I guess you might get a feel for the thesis of this book from the following from the pen of neuroscientist Dr. Robert A. Burton M.D.: “Certainty is not biologically possible. We must learn (and teach our children) to tolerate the unpleasantness of uncertainty.” P.223.

This book surpassed any expectation I might have held when I selected it for consumption. Burton is an expert in the science of how we think we know what we may know. This volume dispels many commonly held myths and provides insight into the current state of the field. It is a gem. The thesis of this book is straightforward: “The message at the heart of this book is that the feelings of knowing, correctness, conviction, and certainty aren’t deliberate conclusions and conscious choices. They are mental sensations that happen to us.” P. 218

Here are a couple of carats:

“I often wonder if an insistence upon being right might have physiological similarities to other addictions, including possible genetic predispositions? We all know others (never ourselves) who go out of their way to prove a point, seem to derive more pleasure from final answers than ongoing questions, and want definitive one-stop-shopping resolutions to complex social problems – and unambiguous endings to movies and novels. In being constantly on the lookout for the last word, they often appear as compelled and driven as the worst of addicts. And perhaps they are. Might the know-it-all personality trait be seen as an addiction to the pleasure of the feeling of knowing?” (p.98).

“One of the overriding fears of our time is that excesses of belief may destroy civilizations” .p.180.

What happens to us when we believe what we claim to know with certainty? Are their consequences? What does history say? What are the facts from the frontiers of science today?

In this book, Dr. Robert A. Burton M.D. provides the “diamond in the rough.” A tremendous contribution – Easily devoured by a wide audience. I heartily recommend it.

“The great illusion of leadership is to think that man can be led out of the desert by someone who has never been there.”

Nouwen, Henri J.M.  The Wounded Healer- Ministry in Contemporary Society, IMAGE BOOKS DOUBLEDAY, NYÓ Copyright 1972 by Henri J.M. Nouwen  P.72

Lurking covertly,
Within the shadows of a doubt.
Dubiously suspicious,
If we will ever work this out.

Befuddled and betrayed,
Thrashing amidst waves of confusion.
Is U.S. immigration reform a mirage?
Have we succumbed to Immillusion?

Perhaps, I’m simply naïve;
A citizen who believes we must solve this thing.
I believe in liberty and justice for all.
The day we let freedom ring!

Streets filled with joy and laughter.
Our nation’s heart reflected on our face.
Celebrating citizenship for the others among us,
Surrendered to the extension of God’s grace.

Millions enduring unnecessary oppression,
Counting on us for their release.
We hold the keys to their cells,
Unlocking citizenship will be our peace.

A nation suffering from cardiovascular disease,
Well known as hardness of the heart.
We espouse freedom and democracy abroad,
As immillusion continues tearing us apart.

Counterintuitive as it may seem,
The notions I ponder as I pray.
Perhaps it’s not what we must keep,
But what we shall decide to give away.

The malady of immillusion,
Clogs the arteries of our Nation’s heart.
The cure may require a dietary change,
Giving thanks may be a start.

Vision is a must.
Solutions begin as a mirage.
It’s time for innovation
Not park it in a garage.

Ten to twenty million,
Nobody has a solid number.
His creations are in our midst!
God, awaken us from our self-righteous slumber.

Unforgettable lessons,
Voices from our Nation’s past.
Once again, I yearn to hear the voice that cries,
“Thank God Almighty, We are free at last.”

He is here. He is among us.
Weeping over our confusion.
God Almighty please forgive us!
Lead us out of the land of Immillusion.

Abraham saw it.
Rising from the land below.
The remains of Sodom and Gomorrah,
A story we all know.(1)

Mt. Sinai was covered with it,
After God descended like fire upon the peak.
Moses walked up through it,
God had ten things to speak.

David routinely cried out to God,
Becoming a habit, it started as a choice.
God arrived with smoke pouring from his nostrils,(2)
In response to His loved ones voice.(3)

As I peer into these scenes,
I get some in my eyes.
Burning and blurry,
I begin to realize.

The smoke is an indicator,
A product of combustion I cannot see.
It’s appears there’s much more to it,
A supernatural mystery.

Holey, wholly, holy
Lord, God Almighty
How I wish this relationship with You,
Could be less complicated and more tidy.

As I read the life of Abraham,
Oh, the faith of one who loved you solely.
The tears they cascade down my cheeks,
As my faith is often weak and holey.

David, I can relate to.
His Ranting and raving within a psalm.
Soothes my wounded heart,
As you apply your healing balm.

Please hear my heartfelt confession Lord!
My faith is often weak and filled with holes.
Should I take any comfort in the thought?
That I’m surrounded by similarly afflicted souls?

Guilt screams, “Your faith’s defective!”
“As a Christian, you’re something less than you should be!”
Perhaps I’m all alone in this.
Yearning for the smoke to clear. Your face I long to see.

If I didn’t have this issue burning,
Deep within my soul.
I would be one of the self-righteous,
Proclaiming, “Look at me I’m whole!”

I adore the way you’ve made us.
Although I don’t understand all things I should know.
I trust that in admitting this confusion,
You will help me grow.

In a world filled with answers.
Pontificating knowledge at a pace that makes one choke.
I will continue to seek your truth Lord God,
As the world’s wholly smoke.

NOTES:

[1] NIV – Genesis 19:27-28

[1] NIV – 2 Samuel 22:9

[1] NIV – 2 Samuel 22:20

Sorry for the intrusion.
It’s time for some dancing in your head.
My name is illusion,
I’m everything you’ve read.

You don’t know if I’m real,
You say you do, but that’s a lie.
You use my name like you know me,
You’re afraid and don’t know why.

You don’t know where I come from,
No idea where I’ve been.
Your attempts to find me,
Bury me further beneath your skin.

I’ve got you where I want you,
And you don’t have a clue.
What flirting with my powers,
Can actually do to you.

I’m the one who manipulates,
What you think you know and feel.
I delight in distorting
What you perceive as real.

You think you’re so smart,
You enjoy reading between the lines.
This is what entangles you,
In Ms. perceptions vines.

Illusions have a certain characteristic,
Their depths may not be what they seem.
You’ll never know unless you confront them,
Think, wish, wake up and dream.

Your mind might suggest
Illusions allow you to actually see.
There’s another path to take.
Consider this possibility:

Perhaps it’s multi-faceted,
An intentional mystery.
Maybe it’s part of the process,
To be perplexed by reality.

Meander through the maze of life,
Move through the smoke and mirrors.
It just may be curiosity that leads us to,
The courage to confront our fears.