It was more than a half century ago while enrolled in seminary when I heard for the first time the term "honest skepticism." My philosophy and theology professor used the term while his class was focusing on Immanuel Kant, a reason and experience-centered philosopher and Soren Kierkegaard, an existentialist and faith-centered philosopher and theologian. I became intrigued with the term honest skepticism and convinced that it, by any other name, corresponded to how I saw myself and my response to the world.

Since then the term honest skepticism has been deliberately applied as a guiding principle in my lived process. I have been an affirmed honest skeptic. It is important to point out that skepticism does not have to be honest. Skepticism, according to "Webster's Dictionary" is an attitude of doubt or a disposition to incredulity either in general or toward a particular object." That is to say skepticism means having a doubting questioning attitude or state of mind. This is neither positive or negative. Skepticism can be either way.

Honesty is refusing to lie, steal or deceive. The honest skeptic having integrity is intentionally free from engaging in fraud and deception. It begins with the honest skeptic being honest with  himself and skeptical of his own motives. He seeks the truth and enrichment of all involved. Even while seeking truth he is not fanatical about doubting or pursuing truth that has been approved by experts and authorities.

The honest skeptic is a truth seeker who embraces to the degee and in a way that seems to him appropriate while maintaining an ever-ready state of mind to replace what he embraces with a greater truth. He is constantly open to receiving the offerings of progressive revelation. He is unlike a dishonest and ego-driven skeptic who is not interested in truth or the betterment of other people but rather in being on display, showing others how important or smart he is. Skepticism can be a positive influence in the areas of science and religion, reason and faith, and life in general.

Honest skepticism is important to discover the truth. Many of the advances in science, religion and life in general are attributable to the actions of skeptics who sometimes went against the tide, popular opinion, authorities and settled law.

An all too common belief is that a honest skeptic acts out of blind faith or walks by mere faith. The truth is he is guided not by sight but insight which is faith that imagines, faith that dares and faith that is in pursuit of truth. Truth is so important to him that if God could go against truth, he would let God go and hold fast to truth and progressive revelation. However, it is well to add that God is the Source of truth.

The honest skeptic shares much in common with the heretic in that like the heretic he is an insider who refuses to accept conformity as the noblest virtue of life or allow his belongingness and loyalty to interfere with him seeking truth and exposing falsehood in his own house or person.

It is truth that makes a person free, according to Jesus, and it is the ceaseless pursuit of truth that keeps a person free...in the process of freedom. The moral and take-home lesson from this discourse is: personal and social betterment depend on honest skepticism. While truth does not change the volume of truth accessible to a person and the application he makes of the truth change. Sometimes in order to get equal results from the application of truth requires more or newer truth. More truth is not a misnomer. It can mean progress. Different and higher truth is required for certain levels of development,  including the actualization of personal potential and societal community. Know that you have a role in making that happen.

Copyright 2011by Uriah J. Fields