:)

..... a quick look at the intangibles
TRUST and FAITH and some questions,
that are presented to believers and
non-believers, alike .....!~!

:)

:)

Hi folks,

Nobody could ever suggest that being a Christian was easy ... lol

There's no question that religious zealots of ALL persuasions
have taken part in some horrific wars, throughout history.

That aside, where are we without trust
and faith in something or someone???

Here's a quote by Worcester, McComb and Coriat, from their
book "Religion and Medicine", where they explore the age-old
debate, between religion and science.

quote:
" Faith is assurance of things hoped for, a conviction of
things not seen. That is, faith makes the invisible world real
to us, convinces us that the things of the spirit are not
fancies, but ultimate relaities.

Let us rid our minds of a very prevalent idea. We have often hear men say, "Faith belongs to religion:knowledge is the mark of science:the weakness of religion is its uncertainty;
the strength of science is it firmn standing on the bedrock of
observation and experiment." Yet ..... the whole structure of
science rests upon a body of great faiths, of beliefs which
must be trusted, but cannot be proved."

"For example, there is one great belief ..... that nature is
intelligible, that in spite of all appreances to the contrary, nature can be understood ..... Such a faith, which lies behind
all the great scientific advances and discoveries of the modern world must be first accepted and relied on and in
proportion as it is accepted and relied on, it evinces its genuineness. If (then), you still insist that scientific man
should prove to you the uniformity of nature or that there is a
causal connection between events, he will simply turn upon you with the threat; "If you cannot accept this faith of mine,
it is becasue the spirit of science is not in you."

It is therefore no reproach to religion to say that it is based
on faith, for if this is a weakness, it is one that it shares with
science. But not science only. Our ordinary life is grounded
in faith."
end quote

So, while our faith may be a personal arrangement between
individuals and their God (whoever they perceive him to be),
our faith is also part of every relationship that we can think
of in our communities, both locally and globally.

A quick example would be the faith we put into our doctor,
to prescribe the correct medicine and dosage of same .....

..... or another example may be the faith we may seek the
guidance of a mentor or friend, when in some crisis.

Our faith in these relationships, is an extension of our trust
in those people.

Again, from Worcester, McComb and Coriat:

" Now faith is the same, whether we exercise it in our fellow
men or God. The difference doesnot lie in the quality of the
faith, but in the object to which the faith is directed.

Religious faith is simply thattrust scientists put in nature
and its sequences or the trust normally constituted men
put in their friends, only now it is extended to the sphere
of the unseen, where it becomes trust in God ..... "

-----

..... and there's nothing new under the Sun, as Worcester,
McComb and Coriat wrote the passages above, in 1908 ... :)

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For those who are not religious, your views are noted and
respected ..... but, ... :

As awesome as nature around us can be, how did it come
into existence and why are WE here.???

..... what if we DON'T just rot in the ground, after our death???

What if there really IS a day of judgement for our sins on earth???

What if, we DO actually meet with our maker???

..... all questions, that we have all pondered, whether we
consider ourselves religious or not !~!

happy days

yogi

:)