Sermon On A Predicated Presumption

Don Miguel Ruiz, a Mexican author once remarked: "Don't make assumptions. Find the courage to ask questions and to express what you really want. Communicate with others as clearly as you can to avoid misunderstandings, sadness and drama" 1 John 4:1 reminds us: “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.”

A "predicated presumption" is primarily an inference of judicature where a specific fact is assumed to be true once a foundational "predicate fact" has been established. This means that a court of law can accept one fact as proven based on the proof of another related fact. A "predicated presumption" is a belief or argument based on the supposition that is, in turn, founded on existing information, probabilities, or prior experience. In life, these presumptions operate as a mental shortcut, influencing how one interprets the environment, makes daily decisions, and interacts with others. It may also include the validity of God.

Suppositions are believed to have a vital place in life as they serve as a necessary circumvent that allows one to process information quickly and navigate the complexities of the world around us. However, while certain assumptions are considered essential for everyday functioning, it is also crucial to question others and adjust them as needed to avoid negative impacts, such as misjudgments, stereotypes, and disappointment.

Assumptions are generally deemed by most to be neither inherently good nor bad; they are considered a normal, often necessary, cerebral process that can lead to positive outcomes like efficient decision-making and creative problem-solving, or they sometimes may incur negative outcomes such as misunderstandings, conflict, and poor decisions. The value of an assumption depends on its basis in reality and the context in which it's made. However, assumptions are not proof; proof requires direct evidence or logical derivation, while an assumption is a belief or proposition accepted as true without direct evidence or proof. While all mathematical and logical proofs start with some form of assumptions or axioms, which are unproven starting points, the rest of the proof must then follow from these foundational elements, rather than simply reiterating the assumption itself.

Presumptions can have a negative effect in religion if they are rooted in ignorance, cause one to judge others, or hinder their faith and understanding of God. However, not all assumptions are negative; speculations like believing in the good intentions of others or the fundamental concepts of one's own faith can be positive and necessary. The key is to differentiate between harmful, unsupported theories that lead to negative attitudes and actions, and beneficial assumptions that are based on truth, experience, or the guidance of one's religious tradition. Several Bible stories illustrate the dangers of assumptions, including Job's friends incorrectly assuming his suffering was from sin, the Pharisees assuming Jesus cast out demons by evil power, and the crowd falsely assuming Jesus' resurrection was a ruse. These narratives, along with biblical teachings in Proverbs and James, highlight how assumptions can lead to false accusations, rejection of truth, and tragic consequences.

In the Book of Job, Job's friends initially accuse him of suffering because of sin, but this is shown to be a misunderstanding, as Job is described as righteous, and suffering can have other causes like a fallen world or a test of faith. The Quran also mentions Job's suffering, stating that Satan inflicted it, which is a different perspective on its source. Ultimately, Job's story teaches that suffering is not always a direct punishment for sin and can stem from complex circumstances or be a test of integrity. Job 2:3 reminds us: “And the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil? He still holds fast his integrity, although you incited me against him to destroy him without reason.”

Misunderstandings of Job's suffering are found in the false accusations from his friends Eliphaz (Job 4:7-8, 5:1-7), Bildad (Job 8:20), and Zophar (Job 11:14-17), who insisted Job's suffering was a direct result of his own wickedness, a common but mistaken interpretation of divine justice. These verses represent the incorrect view that God only punishes the wicked, which is contradicted by God's testimony that Job was blameless (Job 1:8) and His ultimate, unexplainable sovereign purpose for allowing the suffering.

Wrongful judgments based on assumptions frequently occur across various aspects of the justice system and daily life, as people's reasoning can be influenced by cognitive biases, incomplete information, and misinterpretations. In legal settings, these assumptions can manifest as an improper reliance on legal "assumptions" without considering the actual facts, or as biases influencing participants' decisions when identifying suspects or evaluating evidence. They can be severely damaging, causing significant financial harm, such as making it harder to get a mortgage or rent property due to a negative credit report, and inflicting severe psychological distress, like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in cases of wrongful imprisonment. They can also lead to reputational damage, hinder employment opportunities, and cause a general sense of injustice and frustration, impacting an individual's mental well-being and overall life prospects.