As I write, I am listening to loosing my religion by R.E.M. Not that I'm an atheist, I believe in a God. What bothers me, however, is that most people are too afraid to stand alone in what they believe. This to me shows little faith, and in I can't see how one could be worthy of salvation with such little faith.

Recently I read Fear and Trembling by Soren Kierkagaard. Having never read the bible, I was worried that I'd be lost. Honestly, after reading Fear and Trembling, I think that most people who read the bible are lost. Abraham's willingness' to kill Isaac was far more complicated then the label of a "test of God." will have us believe. Abraham had to sacrifice his own son not in the name of the common good, but in the name of God. Abraham did not. And could not, know why God could want him to sacrifice his beloved son; that knowledge could only be available to God. Thus Abraham had to stand alone, in fear of other people's misunderstanding and only with his faith in God to guide him.

What's more, Abraham never believed that he would kill Isaac. This is the paradox of faith according to Kierkagaard; that Abraham was willing to kill Isaac even though he never believed that he would have to. His thoughts not only stayed out of the universal, but were not even reflected upon. Abraham was a "knight of faith", who put all of his trust and love into God. Abraham was therefore not forced to have to will himself towards universal laws through reflection on his thoughts.

Whether or not we should rise above universal laws in the name of God is beyound me. But what I believe is true is that we can't obtain salvation by simply bonding together and praying for God's mercy. People then must collectively reflect on what God means to them, and horde God as their own. This moves us away from universals, and creates grave misunderstandings between people. I believe that one can only be outside the universal if one stands alone. Otherwise salvation must be reached not by hording God, but by making God a universal. By opening ourselves up to God as a universal, we no doubt will be afraid as we must open ourselves up to new people and ideas. But I believe that it is only through this fear and trembling' that salvation could possibly be attained.

Learn more about this author, Alex Konar.
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