Other than my favorite Audre Lorde quote, likely the most influential quote I have ever heard is one my brother, Ron Mosby, often proclaims. “Life is hard. Death is easy. I AM responsible.” Though Ron is an elder in the Christian belief system, this quote could be accredited with my personal strength to walk away from religion.
Every reminder of this idea fortifies my resolve to pursue knowledge (science), even within the pages of scripture. For many, it is just easier to say things like “God works in mysterious ways”, “You don’t question God”, or “Our thoughts are not his thoughts”, but in my diligence (study) to show myself approved, I have found that every question does have an answer. Most people just aren’t willing to do the work to find the answer.
The difference between Moshe and Yisra’ēl was that Moshe was determined to search out the answers, and the rest of Yisra’ēl was afraid to. As a result, Yisra’ēl became subject to the law of Moshe. What we have been taught to believe about Moshe was that he prayed to an external god, but what is known is that he spent forty days and nights alone on a mountain.
In my alone time, I have studied. I have researched science, and evaluated it in comparison to my experience. What I walk away with each time is answers- answers to the questions we were told not to ask because it was supposedly “God’s” business.
I AM never again going to condemn someone else for choosing to pray about what’s happening in their life. However, no one should ever feel comfortable telling me to pray about what’s going on in my life, UNLESS by prayer you mean searching out my heart to find the solution to my problems. Especially when it comes to my health, prayer is not the answer; science is. I AM going to continue discovering the science that heals my body and my soul, because I AM responsible.
In our acceptance of responsibility for our lives, we have to be diligent (the proper rendering of “Study” in 2 Timothy 2:15) in finding the personal paths to our own restoration. If I AM to be saved from the world, I AM accountable for saving myself. The only way for me to save myself is through applied science (knowledge). If I perish, it’s going to be explicitly for the lack of applied science. That’s the reality of what knowledge is, and as it is written “Because you have rejected knowledge, I have rejected you from being my people.”
Truth is subjective. You are responsible for knowing YOUR truth. You can’t keep expecting the truth of people two thousand years ago is going to get you by. So, get alone, and find your truth. Seek first the kingdom, but never forget that the kingdom is within you.
