Muse – Belief and Faith

Belief and Faith are two of the more hotly debated topics I’ve seen as of late on one particular board. A day won’t go by without a thread on religion or God(usually several) on the first page of the Extended Discussion forum. As usual, I’m reading and occasionally tossing in posts.

It is an eternally debated topic, as there really are no answers. Just assumptions, gut instincts and theories based upon our limited perceptions and knowledge of reality.

In a way, we all have faith in something, even if it isn’t a god. We have faith the sun will rise each day. We have faith that our breakfast hasn’t been intentionally or unintentionally poised. We have faith that the brakes in our car will work. We have faith that we’ll have a job to get to. We have faith that we’ll be paid for the work we do and so on.

Day to day, these things aren’t a matter of certainty. They’re a matter of probable certainty, but there is always that .000001% chance that something has gone awry for you. Accidents are always happening, even if they aren’t statistically probable for the individual.

In a way, we all have faith as well. Faith that the moon landing happened, since we really weren’t there. Faith that scientists know what they’re talking about. Faith that our planet won’t decide to tear itself apart tomorrow. Faith that our leaders won’t go mental and push ‘The Button’ for no good reason.

Everyone relies on something beside themselves.

Yet that means little more than semantics in the debate of theistic faith and belief. I find such arguments when it comes to matters of gods to be more copouts than anything else. Of course, many arguments against theistic belief are just as fragile.

Faith and Belief are common in everyone, true, but there is more fact to base those beliefs and faiths on when it comes to tools and people. Through mechanics or psychology we can reliably predict what people will do, but faith and belief in gods depends upon the crafters of books and the supposed divinity of people we have little detailed record on.

Conversely, psychology tells us that, like in the case of Joseph Smith, men are quite capable of making up religions to suit their needs. The lust for power and influence mixes too easily with the theistic meme and its power to guide and control people. TO take their belief and faith, using it as a leash by which to lead them where the ambitious mean to go.

Faith and belief are good things. They allow us to function without the neurotic impulse to check and recheck and recheck all things to make sure that they are as they should be, reducing the stress inherent in life and keeping ups from wasting time with general certainties. But as with all good things, too much belief and too much faith can be harmful. When one allows it to override their natural inclination to question entirely.

The drive to question must never be forgotten. It is the strongest mechanism through which we learn and grow.