Do We Really Need Faith
According to the Bible faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. It means that having faith is believing in the truth or existence of something without proof.
Rationalists will always find fault in that because faith is beyond the scope of the rational. Further still, one might argue in the utility of having faith in this hi-tech society where every knowledge is within the grasp of anyone's hand.
Alexander the great thought that too. He lamented the fact that there were no more worlds to be conquered.
He was wrong.
Centuries later Christopher Columbus reached the shores of America, and in 1969 Neil Armstrong landed on the moon.
At the height of Albert Einstein's career, scientists thought that they had finally resolved the mystery of the atom. Only decades later we learn that a single nucleus of an atom contains even more smaller particles of energy.
Do we really now know everything?
The quest for knowledge continues.
There are still many uncharted territories expanding out to the universe and contracting into the smallest particles that make up a matter.
Where does it end?
Each answer leads to more questions.
If we continue this trend, the rational mind will never reach the correct and exact answer to the very basic question: What am I?
What is faith?
Faith defines a persons perspective in life.
Faith allows a person to believe that he and everything else in the universe has been created by a powerful being. It allows him to grasp the idea of how the universe in all its complexities and all beings from the biggest to smallest could have been created out of nothing.
It allows him to see the purpose of life in spite of the misery and utter cruelties that seem to abound.
Faith allows one to hope in the triumph of good over evil.
Faith, however is not positive thinking.
Although it leads to positive thinking and better outlook when faced with difficulties in life. Having faith is sort of having a long range set of scopes which although sees the bleakness in difficult circumstances, are never easily affected because there is a higher power in which the future is hitched.
Ones faith dictates the way they live their life. It allows one to make decisions when confronted with moral issues.
Although it's common sense that we shouldn't do "bad" things to people, it is generally easier for people with strong faith to stick to actions which is for the good of all.
How do we define "bad" things?
Most culture from ancient times to the present are hinged on some sort of belief or religion. This was how cultures and societies where kept organized and functional. The threat of punishment is what fueled most to behave and keep to their religious belief. Religion served as the source of knowledge for things supernatural and beyond the scope of ones understanding.
Religion however is not faith.
Christianity brought to the world a better understanding of God and faith. Christianity shaped modern society's moral responsibility and to some extent some constitutions.
Without some sort of moral obligation to others, it would be too easy for the world to fall into chaos and disarray. Without faith in a higher being, what's to stop a person from indulging in narcissistic acts without regard for his fellow man?
