The position of “I’m right, you’re wrong – you should do/believe what I tell you to” is, in my opinion, the thought process that has most often led people down a path of war or oppression. Not just religious faith but racism, communism, etc.
The faith/atheist debate (like many debates) just becomes more and more polarised with both sides often so entrenched that people on both sides don’t even listen to each other any more.
At the moment I feel that all I (or anyone) can say is “it’s been my experience that…” and to go further than that to claims of absolute truth is to overstep our ability to perceive. I think this fits quite well with the below from 1 Peter 3…
“Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect”
Living in this uncertain, analogue world where things don’t fit nicely into little boxes is much less comfortable than the happy certainty of believing I’m right about everything though!
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Good point JC – although I am, of course, always right!
If we are all unique then our relationship with God/a higher being, whatever you want to call HIM upstairs, is gonna be unique and therefore not a one size fits all.