" No longer in the middle" , by Erik Pevernagie, oil on canvas, (100 x 80 cm) xx

Please, let us not stick to our comfortable confirmation biases, seeking out our holy truths based on our preexisting beliefs. Viewpoints differing from our own are a blessing to tear open the canvas of ignorance covering our lives.

When our thoughts are plagued by ill-considered shortcuts, we must watch out for pitfalls in our thinking patterns. Only if we regularly challenge our entrenched assumptions can we steer clear of common biases and irreparable errors.

The church used to be in the middle of the village. It represented a beacon in man’s existence and was supposed to symbolize god’s presence on earth, permanently reminding the primary goal in man’s life.

In many circles of the Western world, the church is no longer the main preoccupation.

Because of measurable “bread and butter” realities, more essential items like consumption, housing, and health have drawn religious matters into the background. The church is no longer in the middle of the village and is no longer at the center of their concern.

The excessive speed of globalization has brought another god to the foreground, namely the god of consumerism. His exacting demands and the to-and-fro swinging from one period to another and from one domain to another cause emotional heartaches. This situation may cause people to feel like individuals “with no sense of belonging” and “characters without qualities.”

On the other hand, if we don’t guard against those who try to sell justifications for letting the gory constructions of their criminal instincts run wild and concoct pretexts for malicious acts, we might fail to see how they impersonate god and usurp the spirit of religious beliefs.

Believing is easy, but thinking is difficult. Thinking about why we believe this is still more complicated.

Phenomenon: Religion and sense of belonging.

Factual starting point of the picture: Church in abstract landscape