Obligation to Examine The follower of any belief system has an
obligation to examine whether what they suppose to be true,
actually is true. Theologian and educator John Locke (1632 –
1704) once said that, “He that examines, and upon a fair
examination embraces an error for a truth, has done his duty
more than he who embraces the profession of the truth without
having examined whether it be true or no.” Locke’s statement is
based on the logical assumption that if someone really has given
a fair examination to any supposition they will discover the
truth (or at least come closer to it) and embrace it, replacing
that which was erroneous or what might be called only half true.
It is not intelligent to say that something is believed, though
it may be true, unless it has been thoroughly examined for its
accuracy. Deviation from the truth usually happens very
gradually and unless one has an inclination to give fair
analysis to theological propositions, deviation from the truth
in favor of opinions and creeds will t