Are Religious People Fooling Themselves?

“We do not know who created the world or how it came to be. Scientists do not know and the Biblical account is a beautiful myth. We do not know what God wills of man, nor can any person from Moses to Jesus declare with absolute truth what God’s purpose or claim upon man is. We do not know the answer to the question of why, if there is God, do we find so much unnecessary suffering and such brutal wickedness. There is a great deal we do not know about God.”
December 18, 1966

I chose the most challenging – perhaps radical – quote from this sermon in order to draw your attention to the most fundamental questions it raises about religion and God. Surrounded by cynicism and atheism, why should we believe in God? Rabbi Olan’s reply in this sermon demonstrates the belief system of a “rational faith.”