Is theology a luxury?

I remember talking to my professor of Islam about theology, though Islam doesn't really have "theology" proper in the way Christianity does which is primarily claming to know about the nature of God. For the most part, perhaps a few mystics or Traditionalists aside, Islam doesn't spend much time positing about the nature of God. God is clear in the Qur'an about Who He is and what is expected. God isn't someone we get to know personally as much as He is someone who is recognized for who He is and, as such, what we need to do to obey His commands. This is present in Christianity but in Christianity "theology" delves into the nature of God due to the fact of the Incarnation and the "who" that is revealed in Jesus.

But I do remember talking to him about the diversity found within the Islamic tradition and how scholars throughout the ages have debated and argued about the very things the Western media portrays stereotypically as a given. I wondered why Muslims weren't fighting to have this information fluorish and why it seems most Muslims are unaware of this, instead taking what the Imam says as the only way (something Christians are obviously guilty of as well).

His response was quite to the point: for many, maybe even most, Muslims, they are busy struggling to live life. Belief tends to be simple in such cases. Theology takes time; time is a luxury.

It's pretty apparent I have plenty of time and, given the number of books and websites and common knowledge of much of Christian theology in America, it appears that many, many Americans have plenty of time as well.

My wife puts it more simply: how does this make you a better person?

I will say, however, that the study of theology, balanced by wife's simple brilliance, has helped me immensely. For primarily financial reasons I was unable to attend grad school for advanced study of religion/theology. Probably a good thing because at the time I was torn between Oneness Pentecostalism and Islam and my personal relationship with God was, well, not a relationship but an intellectual adventure. I was still on the outside looking in.

I now see the truth about theology: it is experiential. If it is not, it is just theory. Revelation must be applied.