By Roger Lanse

A guy once told me he believed only professional wrestling was real -- it's the rest of the world that's fake.

We all have reasons why we believe stuff. Our parents shape us, our friends influence us, our church directs us, our teachers and professors instruct us, the government regulates us, the media inform us, nutritionists bombard us, scientists regale us, and events color our views. All miss the mark from time to time.

Some stuff we believe because it can be proven - water freezes at 32 degrees F. and airplanes stay aloft because of pressure differential at the wing. Other stuff we believe is less watertight, but makes sense to us - homeowner's insurance protects us or giving to charity helps others. And we believe in still more stuff, for which we have no proof.

If the authority for one's spiritual beliefs rests in human philosophy, then every person's belief is just as valid as the next door neighbor's.

The authority for a Christian's beliefs is the Bible. Christians believe God reveals in His Word-what pleases Him and what doesn't. If the Bible is true as it claims, then it oughta be worth a look. There's only one truth. Everybody can't be right.

What's the authority for your beliefs?