God, Genders, and the Great ‘What If?’ – Thinking Critically About Belief
Day 5 and 6 of our Critical Thinking class took us into a territory where logic meets faith – religion. A topic that’s as ancient as it is personal, and yet, often left unexamined.
One of the sessions was led by Vardan Kabra, who openly identifies as an atheist. He didn’t try to convert or convince – rather, he invited us to question: Why do we believe what we believe? Are we following faith out of genuine conviction or inherited habit? While I found the session interesting, it skimmed only the surface of what I was hoping for. I wanted a deeper exploration – not just of religious practice, but of God’s very existence. Still, the discussion nudged me to reflect on the rituals I perform almost mechanically, maybe as a subconscious transaction – “I’ll do this, God, if you do that.”
The next day, we read Vardan sir’s blog about his journey from a confused theist to an atheist. It was less about disbelief and more about discovery – peeling away layers of assumption. Then came The Man from Earth – a movie that turned the idea of religion into a thought experiment. When the protagonist, John, claims he was Jesus trying to teach Buddha’s principles, it wasn’t offensive; it was fascinating. Like the college girl in the movie, I listened with curiosity, open to the possibility that belief could be both beautiful and constructed at the same time. I didn’t feel triggered like Edith; maybe that’s because I’ve learned to sit comfortably in uncertainty.
Our final discussion turned toward religion and gender. Within Hinduism, I realized there’s comparatively less structural inequality. Yet in Christianity, verses like “wives, submit to your husbands” have been misinterpreted to justify submission – a reminder that sacred texts are powerful, but people’s interpretations often decide how that power is used.
These two days weren’t about proving or disproving religion. They were about sharpening the tool of questioning – to separate faith from fear, tradition from truth.
Maybe the real critical thinking test isn’t about whether we believe in God.
Maybe it’s about whether we believe thoughtfully.
One of the sessions was led by Vardan Kabra, who openly identifies as an atheist. He didn’t try to convert or convince – rather, he invited us to question: Why do we believe what we believe? Are we following faith out of genuine conviction or inherited habit? While I found the session interesting, it skimmed only the surface of what I was hoping for. I wanted a deeper exploration – not just of religious practice, but of God’s very existence. Still, the discussion nudged me to reflect on the rituals I perform almost mechanically, maybe as a subconscious transaction – “I’ll do this, God, if you do that.”
The next day, we read Vardan sir’s blog about his journey from a confused theist to an atheist. It was less about disbelief and more about discovery – peeling away layers of assumption. Then came The Man from Earth – a movie that turned the idea of religion into a thought experiment. When the protagonist, John, claims he was Jesus trying to teach Buddha’s principles, it wasn’t offensive; it was fascinating. Like the college girl in the movie, I listened with curiosity, open to the possibility that belief could be both beautiful and constructed at the same time. I didn’t feel triggered like Edith; maybe that’s because I’ve learned to sit comfortably in uncertainty.
Our final discussion turned toward religion and gender. Within Hinduism, I realized there’s comparatively less structural inequality. Yet in Christianity, verses like “wives, submit to your husbands” have been misinterpreted to justify submission – a reminder that sacred texts are powerful, but people’s interpretations often decide how that power is used.
These two days weren’t about proving or disproving religion. They were about sharpening the tool of questioning – to separate faith from fear, tradition from truth.
Maybe the real critical thinking test isn’t about whether we believe in God.
Maybe it’s about whether we believe thoughtfully.