Okay, I know some of us experience anxiety about flying. Bear with me here, I’d like to make an analogy that I think has value.
I’m a professional pilot. When certain emergencies (however unlikely) occur, a trained pilot knows what to do. Like a surgeon in an operating room, training kicks in when certain things happen.
Aircraft engines have built-in fire detection systems that are extremely reliable. If an engine fire warning happens in-flight, any competent pilot will immediately shut down the engine, isolate it from the rest of the aircraft, and discharge an extinguisher to put out the fire. This is basic stuff. At the time of the fire, it doesn’t matter what caused the warning to happen. It’s not important if a cracked fuel nozzle, or mis-aligned fuel system component, or hole in the turbine section caused the warning to go off. At that point in the flight, it’s irrelevant.
Here is what matters. The captain and co-pilot work together to identify the problem, shut down the engine, and turn the aircraft to the nearest airport with a runway long enough for the plane they are flying to safely land. The details can be sorted out later. The mechanics and engineers can go through the particulars. Until then, safety is assured by immediate actions taken by the flight crew, as soon as the emergency happens.
After leaving the Mormon church, I have a love-hate relationship with the details. There are times when I can’t get enough of the church’s history problems, the doctrinal inconsistencies, or the interpersonal injuries I experienced in the church. And then I step back and ask myself how much any of that matters. Did I ever feel fully worthy while I was in the church? Was I treated in a Christ-like manner when I expressed doubt?
Did it matter in that moment why the fire light was on? Was the important thing what I did in response?