Reading Chesterton yesterday on my flight back from Cancun, where I read of a man walking along a path. He comes upon a gate blocking the way he wishes to go. But the gate is locked. The man has two choices:
1. To say, "I don't know why this gate is here. It's in my way. Let's get rid of it."
2. Or to contemplate, "I wonder why this gate is here. Perhaps I should educate myself on the history of why it was built and why it may be necessary. Then I can make a better decision on whether to keep the gate locked or to remove it entirely."
Those who look at religion and tradition and decide upon the first option are simultaneously arrogant and ignorant. And this is what most choose to do in our modern age. But keep in mind, every age is the modern age to the generation living in it. This group of people decide for themselves that they are smarter, wiser, and more logical and reasonable than every generation that has preceded them.
Those who look at religion and tradition and decide upon the second option are both humble and reasonable. They realize that the gate is probably there for a reason. If they do not know the reason, they do not assume that it is unnecessary. They first acknowledge that they do not themselves know all things. They then logically take the next steps of learning, researching, and ultimately understanding why the gate was put there in the first place. Then they can decide without arrogance or ignorance.
Humility takes courage.
Pride, on the other hand, is simple.
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