There is a famous legend in Buddhist folklore in which the Buddha compares philosophical preoccupation with the matter of God’s existence to a man shot with a poisoned arrow. Before the man would allow the arrow to be withdrawn, he insisted upon knowing who shot him, what kind of poison was in the arrow, who was going to administer the cure, and what was going to be the medication. Needless to say, he died before his questions were answered. The Buddha concluded that in the same way, people need to be rescued from suffering, craving, and ignorance, no matter how the issue of God’s existence may fare among the philosophers.

Now the Buddha was right, but the legend has another truth. Debate and argument, precise doctrine, and rational understanding are not the answer to our salvation. And ce…