Following Blindly

Following the Parents Blindly:
A Common Tragedy

[31:21] When they are told, “Follow these revelations of GOD,” they say, “No, we follow only what we found our parents doing.” What if the devil is leading them to the agony of Hell?

[37:69-70] They found their parents astray. And they blindly followed in their footsteps.

[43:22] The fact is: they said, “We found our parents carrying on certain practices, and we are following in their footsteps.” [43:23] Invariably, when we sent a warner to any community, the leaders of that community would say, “We found our parents following certain practices, and we will continue in their footsteps.”

(also 5:104, 2:170, 7:70, 11:109, 14:10)

Two stories: The Czar in Russia came upon a sentry standing at attention in a remote area of the palace garden. When he asked the sentry what he was guarding, the soldier did not know. The Czar summoned the Captain of the Guard and asked him. He replied that there was a standing order for a sentry in that spot, but he didn’t know why.

The Czar was now very curious and had the palace records searched. It turned out that Catherine the Great had received a rare and lovely rosebush. When she had it planted, she commanded that a sentry be posted around the clock to protect the bush. Catherine the Great and the rosebush had both died many many years ago, but the order had never been rescinded. Every day a soldier stood guard over a bare piece of ground with no idea why.

In preparing a leg of lamb dinner for her family, a young wife cut off the end of the lamb and threw it away before putting the lamb in the roasting pan. Her husband watched her and asked why she did that. It seemed a waste of good meat.  “I don’t know,” she replied, “My mother always did.” He then visited his mother-in-law and asked her why she cut off part of the lamb before cooking. Perhaps there was some secret to proper cooking involved. But his mother-in-law only said that her mother had always done it, though she wasn’t sure why. Now very curious, he called up his grandmother-in-law and asked her why she cut off part of the lamb before roasting. Grandma laughed. “My roasting

pan was too small to hold the whole leg,” she answered.

These stories simply illustrate what can happen when we accept information without verifying it, without seeking the truth behind it. When we blindly follow what we are told, we can end up guarding an empty space or throwing away good food.

God has given us the intelligence to live in this world, but we have to use that intelligence or go through life blindly. [17:36] You shall not accept any information, unless you verify it for yourself. I have given you the hearing, the eyesight, and the brain, and you are responsible for using them.

It’s a great blessing to have ears to hear with, eyes to see with, and a brain to process all the information. We need to be appreciative of that blessing. [23:78] He is the One who granted you the hearing, the eyesight, and the brains. Rarely are you appreciative.

I think the best way to show that appreciation is to use the gifts God gave us. We hear so much nonsense every single day—from co-workers, from television, even from friends.

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