Faith!? Are we losing it? (Part One of Two Parts)
What is faith anyway? Because faith is intuitionally natural and transmitted from generation to generation, we recognize it when we see it. But do we recognize that it is missing when we don’t see it? For example, as parents we better pay close attention to the feedback we get from our children because it tells us about ourselves, about our faithlessness. Are we missing the message? Oh sure, I know that religions, preoccupied at their preferred polarities, give a bad name to religion and faith by association; and that it isn’t a lot better with middle religion. But if we are honest with ourselves we should be asking “how much are religions about faith anyway?” Don’t get me wrong, I believe religion and church are very important, but they are no better than we are because we are church. And we are misguided in our religious pretenses.
The waste of our wealth and children to the violence of choice is criminal; and I speak to all the offspring of Abraham! Violence in any of its forms is not about faith! It’s about despair(among other things). And what causes despair? Alienation? Poverty? Fear?
Faith is wisdom, cosmic intelligence, naturally evolved. Faith is a treasure of incalculable worth. Cosmic processing, going back to the big bang, is responsible for faith’s formation and its collected value. All life preceding has participated in birthing the faith we now have. We should be aware of and sensitive to nature’s unrelenting investment in us personally, in faith potential encoded in DNA instructions. Surely we have enough decency and good sense not to trash something so irreplaceable, valuable and long in the making!?
Cultural bad habits of exploiting natural resources and wasting ecology (repositories of wisdom/faith) are now challenged with demands of payback. The greater cost of payback is going to fall on our children. And they know it and they are getting madder, and madder about it. Should we expect them to thank us for it? I don’t think so. What kind of faith lesson are we giving them? Is the unprecedented anger in children today any wonder? NO. It’s exactly what we might expect.
To answer the headline question “are we losing faith”, my answer is “yes”, and at an accelerating pace.
KEEPING Faith ALIVE: Cosmic Call & Universal Rationale
As a parent I’m sufficiently chagrined, ashamed and guilt-ridden by our collective infidelity to be compelled to do something about it. Over a long period of time I have struggled to frame a rationale of universal conscience, sufficiently informed so as to expose to ourselves the life and treasure we are wasting; and to attempt to reverse habits, personal and social, that waste nature and faith at the same time. Loss of nature/ecology is direct loss of faith! We trash ourselves when we trash them! The call of nature to us to change is “Call to Church”; it’s a personal mandate to (re)discover and recover fidelity to nature, to life, self and God.
Even with the diversity of global cultures and the uniqueness of bioregions, all humankind, all religions, as global community, are obliged morally and practically to the universal Covenant of common Faith. As community, as Church, we are called to journey together in trust. This is faith’s universal Call to religion, to civility. All religions should be able to agree on the need for universal response and collaboration.
For purposes of understanding the Universal Faith Covenant and requirements of fidelity, the adult faith formation booklet, THE POSSIBLE JOURNEY, has been written. A free direct download of an earlier version of the booklet and of a Faith Study Program, Universal CALL and RATIONALE (soon to be placed on the website at www.secondenlightenment.org) are for use by church groups, parent groups, student groups, and other. You are encouraged to explore and use these free resources for group-studies and for purposes of authentic personal/social living and wellbeing. [THE POSSIBLE JOURNEY can be viewed and purchased at www.authorhouse.com]
This article is simultaneously published online at www.acolyte.gather.com
Whether we are aware or not,
Whether we are aware or not, faith is a constant; of course it is more effective in our lives when we are aware. Faith is the net of certainty, the fabric of enduring experience. Faith has been stitched over time, one strand at a time, by conditional experience flooded with uncertainties and water-marked on the Unconditioned Conscious. The inheritance of this many-colored coat belongs to each of us. Wear it joyfully, faithfully. What lasts are faith, hope and love — beyond all, Unconditioned Love.
Yes, "you've got to believe." It's up to each of us to add our color stitch in time. We are all weavers of the faith net, signs of hope to one another, loved Unconditionally.
Personally, I think that
Personally, I think that "faith" is vastly overrated. Doesn't Paul proclaim that even if I have faith that can move mountains but have not love I am nothing?
"Faith" is too tightly linked with religion, not religion generally as an acknowledgemnt of and relationship with G-god but as divisive, distinguishing, competitive creeds that focus on compliance and exclusion rather than worshipful awe and com-union.
Contemporary "faith" seems to be more of a spiritual cataract that blurs vision of where God really is rather than enlightening. For me personally, that faith is dying and I think that that is generally true. The "last-ditch" panic retrenchment of Christian (including RC) and Moslem fundamentalists leads me to believe this more strongly.
As I grow old
I think
Of the things
That I believed
And shudder
At my faith
And how I held it.
As I grow old
I learn
That faith
Is strongest
That can bend
And hear
What once it shunned.
As I grow old
I feel
What once
I just believed
And now
That faith
Is changing
As I grow old
I think less
Wonder more
Becoming
A part
Of what
I now believe.
Before answering the
Before answering the question "whether" it behooves one to first explore, as you suggest, Sylvester, the "what". What is faith, really?
"Faith" is so cluttered with answers that the experience, the act, challenge and its beauty is oftimes lost. This, I hasten to add, is not only an RC thing.
Faith, I think is closely related to 'wonder'. Standing in awe of the immensity of creation is 'wonder'; acknowledgment of resolution to the mystery of wonder, of which I am a part, though beyond my comprehension is, I think the essence of faith.
I attribute to historian Eric Voeglin the quote that "history is the present under God". There is, at least for me, a wealth of dimensions for reflection in this quote. Without a 'book' called history or a 'bearded entity' named God, this I think is faith. This is faith that is accessible to all, a gift of God in creation.
As a Christian, Jesus adds to the equation that the God of history is not merely a machine, or its opposite- chaos but "Person" who expects us to acknowledge and act in relation as person. The Jesus story also tells us that while God is infinitely Other, it is not only okay but we are invited, we are called to address and relate as a child to a parent, as to the "Father who knows and is the Best".
I am facinated by two songs from the Monty Python repitoire. One is "The Galaxy Song", by Eric Idle, the other "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life". These lyrics are so beautifully full of wonder, human wonder, yet they seem at the last moment to fail the test of faith.
Dennis, you say, "Faith" is
Dennis, you say, "Faith" is so cluttered with answers that the experience, the act, challenge and its beauty is oftimes lost. This, I hasten to add, is not only an RC thing.
"Faith, I think is closely related to 'wonder'. Standing in awe of the immensity of creation is 'wonder'; acknowledgment of resolution to the mystery of wonder, of which I am a part, though beyond my comprehension is, I think the essence of faith."
I very much agree. Many things humans try to understand become more cluttered because every one lays on her/his take. Nevertheless, analyses and syntheses continue. I would observe that "church faith" has its ideological barnacles, and when they are accepted as part of "absolute truth", problems arise. And so the struggle goes on to try to understand "what faith is", and I may add, what it is not. [Forgive my thick headedness, I know RC must mean something very obvious, but I couldn't come up with it.]
Under the circumstances, it seems to me to be of value to look at faith, for what it is, from the perspective of cumulative experiential consciousness—wisdom that underpins the ongoing unfolding of certitude. But I agree, this kind of "rational" analysis does not do justice to all that faith is.
There have been many moments
There have been many moments during which I have wondered the same, moments of anguish regarding the state of world affairs, but in the end my answer is: No, we are not losing our faith. Rather, I believe our faith has been strenuously challenged; at least mine has been. Since your post addresses faith with regards to ecology, my response often refers to our natural environment.
In order for our faith to be effective, we must always focus our faith on God, realizing the absolute depth of God's love. For me this love is best understood, on both spiritual and physical levels, in the stories of Christ's love and healing compassion. This is the place I must go every time I bear witness to human suffering, every time I bear witness to any form of destruction. I have to look to God for the ability find answers, and when I find an answer I must put it into action. Faith and prayer are our means to find God's grace. God's grace will always replenish our faith and give us the strength to help others find it.
I usually look for big answers and sometimes I find that the big answer is found in the repetition of small actions. It's actually quite easy to raise our thermostats or turn off the air conditioner, and the more we practice this, the easier it becomes. This is true of everything: tracking and reducing the number of miles we drive each week, using solar lights, buying organic produce, buying local produce, etc., etc. The more we look for solutions, and the more we act on those solutions, the more solutions we will find.
The biggest and most immediate environmental solution is to end the war in Iraq. Personally I wish it had happened yesterday, but in the mean time I will look for every opportunity to add to the effectiveness of all Peace efforts. End all wars and our environment will flourish!
When the opportunity for a grand solution exists, we must hasten to take advantage of it. At every other moment we can persist in taking small action while looking for more solutions. We can take so many small actions each day to reduce and recycle. Offer to take your neighbors food shopping with you. It not only saves energy, it’s fun! Even the smallest of changes, when engaged in by millions of people, becomes very grand.
I guess when it comes to questions of faith we can only answer for ourselves. I can only encourage anyone who worries about the loss of faith to dedicate h/herself to increasing faith, knowing that everyone benefits from faith, love, compassion, and hope. Faith inspires more faith.
As we bear witness to the absolute beauty of our natural surroundings, as we express our gratitude to God for all the beauty we see, as we plant the seeds and watch them grow, others will naturally be encouraged to do the same. We can do so much more good than we ever thought possible. This has been true since the beginning of time. Each time you do a good deed with absolute love in your heart, others will naturally be encouraged to follow your good examples. Regardless of whether or not you are able to see it, it will happen.
There have been many moments
There have been many moments during which I have wondered the same, moments of anguish regarding the state of world affairs, but in the end my answer is: No, we are not losing our faith. Rather, I believe our faith has been strenuously challenged; at least mine has been.
In order for our faith to be effective, we must always focus our faith on God, realizing the absolute depth of God's love. For me this love is best understood, on both spiritual and physical levels, in the stories of Christ's love and healing compassion. This is the place I must go every time I bear witness to human suffering, every time I bear witness to any form of destruction. I have to look to God for the ability find answers, and when I find an answer I must put these answers into action. Faith and prayer are our means to find God's grace. God's grace will always replenish our faith and give us the strength to help others find it.
I usually look for big answers and sometimes I find that the big answer is found in the repetition of small actions. It's actually quite easy to raise our thermostats or turn off the air conditioner, and the more we practice this, the easier it becomes. This is true of everything: tracking and reducing the number of miles we drive each week, using solar lights, buying organic produce, buying local produce, etc., etc. The more we look for solutions, and the more we act on those solutions, the more solutions we will find.
The biggest and most immediate environmental solution is to end the war in Iraq. Personally I wish it had happened yesterday, but in the mean time I will look for every opportunity to add to the effectiveness of all Peace efforts. End all wars and our environment will flourish!
When the opportunity for a grand solutions exists, we must hasten to take advantage of it. At every other moment we can persist in taking small action while looking for more solutions. We can take so many small actions each day to reduce and recycle. Offer to take your neighbors food shopping with you. It not only saves energy, it's fun! Even the smallest of changes, when engaged in by millions of people, become very grand.
I guess when it comes to questions of faith we can only answer for ourselves. I can only encourage anyone who worries about the loss of faith to dedicate yourself to increasing faith, knowing that everyone benefits from faith, love, compassion, and hope. Faith inspires more faith.
As we bear witness to the absolute beauty of our natural surroundings, as we express our gratitude to God for all the beauty we see, as we plant the seeds and watch them grow, others will naturally be encouraged to do the same. We can do so much more good than we ever thought possible. This has been true since the beginning of time. Each time you do a good deed with absolute love in your heart, others will naturally be encouraged to follow your good examples. You may not be there to see it, but it will happen.
The word "faith" gets used
The word "faith" gets used in context. Websters dictionary (1989) provides many definitions: 1. confidence or trust in a person or thing. 2. belief which is not based on proof. 3. belief in God or in the doctrines or teachings of religion. 4. belief in anything as a code of ethics. ... the list goes on.
In good times and bad, our faith may be strengthened or questioned. Ironically a moment of worry over the loss of faith often provides a catalyst for growth. The more we focus on "faith" without giving it up, the more our faith will grow. If your faith ever gets questioned, get to the heart of what causes the potential obstruction. Sometimes we think we are opening our minds and our hearts when in fact we are closing them. Faith is not stagnant; the truth that has been rejected comes back. We find this lesson in the resurrection of Christ.
The theme of my college graduation was, "You have got to believe." For me this is truth will always inspire a strong commitment to my faith. I can analyze, rationalize and "intellectualize" my faith until I'm blue in the face, but in the end I always wind up with what I believe. My faith becomes ever more beautiful because it is founded in pure Love.