Although there are people in the world who believe faith is only about religion, and believe that having faith in something that cannot be seen or proven is believing in stories such as Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy and view faith as something for the weak-minded and the foolish. However what one does not realize is that faith is around us everywhere. If we think about things in our lives we cannot direct and manipulate; a train for instance. Every weekend when I board the KTX I have faith this machine will drag its contents and passengers to their destination. I also have faith that the conductor has paid attention when being taught how to operate the machine. As well as this I have faith the conductor will not allow the train to slide off the tracks. These things are tangible though, we can see the train moving.
The skeptics and cynics may state the obvious, that this is clearly based upon science and education. Science applies itself by the mechanics of making the train move. Education is what taught the conductor to keep the train moving. What we forget is that we once had faith that these would work, and not only until we tested out faith (theories) that we knew the train would move. Yes science and knowledge are key factors when thinking of trains and cars, but then that makes me question emotions. I have faith that my mother loves me unconditionally. Even the strongest Atheist would agree love is present in our world. I can not physically see my mothers love, because my mother hugs me is no proof she loves me. Love is based on faith there is no way to prove it in tangible means. Almost all religions when broken down come to an assumption and belief in love. And this comes down to faith.
Even if I deny faith when it is exercised through religion, I still have faith just as everyone in the world does. The world has intangible faith. Faith is something beyond every one's control, which means we believe in something we cannot prove. Many aspects of religion are pleasant thoughts such as someone always listening to you, heaven, merit points for being "good" however faith truly boils down to believing in something bigger than oneself when it come to 'religious faith and the world.'
Faith is believing in the not yet proven. It is trusting and it is loving. Faith reminds me of the "trust game" where you fall back into your partners arms and have faith they will catch you. Not having faith is choosing to not listen and participate in the world around you. Faith does not have to be religious however can be in the simplest form such as knowing that tomorrow your cell phone will work or that the burger joint will have french fries.
How Does Faith Relate to the World in Which we Live?
How do you relate to faith?
Now here is a question that has come up since the Golden Age; What is faith? Opportunely we now have the Webster's dictionary, and it will state that faith is '1. A strong belief in a supernatural power or powers that control human destiny 2. Complete confidence in a person or plan 3. Institution to express belief in a divine power 4.Loyalty or allegiance to a cause or a person'
TCIS has been one of the most impressionable religious experiences of my youth. I have never questioned God so much in my entire life, because I had never really had to think about God or the whole blind faith that goes along with it. I have always been a skeptic and remain a secularist. However, seeing the faith that rises over the Christian community compelled me to gain knowledge and introduce myself to the Bible. My faith- or lack of it- prefers to read the Bible as if it were written by man rather than a supernatural being. One does not have to read the Bible and soak in its literal truth to appreciate the authors visions. To me, the Bible widens a world of morals and teachings, an understanding towards human nature, and most importantly for me it is a literary gift given to humanity from the translations made in the 17Th century.
I do not understand when people tell me they are praying for me to gain faith in God. There is not a specific moment when I stopped believing in God. I stopped believing because of the lack of evidence, for the same reasons I stopped believing in Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny. To me God is an energy which surrounds all living things - maybe to me God is just atoms. I do not ponder the unwarranted, immoral acts of the world, I am able to see everything as a result of nature and logic or as a result of human nature. The greatest gift man has been given is the ability to think and with that ability can come change. Don Richardson brought about change, and his ability to think and use his faith helped him do this. Some people need faith, it helps them along and makes the world a better place. But for me? ...I prefer the term free thinker.
