Faith

Faith grows when you act without knowing the end result.

Similar questions seem to be surfacing - where do we draw the line between knowledge and faith - can they coexist peacefully? Do we have to see to believe? Or rather - do we have to "know" to believe? Yet faith is defined as belief in the absence of concrete evidence - it is to go beyond the realm we can understand... the way chi meridians are outside of my base of knowledge. Just because I personally don't know something doesn't mean it doesn't exist. In fact to persist that my perspective is the definitive answer on what is and is not real is incredibly egotistical of me. How dare I contend that if I can't see it it doesn't exist. Maybe you CAN see it. Or maybe neither of us can and that's ok...

Maybe it's like being colorblind or blocking out traumatic experiences... maybe we just aren't ready yet - perhaps it's right in front of us and we have no idea what we are looking at - like a Picasso. Or perhaps its more like Monet but inverted... we can only see it when we have made our way UP CLOSE to it. And then there are those of us who look at it and see a clock or those of us who look at a clock and can see what we were looking for. Faith is a mystery to me -I know I possess it, and yet it's hard to pinpoint what I have faith in on a LARGE scale.

Is it true faith if it is easily disturbed? If each question brings we ask calls out entire belief system into question is this a good thing or a sign that we have put our faith in the wrong things. And by wrong, I mean wrong for me. Not necessarily for you, or your parents, or my parents, or my neighbor. If you put your faith in the "wrong" things but can believe them steadfastly are you any less right than I (or vice versa)?

When it comes to faith, is there ever a right and wrong? If so... who has the pleasure/burden of making that decision? I feel as though there are plenty of humans who are prepared to voice their opinion and claim it came straight from their God and there is nothing wrong with this fundamentally because they truly believe that this is true... but If I decide to worship unicorns and put my faith in the fact that unicorns will return one day and rule the earth doesn't mean it is going to happen.

Faith, I have been told, is one way to provide comfort and solace to us in times when there might otherwise be none. This is one of the most basic and universal functions of faith - so how to we put our faith in something we can believe with confidence and the utmost trust? Is it really as easy as putting your faith in the things that GIVE you solace.. and therefore when you need solace, you can turn to your beliefs? We are not alone, we are not to blame, there is a heaven, etc.

Don't misunderstand - I believe some of these things and yet that believe does not halt my questioning and without many others who are interested in discussing such things, I can only write and think and hope that I reach a conclusion. Here we have someone saying - "Stop worrying about the conclusion! Just have faith and you will find peace".

Can you tell me how to do this? How do we just... believe?

Love,

M

Einstein said, "Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind," so perhaps they are harmonies to the same song.

Does faith grow if you act without knowledge and the end result turns out to be less than desirable?