Where Is My Faith?

As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions. One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables. Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him. Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand. One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind.

-- Romans 14:1-23

I hate it when people toss the Bible up in my face, especially when they rail about what they've been told the Bible says, instead of actually understanding it.  My lack of total acceptance of the "good book" damns me for all eternity but, oh well.  Why is it that I can have a deeper faith than those who constantly rant at me, using the Bible as a foundation for the "truth" they've been spoon-fed by clergy?  They have read it, probably cover to cover, and yet they don't seem to grasp the content.  It is like they can see and read the words, but the meaning of what they read is lost on them.  As my uncle would say, "They're like a pig looking at a wristwatch."  

Most church-going faithful seem to follow clergy like sheep and, in many cases, like lemmings off some suicidal cliff.  I'm not sure where their faith lies, and I'm not sure they really know either.  They say they do, but let's put a gun to their head just to be sure.  Would they die for their precious Bible?  By how they present themselves, they seem to put the Bible before their faith in Christ, and by extension, before their God.  I'd say they'd either die because of misplaced faith or wet themselves and go to pieces just prior to denying Christ.  

It isn't that evil people in this world makes you surrender to their will, it's the criminal mindset that they won't be held accountable for their actions.  I can see turning the other cheek to keep the peace and sidestep a beating.  I think I'd easily give up the Bible to this end.  I can always get another one.  If they were holding a gun to my head, I would certainly make an inner promise to punish them at some point in the future.  I didn't surrender my mind, so no harm, no foul; I just don't like people who threaten me to think they can do it ever again, to anyone.  

“Don't give up on your faith just to please someone who has no faith at all;That is like giving up a treasure to please someone who has none.”

-- Gillian Duce, author, writer

Now, consider the idea that crosses, scripture, icons, and talismans possess no more power than our faith imbues them with. I consider these objects nothing more than focal points for the energy of faith.  Evil doesn't fear the object more than it fears the faith behind the object, or in other words, guns don't kill people, people kill people.  Material objects can always be taken from us, but it our choice to surrender our minds.  Our faith, our beliefs, and our free will is something we must surrender as it can never be taken.

As for me, therefore, you can burn my Bible if you'd like.  It is a book; a physical thing.  It has no bearing on my love and faith, my belief in Christ and God.  I consider the Bible a textbook with ideas and philosophies to consider.  Some of it I agree with and some, not so much.  Once I get the gist of the text, I understand the message which I probably knew, anyway.  If I need some clergy to clarify the good sense of doing right, God's message to me, how good was God at considering the audience's ignorance?  

I think that, once you wrap your mind around the simple message "hidden" in the Bible, it all breaks down into true and false, or multiple-guess.  Yes, take my Bible and burn it.  It has no bearing on my faith, but does use of the Bible as a crutch to bolster one's belief, have a bearing on that person's lack of faith?  Perhaps the strength of their faith is more appropriate to question than their belief in a crutch to bolster it.

“Make your own Bible. Select and collect all the words and sentences that in all your readings have been to you like the blast of a trumpet.”

-- Ralph Waldo Emerson

As a textbook, scripture offers a basis for discussion and discovery and, as I've stated, in this way it holds great value for me.  However, we must not ignore the fact that it is a collection of works, some of it passed down through ages, written and put together by men.  These men wrote down their best translation and interpretation of what was passed down to them.  Can you trust the interpretation?  Well, ask yourself how educated the men were, then ask how many sects of Christianity there are.  If God is omnipotent, why was the message so poorly understood?  Now, consider the ten very simple to understand commandments of this same God, the only true WORD of God, written on tablets of stone.  Now, ask yourself, where are the tablets?  They are a matter of faith.

Mistranslations, interpretations, lost books, damaged pages, and so many questions are all buried under the weight of faith. Fallible men put this book together; men with agendas and the "best" of intentions, like the Crusades, the Inquisition, and various witch trials. Can you trust the multiple interpretations? They are many, so maybe not so much. And as for using scripture as a weapon to stab at people with, well, perhaps one needs to read the instruction booklet first.

"The Torah cannot prevent us from considering to be true that which our reason urges us to believe." 

-- Levi ben Gerson (1288-1344), philosopher, mathemetician, astronomer

When all is said and done, we will have to stand and be judged, graded if you will, on how well we lived our lives.  Many will cling to scripture like a Pit Bull to a meaty bone.  When asked where their faith is, they will hold out their Bible and, in doing so, will have admitted failure.  The Bible is but a tool; you can utilize it or not, but don't let it be your faith in God.  Faith exists elsewhere, not in the pages of a book, not in a talisman or other icon or idol.  Faith exists within each of us, and each of us needs to discover that faith, understand it, and then exercise it.

In the exercise of one's faith I am reminded by Matthew 6:5-8, "And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him."  Faith, it would seem, is to be a personal relationship between each of us and our God.  Interpersonal definitions, interpretations, translations, and judgments don't come into play.  Your faith is your faith.  Embrace it humbly, and don't try to impress others by what you do.

"But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner's fire and like fullers' soap. "He will sit as a smelter and purifier of silver, and He will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, so they may present to the LORD offerings in righteousness."

-- Malachi 3:2-3

Like my latest hero, Pope Francis, I too am an admitted sinner.  I am easily led into temptation.  The Bible tells us that to be overtaken by some temptation is common to man.  I think God understands our weaknesses and our shortcomings.  But, if not, then how perfect is God?  How far does faith allow you to go in belief?  God stops Abraham from killing his only son, Isaac, although God commanded it.  This kind of sacrifice is unacceptable to God, so why would God command it?  Many would say it was to prove Abraham's faith, a faith which, I would argue, God should be aware of already.  This was a lesson to Abraham; God's way of saying, "What?  Are you nuts?  This is your only child, you moron!  Why, in My own name, would you think I would ever ask you to do such a thing?"  Was it proof of faith, obedience, or man's ignorance of God's true desire for mankind?

"No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it."

-- 1 Corinthians 10:13

Where is my faith?  My faith is deep, yet clear.  It is a belief in something for which I have little or no proof.  I keep it at the forefront of my mind.  It is a belief that there is something, a treasure, a kingdom, something larger than ourselves, and life after death.  The path to be followed is traveled through this life, and possibly through the next, and the next, if lessons are not learned.  Mistakes will be made, temptations will overtake us, and we must learn from these.  

My faith is in the existence of heaven, not in some treasure map one can purchase from some con man.  It isn't the tomes of scripture lining my bookshelves, nor is it in a sermon preached by "holier than thou" clergy in some building.  Salvation cannot be purchased, nor can someone else secure it for you.  There is no fast route along this path, and righteousness can be counterproductive to what is right or moral, and in learning life's lessons.  Many hope clergy can save us, but what does clergy know about sin unless they have partaken of it?  How can clergy counsel those in need if they have never been in need?  Walk a mile in the sinner's shoes, or those of the poor or homeless.  It is not the destination that is important, it is truly the journey we take to get there.

Where is your faith? Do you wear it on your sleeve or is it a more personal relationship? Do you show up to give praise along with everyone else, to be seen and lauded with kudos, or do you speak to God privately since He already knows your heart?  A final something to consider:

“For a spiritual journey, you don’t have to meditate or visit a temple or listen to a guru! Just live a misty morning while the sun is rising!”

-- Mehmet Murat ildan, author, playwright

Editor's Note

(Re: disclaimer cum "get out of jail free" card)

Before you go getting your panties in a bunch, it is essential to understand that this is just an opinion site and, as such, can be subjected to scrutiny by anyone with a differing opinion. It doesn't make either opinion any more right or wrong than the other. An opinion, presented in this context, is a way of inciting others to think and, hopefully, to form opinions of their own, if they haven't already done so. This is also why, occasionally, I will present an "opinion" just to stir an emotional pot. Where it may sound like I agree with the statements made, I'm more interested in getting others to consider an alternate viewpoint. 

It is my fervent hope that we keep open and active minds when reading opinions and while engaging in peaceful and constructive discussion, in an arena of mutual respect, concerning those opinions put forth. After over twenty years with military intelligence, I have come to believe engaging each other in this manner and in this arena is the way we will learn tolerance and respect for differing beliefs, cultures, and viewpoints.

We all fall from grace, some more often than others; it is part of being human. God's test for us is what we learn from the experience, and what we do afterward.

Pastor Tony spent 22 years with United States Air Force Intelligence as a planner, analyst, briefer, instructor, and senior manager. He spent 17 years, following his service career, working with the premier, world renowned, Institutional Review Board helping to protect the rights of human subjects involved in pharmaceutical research. Ordained 1n 2013 as an "interfaith" minister, he founded the Congregation for Religious Tolerance in response to intolerance shown by Christians toward peaceful Islam. As the weapon for his war on intolerance he chose the pen, and wages his "battle" in the guise of the Congregation's official online blog, The Path, of which he is both author and editor. "The Path" offers a vehicle for commentary and guidance concerning one's own personal, spiritual, path toward peace and the final destination for us all. He currently resides in Pass Christian, Mississippi, where he volunteers as lead Chaplain and Chaplain Program Liaison, at the regional medical center.