Calling the goal "holiness" implies a religious bent. But you could substitute maturity, enlightenment, knowledge, whatever you like in that direction and you still have the same idea. So, substitute a word here or there and hang on to the concept.
I've had more than one Christian friend write me, upset that I have used this quote. They believe Christianity is all about faith, not reason. And questioning it implies you expect it to eventually be disproved.
I think they use the wrong definition of faith in this case. Rather than believing something that's difficult to accept (or absurd, as Christian existentialism would
suggest), I would use the world faith in terms of active trust.
I believe the chair will hold me up. But until I sit in it, I haven't shown faith in the chair. When I commit my body to it, taking the chance I might fall on my fanny, that’s when I exercise faith.
Faith is not necessarily unreasonable; it depends on the object in which we place our faith. And questioning ideas, doesn't mean you expect them to be proved false. It's like the night watchman checking doors. He's testing, not because he wants to find a door unlocked, but instead to prove (hopefully) the doors ARE locked.
If Christianity (or any other belief system) is objectively true, there is no need to hide away from reality. It will show itself for what it is in the light of day.
We can gladly question our assumptions about life and test our theories in the crucible of living, knowing we will only be drawn closer to "what is" if we follow truth. And (as Peck says in The Road Less Traveled), your mental health can be measured by your commitment to reality at all costs.
So, let's be skeptical. But not with the goal of seeing all theories, philosophies and religions fall under the microscope of reason. Instead, let's happily question life. And no matter how sentimental it may sound to the philosopher who feels superior because he is always searching and never finding - let's question because we DO seek the goal of truth and are happy to find it in little nuggets here and there along the way in all sorts of odd and interesting places.
Stephen Goforth