The Bubble of Truth
In George Orwell’s book 1984, there is a very interesting and often overlooked conversation. In this conversation, O’Brian informs Winston that he (O’Brian) can float on a bubble. O’Brian then contends that if Winston and he both believe this to be true and no one is around to disagree than it is in fact true and O’Brian really can float on a bubble. But if just one person doubts this reality, than that reality is shattered for everyone. Truth, O’Brian claims is what everyone (without exception) believes Truth to be. With that in mind, O’Brian later tells Winston that he can’t just kill Winston for opposing Big Brother, but rather he has to first get Winston to believe in Big Brother.
To some extent, I see this as the way theists think about “Truth.” As long as everyone believes in God, God is still real. People can argue about the attributes or character of God, but everyone still must believe that God exists. This is why so many theists focus so much on atheists. As long as there is just one skeptic out there who doesn’t buy into the God illusion, then that illusion is shattered for everyone. This is in part why so many theists are so opposed to atheists and it is in part the reason why they must shout their beliefs from the rooftops. The need for the conversion of others is tied directly to this view of Truth. In the end, just one atheist willing to ask questions is all that is needed to pop the bubble of religion.
Filed under: 1984, delusion, Evils of Christianity, missionaries, Preaching, Religion
