<p>I think the essay is well written, but depending on the readers (who are supposed to be completely open-minded but will likely have biases) the topic of the essay could pose a problem. The essay is about me and it describes a part of my development that has become a big part of my identity. I tried to be non-offensive, but I certainly did not censor/omit any points I wanted to make for the purpose of being non-controversial.</p>
<p>Here it is: Any advice is appreciated </p>
<p>When it comes to finding truth, I have observed two different methods on which people base their worldview: faith and science. Not only do they inform beliefs, but they characterize very different mindsets. Each is the antithesis of the other, so I believe my transition between them represented a significant shift in identity.</p>
<p>I grew up with religion as an important part of my childhood. My family attended church nearly every Sunday, where I soaked up everything I was told, including the literal creation myths that formed my beliefs on the origins of the universe and of humankind. My entire worldview was drawn from my religion, from my purpose in life to the life beyond death. However, when I was about twelve years old, I was plagued by doubts, and with them a crippling fear of death and the void that lies beyond. My internal dissonance came to a head one New Years Eve. In tears, I confronted my mother with questions about death. She didnt know how to respond, so the preacher was invited to our house to answer my questions about god, the afterlife, our origins, and how we could know of such things at all. On the last point, I was told to simply have faith, as if really believing something would make it true. When he was finished, I was no more certain about anything than when he began. How could I, when we were discussing the unknowable? His apologetics had failed to suppress my doubts. Thus, I soon identified faith as belief independent of evidence or reason, and abandoned the faith-based worldview.</p>
<p>My dismissal of faith led to the need for a different foundation of a new outlook. Thats where science came in. Previously, I regarded science as simply a body of facts about the natural world, but upon a deeper examination, I discovered that science is also a process for gaining knowledge and understanding. With this concept came new revelations on the scientific method, which I recognized as having clear advantages over faith. Faith demands rigid certainty, while science only allows tentative beliefs subject to change in the face of new knowledge. In science, the only sacred truth is that there are no sacred truths. Unlike faith, science is bound by standards of evidence, resulting in a proven methodology that yields results, as evidenced by the technology that supports this civilization. I was thoroughly impressed by the contrast between science and faith, and adopted a new attitude of skepticism. Science answered my questions on our origins, and prompted me to conclude that nothing followed death, yet mysteries remained. In the wake of this transition, new challenges arose around issues of purpose, morality, and free will. Such questions no longer troubled me, however, as a sense of peace grew from the fact that I was investing in the knowable.</p>
<p>I now have a deep respect for science. Not just the facts, but more importantly the method. I believe this transition is the greatest thing humanity ever had. It certainly is the greatest thing I ever had. I was blind, but now I see the world with new eyes, and for that, I am extremely grateful.</p>
<p>What do you think?</p>