The Unbelief of Contemporary Man and St. Thomas the Apostle – Fr. Theologos

Unbelief is one of the greatest afflictions that scourge us today — especially the youth. Where does it come from? What is its relationship with science? What are its effects, and how can it be healed? You will discover the answers in this presentation.

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Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and forever and unto the ages of ages. Amen. Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on us! Amen.

Christ is Risen! Now I’m going to talk a little bit about something related to Holy Apostle Thomas, whom I love very, very much, you know, brethren. I also like his life very much, but sadly, I will not tell you about the life of Holy Apostle Thomas, but I will talk a little about, let’s say, his unbelief and, above all, about the fact that the Saint is representative of today’s generation, especially today’s young generation.

You see, Christ used Saint Thomas’ youthful character to assure us all that the Lord truly rose from the dead, that is, He rose with His body. We, fallen human beings, need the body; we need physical assurance to be convinced. Thomas put his finger for all of us, so that we may be convinced. God knew that St. Thomas could not do more, that he had to see for himself by touching, and so the Lord, in His perfection, chose to appear to the apostles when Thomas was absent – Thomas was not there. You see that the Savior appears to the apostles by passing through locked doors and eats fish and a honeycomb in front of them to show that He has a body and is not a spirit, a ghost. Thus, the entire circle of apostles was convinced.

When Thomas came, however, the apostles who were significantly older than him, especially Peter, told him that they had seen the Lord. Of course, it was not only the apostles who saw Him, but also Mary Magdalene, Saints Luke and Cleopas on the road to Emmaus, meaning there were many who testified to the fact that the Lord had risen with His body. Yes, however, Thomas stubbornly says, “Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe!” See how limited the unbelieving man is? The man who absolutely wants proof? The man who wants to measure everything himself? Who only trusts what his senses tell him. This is the man who wants to verify for himself, even though there are others who are more validated by God than he is. Do you understand?

Now, to be very honest, Thomas was understandable up to a point. Why? Because a man does not rise from the dead every day, brethren; it is something that shatters the limits of our fallen rationality, and because of this, the Lord was forbearing towards him. Nevertheless, he should have believed, as I said, in what those who loved him told him, and because of that, the Lord reproached him. That is, after He said to him, “…because you have seen Me, you have believed” He then said, “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” – which was an allusion to the fact that Thomas’ state, up to that moment, was inferior to the faith of those who would believe in Christ throughout the ages. Do you understand?

Why are those who believe more blessed compared to those who do not believe? It’s simple: because our logic cannot solve us as human beings since we are made in the image of God, who is above logic. Brethren, human logic is not strong enough to solve our problems and lead us to salvation, but it is strong enough – or, well, it should be! – to realize its own helplessness. This is where a tension arises between human purpose and the capacity of logic, a tension that should be resolved through faith in the Almighty and All-Loving God. Do you understand?

Unfortunately, however, people today have turned their backs on God, and therefore, since there is no other way, this tension is not resolved and it grows, grows, grows until the nervous system breaks down. Logic alone cannot ensure human balance. You see that most people today are nervous wrecks, and this stems from the fact that they are far from God, they do not believe in Him. What is terrible here is the fact that, actually, people who do not believe in God – know this, brethren – they are very, very “faithful” – or rather – credulous, but they are faithful to their thoughts, to their wills, and to all the more or less true information that “helps” consolidate their position and they tend to ignore other information, even if the latter is overwhelmingly greater compared to the information supporting their position. Do you understand? It is a cognitive distortion.

Things are very complicated because both the information senders and the information receivers are more or less distorted by their sinful wills. Do you understand? Everyone has an interest, has a sinful will. Do you understand? That is why we must always seek information from sources as close to God as possible and always—if we can—verify the information with at least one other source equally close to God. That is why Holy Apostle Paul says, “By the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be established” and because of this, brethren, the only infallible thing in the Church is the correlation of sources close to God or, as it is said in theological terms: the Consensus of the Holy Fathers. Do you understand? Never in history has a saint had absolute authority in the Church. Only if the Church accepts what a saint says do we then accept it as well. Do you understand? [There is] this consensus!

You see that hierarchy and unity, the consensus of information sources, is crucial. This can even be seen in the history of language: you see that the people we consider closer to God, that is, whom we respect more, either hierarchically or in terms of experience, are referred to with so-called polite pronouns, which are special forms of the plural, and we address them in the plural: “dumneavoastră” (formal “you”), “Ce mai faceți?” (formal “how are you?”). This is to show, even in language, the hierarchy and unity of the plurality of information sources we must listen to.

That is, the moment I respect someone, I say that they are no longer alone, that is, I no longer address them as “tu” (singular “you”), but as “dumneavoastră” (plural “you”). A special case here is God and the saints in heaven, where we speak in the singular because that is where our enemy fights to separate us, and that is where we need the greatest possible intimacy. Because of intimacy, that is why we speak in the singular, because the saints in heaven and God are One. Do you understand? There, hierarchy and reverence are obvious, there is no longer a need for the plural. Perhaps I should still mention that St. Nectarios addressed the Mother of God with “dumneavoastră” (plural “you”) due to the enormous respect that the Saint had for the Mother of God.

Let’s return to our topic, the topic of language, since we’re talking about it. You should know that precisely because of this maximum intimacy, children address their parents in the singular even though they respect them or – well! – they should respect their parents. Unfortunately, however, today we level everything, respect almost no longer exists, because there is no longer real faith in God and, therefore, there is no hierarchy of values. The most destructive effect is not that politeness disappears – although this is also very serious, brethren – but that obedience and the great gifts that God gives to people for free, such as shame and good sense, disappear. These are great gifts from God, brethren! These keep us in balance, and obedience in spiritual dependence on sources of good information is crucial to move forward. Do you understand?

Be very careful, brethren, and here I am addressing young people in particular – good information is not necessarily scientifically correct information, but information that comes from a loving source. If the source is loving and, therefore, humble, then even a possible scientific error can be easily corrected –it is not a problem. Whereas if the source of information does not have love, but selfish, cunning interest, then even scientifically correct information will be used against you (the one who receives the information), or it is given to you so that you believe in it, and then it is followed by an ideologically poisoned information to destroy you. Do you understand?

Now I am thinking about what I said: “scientifically correct information.” Brethren, let me tell you something and please forgive me for saying it – I am especially addressing those who believe – speaking of faith! – in the absoluteness of science and that everything can be proven logically and mathematically. Brethren, I would like to mention a man and may his soul rest in peace. May God forgive him, for he passed away! His name was Kurt. Kurt Gödel. Gödel lived at the beginning of the 20th century, brethren, when technological advancement and the focus on science led to pride and distance from God, which resulted in the First and then the Second World War. In this climate, there was the belief – speaking of belief! – that everything can be proven scientifically, logically, and mathematically. Many highly capable minds worldwide were focused on this. When I say highly capable, I’m talking about their logical abilities and not about their spiritual level, which is something else.

In this climate, influenced by this research, Kurt Gödel, a very good logician and mathematician himself, scientifically proves through two famous theorems bearing his name that it is impossible to prove everything scientifically even in the case of a mathematical system. That is, even in the case of a mathematical system, it is impossible to prove everything scientifically, brethren. In fact, his theorems are called exactly that: “Gödel’s Incompleteness Theorems.” These caused quite a stir, brethren, when they were published in 1930. Why? Because they showed the scientific community the incapacity of human logic to create a complete and stable logical system and, even if it could create such a system, they would not be able to prove everything from within our logical system in which we find ourselves. Understand?

Brethren, we need enlightenment from above! It takes faith! It requires accepting things that cannot be proven. What God does, brethren! May God forgive and rest His servant, Kurt. Scientists, even though some of them may not have been examples of reverence, realized the greatness of Gödel’s demonstration and – as Von Neumann said – appreciated his discovery as “monumental;” as one that transcends “time and space.” I wanted to say this for the peace of his soul – Gödel’s – and to calm down potential followers of the idea that everything can be explained and proven by science.

Even in science, brethren, – as Gödel demonstrates – there are things more or less evident that cannot be proven. For example, try to prove that there is one single line that passes through a point outside of a straight line which is parallel to that respective straight line. One and only one. Brethren, don’t try because it’s impossible. If you succeed, you’ll win the Nobel Prize in Mathematics. There are certain things we must believe, we must take as true, including in science.

In fact, brethren, science leads to belief in God because creation leads to the Creator. Let me tell you a story! When I was young and discovered God after the so-called revolution of 1989, I would walk past the cathedral of the city where I lived and was troubled by a question. A big question, a really big one for me. And with that question in mind, I told God that if I found a priest in the cathedral, I would ask him. I went inside, the cathedral was empty because there was no service at that time, and I saw an old father, so old he could barely move, bent over. I thought to myself, “Oh no! If I ask this old man the question I have, he’ll take the cross and hit me over the head with it!” but since I told God I would ask, I decided to ask the big question I had. You know, I was afraid because back then I was very influenced by atheistic communism and the equally atheistic Western pseudo-democracy that saw the Church as backward and narrow-minded.

So, I hesitantly approach the father and I ask the big question: “Does science hinder the knowledge of God?” This hunched-over father said to me in a hoarse voice, “Huh?” – When I heard that, I thought, “Oh, Mother of God,” but what could I do? I had to repeat the question a little louder. And I said, “Does science hinder the knowledge of God?” Then he stood up, bent over as he was, and looked at me with a penetrating gaze, and said very calmly and confidently,

“No!”

“No??” I said.

“No,” he said.

And I said, puzzled, “But how come so many scientists are atheists…”

And he said to me, “They haven’t gone all the way. If they had gone all the way, they would have discovered God!”

Do you understand? Any scientist who goes all the way must discover the Creator in his heart. In fact, as the Psalms say, brethren, “The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no God.'” Holy Apostle Paul speaks in the epistle to the Romans about creation as a ladder to the Creator. Whoever does not find God suffers from foolishness. However, I do not wish to delve too deeply into this subject now, I only want to mention that one who believes absolutely in science is mistaken and limited. This is demonstrated both mathematically—speaking of Gödel, may God forgive him!—and from a spiritual perspective. Because of this, you should know that atheists and those who believe in science generally have problems that they cannot solve, and they end up with nervous disorders.

Depression is the disease of atheists, brethren, or at least of unbelievers, those who do not believe wholeheartedly in God. You see that young people who do not believe in God – but in themselves and in the pseudo-power of technology, of science – after an initial burst of enthusiasm in which they believe the world is totally theirs, they despair and they themselves become totally subjugated to the world and fall into depression, leading a dull life and living from one day to the next, even though they may have money and the necessities of life. They have no future because they have no God. Do you understand?

Brethren, I know a young man in his late twenties from a wealthy family, who doesn’t talk to anyone, not even his parents, and does nothing but play on the computer and tap away at his laptop because he had a disappointment in love a few years ago. The parents are desperate because the young man is completely shut off. He is completely alone, without communicating with anyone. He does nothing. Brethren, the big problem of our civilization is not nuclear fusion or artificial intelligence. Our biggest problem is the problem of social relationships, of love between people. Yes, brethren, even Kurt Gödel, may God forgive him, since he was not a man focused on spirituality, but on science, had problems with his nervous system in his old age, and I can say that he actually died from it. May God forgive him!

However, let me give you an example from our daily life related to the relationship between matter, science, and spirituality (since we are talking about relationships): I know a smart and very wealthy child in primary school at an elite school in a big city in Romania. He was a spoiled rich child, and at one point his teacher saw him in class with his shoelaces untied. The teacher told the child to tie his shoelaces, but the child replied naturally, “Tie them for me.” Then the teacher – God bless her!— said, “Come, let me teach you how to do it!” to which the child indignantly replied, “No!” The next day the child’s mother came to school and made a remark to the teacher about why she spoke to the child that way, since at home he has a maid who does that (ties his shoelaces).

Can you imagine? If this child is not corrected, he will be traumatized for life when it comes to social relationships, and this stems from too much knowledge that brings too much wealth. And his mother— God bless her!—doesn’t believe he can manage in life and bend down a little to tie his shoelaces. Do you understand?

Since we are discussing social relationships and have mentioned Artificial Intelligence, please exercise caution with conversational systems such as ChatGPT or Bing, which are actually the same thing. Be very careful, brethren, because although these systems are, let’s say, impressive in terms of technical issues, when it comes to personal issues, these systems are very problematic, starting from their boring character and ending with major cognitive and emotional distortions that are hard to distinguish.

For example, what comes to mind now is the impossibility of distinguishing between the real and the imaginary, between the personal and the general, and from there, the closing in on oneself, in the nothingness of our selfishness, unable to communicate with others, unable to love people, and thus unable to know, unable to live. Because of this, many people, after the initial enthusiasm, fall into terrible depression if they continue with Chat GPT and similar programs. There are even cases— for example, in Belgium—I know of someone who committed suicide because instead of talking to his wife and children or other people, he was constantly on AI chats.

You see, for the first time in history, there is so much emphasis on the idea of magic, of humanity in technology, that is, in AI. It’s a chimera, brethren! Brethren, being human does not mean reproducing the voice, face, or body movements. These are physical. Human means first and foremost the image of the Loving God. Believe in God! Brethren, Artificial Intelligence does not love, even though many use it as a surrogate for that. It’s just a chimera, as I said. We are destroying our capacity to love there.

I don’t know if you know, but due to the idolization of technology and the inhumane system in China, where people work from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., 6 days a week—9-9-6, the famous schedule—the Party asked 9 universities to give their students a week off in April to fall in love. Yes, brethren! On top of that, they were asked to keep travel journals, to film, and document their progress. Why? Because in China, and especially in Japan, the birth rate and number of marriages are plummeting.

People no longer know how to love. Do you understand? Because they have strayed from God. So brethren, leave technology alone! Let’s leave technology for a bit! We must believe and believe in God in order to have a future, we must have faith! People are above technology, but the significant issue here is that we are fallen, we are sinners, and because of this, we can be more destructive than technology and even worse than animals.

Yes, brethren, because of sin, many people, especially women, are scandalized and retreat toward animals, and a kind of idolatry appears there as well. They no longer communicate with other people and sometimes not even with God, and they focus all their love on animals. Yes, it is somewhat understandable because animals are innocent while humans are sinful, but it is not to be approved. It is not to be approved because the huge problem here is the fact that animals cannot respond with the same love that humans love them with. Only a person can respond to another person with the same love, and because of this, if these people do not find God, they collapse into a certain form of sentimentalism and semi-atheism with very sad consequences.

Brethren, I think it’s important to mention here that I am not advocating brutality against animals, God forbid! However, an animal is an animal, and a human is a human. We shall love God with all our being, as the commandment says, and our neighbor as ourselves. We respect animals as we respect God’s creation, but we must be careful not to personify them and attach our hearts to them. It’s not normal to be aggressive towards people and cry over our favorite animals. This indicates an emotional problem. Do you understand?

May the Good Lord help us to humble ourselves and become balanced through confession and love for others. To be balanced, we need an absolutely secure point, a point of equilibrium—and that can be none other than God. Do you understand?

The atheist has no balance. Brethren, scandal is the main cause of atheism and, therefore, of all the problems mentioned above – scandal meaning something emotional and not rational. Usually, scandal arises when God’s representative in the conscience of the person who is scandalized is judged (by he who is scandalized) to be doing something impermissible in relation to the image of God of the person who is scandalized.

Many young atheists are so because they have been scandalized by their parents or priests, and this is because they have their parents and priests as images of God in their conscience, as I mentioned above. Of course, it shouldn’t be this way. We must dissociate the Perfect and perfectly Loving God from a limited man prone to error who is trying to do his best, but young people don’t do that, and it’s difficult to do so at a certain age. And thus, they identify their parents and priests with perfection, with God, and that is why they are scandalized.

Of course, however, in the case of young people, the biggest scandal may come from their life partner, especially if they love them very, very much for various reasons and/or have no experience— that is, it is their first love. If you talk to them rationally, they may accept that the other person is not God, but in practice, they behave as if they are somehow. Do you understand? This feeling is very strong at the beginning, and there must be the necessary balance provided by faith in the true God and by a spiritual father in order to manage this properly and avoid causing major tragedies.

Brethren, marriage is the mystery of faith between a man and a woman, without the partners idolizing each other, but loving each other to the fullest, [with] the belief that they walk together on the path of the Cross and the Resurrection towards perfection. Let us not hurt love and let us not diminish young people’s capacity for love, because great tragedies occur and young people today no longer have the courage to love, and if they do love, they no longer have the courage to express that love. They are afraid of being hurt. Do you understand? It’s a great shame, you know!

We must relearn the correct value system; we must relearn to unite with God, from where this enlightenment comes and from where this value system comes. The key is to be careful not to scandalize the other, not to betray them, to be careful not to hurt the faith they have placed in us, and, if necessary, to humbly say, as the Holy Apostle Paul says: Let no one think that we are above what we truly are, but to try to respond to their faith with our love. Scandal is an obstacle to faith, to finding the Living and Risen Christ, and I believe that our Lord Jesus Christ appeared to Thomas so as not to scandalize him, lowering Himself to the level of his capacity at that time.

Please forgive me if I have scandalized anyone, and please pray for me. I’m doing what I can. Thank you for staying with me until now. Christ is Risen! Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on us! Amen.

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