We saw the new Wonder Woman movie last week, and loved every
minute of it! Among the most noteworthy moments is when the title character
says, “My mother was right about the world; she said they didn’t deserve me …”
To which Captain Steve Trevor responds, “Maybe it’s not what you deserve, but
what you believe. And I believe this war should end. If you believe the same,
then help me stop it.”
Near the
end of the movie, Wonder Woman says, “It’s about what you believe. And I
believe in love. Only love will truly save the world.” (A bit cliche, perhaps,
but that doesn’t mean it isn’t meaningful.)
That got me
thinking about what it means to “believe” something, as opposed to “believe in”
something. How are those two ideas different? Dictionary definitions of “believe”
include “to accept something as true” and “to hold an opinion.”
But the
definition changes a bit when you add the word “in.” To “believe in” can be “to
have confidence in the existence of something,” but also can be defined as “to
have trust in the goodness, value, or ability of something or someone.”
And what
people of faith say is that we “believe in” God. Which seems to me to mean more
than just think God exists. It seems to have more to do with that second
definition, to trust in God’s goodness.
And since
it has to do with trust, that must mean that “believing in” God is more about
an ongoing relationship than just accepting a list of doctrines as true, or to
hold a certain set of opinions.
The historic creeds of the church
all begin with the phrase “believe in,” and that should be a poignant reminder
that religion is, at its heart, a relationship. The church is not the
institution, not the structure, not the doctrines - the church is the living
expression of humanity’s relationship with God. This, I believe!
3 comments:
I really loved the wonderwoman movie as well and am so glad that you referenced that here! like its good that you also believe like i do
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What a beautiful reflection on the difference between believing and believing in. Your thoughts on trust, relationship, and the deeper meaning behind faith really resonate. The way you connected Wonder Woman’s message to spiritual understanding adds a powerful layer of insight—reminding us that true belief is lived, not just spoken.
In my professional world of Mechanical Engineering Services, we often say that systems only work when the foundation is built on trust—trust in the design, trust in the process, and trust in the people behind the work. Similarly, “believing in” something is about relying on its goodness and strength, much like how faith relies on relationship rather than mere acknowledgment.
Your post captures that essence beautifully. Thank you for sharing such a meaningful perspective!
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