn’t invent the love of wisdom. They are only one culture who discovered it and recorded parts of their journey. Many cultures throughout history have ignited similar beacons from an ultimate Spirit of inquiry. Should this surprise us?
Perhaps we all come from an ultimate Lover of Wisdom who wants to know us—and be known by us. A long time ago, that Great-Philosopher taught wisdom to a man called Job. How? By confronting Job with his begged-questions, and by showing him the unwarranted assumptions infecting his thinking.
Contrary to popular opinion, this isn’t Socrates’ Method. It’s God’s method.
See Genesis 3:9-13; Genesis 4:6-9; Job 38-42; Isaiah 1:1-20; and 1 Thessalonians 5:15-22 among other passages in the Bible.
Christianity is a theistic worldview built on the radical idea that God, the Ultimate-Philosopher, was born of a virgin in a barn in Roman Judea roughly 2,000 years ago. He lived a Perfect Human life for the good of all humanity only to be “cancelled” and killed by those He had come to save. Why?
That’s a pretty big topic, and there’s certainly more on it to come. But in the eyes of His contemporaries, Jesus had blasphemed God and the Roman Emperor, and had corrupted the youth of Judea. Just like Socrates, Jesus of Nazareth was killed to prevent Him from asking thorny questions, and from challenging the unwarranted assumptions infecting the Jewish and Roman thinking of His day.
Of course, the cancel-strategy backfired huge-time.
(Here’s a free history lesson: It always does).
Killing Jesus ended up begging the biggest questions of all.
Why isn’t He in Joseph of Arimathea’s tomb anymore? How did hundreds of His followers see Him alive after He was killed? Why did His sworn enemy become His greatest champion? Is He really risen from the dead? How can that be true in a world of logic and scientific laws?
Who is Jesus of Nazareth really? Might He be exactly who He says He is?
Is He God after all?
If He is, then we owe Him our very lives. If He isn’t then worshiping Him is a total waste of time. The Truth is what ultimately matters either way.
Jesus asks each of us an ultimate preliminary question: “Who do you say I Am?” (Matthew 16:15) Facing His question honestly, finding out it’s true-answer, and sharing it with anyone willing to take a serious look is the project of Preliminary Questions. Why?
Because the right answer to Jesus’ question will impact the right answer to every other question we’ll ever ask. Is Jesus who He claims to be or not? The very nature of the universe hangs on His question. Your nature hangs on it too.
So, how do we test the truth about Jesus? First, by finding the courage to honestly challenge our assumptions, whatever they might be. Second, by identifying and rejecting whatever cannot be true. And finally, by taking a well-informed “step of faith” in the direction best supported by right-reason, sound-evidence, sensible-attraction, and meaningful-revelation.
The journey begins with asking good questions.
I hope you will find the arguments and evidence given here compelling. If you don’t, please continue to bravely and honestly question your assumptions. Become responsible for finding “better” answers to the questions I ask. Don’t leave them begged. Ask them boldly, and then do your level-best to find out the real answers.
If you’re an honest person, I have confidence that the Truth will eventually win out. My fervent hope is that more and more of us would find the courage to seek the Truth for its own sake.
Socrates said: “The unexamined life is not worth living.”
Today, I dare you to examine yours.
Welcome to Preliminary Questions.
Socrates 470-399 BC