Conviction

I generally prefer clear, objective "rules". Which is precisely why I lean more toward deontological values than existentialist values. But I cannot deny that we all have qualities we value differently. For me, one of the most important qualities is "Conviction". I have no objective theory with which to base this - it's just important to me...

There is a quote from the 18th Century Puritan Preacher Jonathan Edwards who wrote "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God." The quote went something like this, "Hell is paved with the skulls of unbaptized babies." The conviction behind this statement is amazing. Many Protestant Denominations do not believe in infant baptism - primarily because Christ himself was not baptized as an infant, but instead was baptized by choice at a later age. But if you believe in infant baptism, the implication is that we are born unsaved, that we are damned from the very beginning. But the conviction to understand and support the logical conclusion is nothing short of amazing. Anyone with children, who has looked on the face of pure innocence, must certainly find themselves reconciling the notion that a child could be sent to Hell. And I would venture to guess that most choose to ignore the concept and choose instead to cling to their traditions without fully appreciating the meaning behind them. I do not agree with Jonathan Edwards' statement, but I thoroughly appreciate his conviction.

Example 2) I remember I had a College Physics Professor who stated that his favorite historical person (idol) was Galileo. And I remember being very surprised. I mean, from a physics perspective, I'd wager that Newton, Einstein, and perhaps Copernicus would rank higher in terms of their contributions. But I'm no physics major. More importantly, I disagreed with my Professor on the basis that Galileo recanted the notion that the Sun was the center of the Solar System. In the face of excommunication, he disavowed what he knew to be the truth. And this was over a hundred years after Martin Luther had stood up to the church and showed the meaning of Conviction.

The ability to uphold ones convictions is an impressive thing. The strength of will it takes to uphold ones convictions in the face of persecution, ridicule, or even death is what makes a great person.

Then again, I could be completely wrong....