“Faith consists in believing, when it is beyond the power of reason to believe’”
The above quotation is a defiant statement by Francois-Marie d’Arouet, the 18th century French nobleman, author, scientist and philosopher who preferred to use the norm-de-plume ‘Voltaire’, in all his writings. His work, in the fields of both science and religion, greatly influenced the developing 18th century Age of Enlightenment in Europe and made him a celebrated figure. This period of enlightenment was dominated by the growing power of religion, and resulted in great controversies in the belief structures among many people. Voltaire rejected the demands of the church to accept its teachings that all belief was by divine intervention. He was clear in his own mind that there existed differences which he described in the following manner:
Belief: is what we know is true.
Obedience: is accepting what we are told to be true.
Faith: is accepting, even when we do not know if it is true.
Interestingly, over the succeeding centuries, despite repeated attempts to define these differing aspects of belief, we have continued to confuse and misuse them so often that they remain blurred and unclear. Most people have grown up associating faith with trust, and accepting their faith on the basis of the level of trust that exists. Many of us have also come to accept the fact that faith is a commodity that is acquired by learning and by example from others, and that without it, every task, however simple, will be difficult to complete. We try to conflate knowledge, confidence and experience under this banner, and then assign the resulting degree of success on the level of our faith in ourselves. But all of these are not the true faith as seen by Voltaire. To him, faith is not believing what is already tangible and demonstrable, but believing in those things that appear to be unbelievable, and not therefore subject to understanding.
True Faith is the very engine of life. It is usually found deeply embedded in the person’s psyche and is very difficult to acquire. In its absence, there can be no expectation of good things to come, and no reason to look forward to better living. And without it firmly in control, ife will have no meaning. It must never be confused with hope, and is not subject to explanation using logic and reason. It may not be the main reason for living, but paradoxically, life will have no reason if there was no faith to sustain it. Contrary to popular opinion, faith is certainly not simply an expression of hope; for while much of hope arises from emotion and need, faith is a reflection of the spirit and the inner-self, and goes far beyond just satisfying basic hopes and needs.
At its very core, faith is deeply rooted in the expectation of good things to come, and life itself could not continue from one moment to another without the faith to do so. None of the conscious aspects of for example, will ever take place without first having the faith to initiate the action. Each time we drink a glass of water, climb a ladder, or cross the street, we do so because of our faith that the right outcome will occur. Without this underlying foundation of faith, we could not expect that that the things we hoped for will in fact happen. And in those times when the future appears to be bleak, it is faith that propels the forward motion. Faith indeed, is the frame work on which we build our lives, even when we do not see the outcome. As Martin Luther King Jr. speaking from his own deeply personal experience, so very wisely observed:
“Faith is taking the first step, even when you don’t see the whole staircase.”
Faith goes well beyond just hoping for a favorable outcome. It means believing in things that are not even visible, and not physically demonstrable. It means having to make decisions and take action on the basis of such intangible factors as ideas, expectations and desires. Faith is the barrier that separates man from the rest of the animal kingdom. For while all the other creatures live by their instinct and their wit, Man alone, is able to plan more and achieve more by the expression of faith in himself and his ability. In fact, his complete domination of the animal kingdom can be directly traced to the use of the power of his faith to rise above the prevailing conditions. For without faith there can be no strength and no inner resolve, to face up to the turmoil of uncertainty, and the courage needed to stand up to, and overcome, the threats and the fears of the unknown.
Faith however, has no equivalent in the physical realm, nor are there any measures than can be used to compare one with the other. It is essentially a metaphysical fiber that binds the individual and allows him to access his deepest wish and desire. It can only survive when there is confidence and belief in oneself and one’s ability, it provides the focus of strength and power needed to go beyond life’s negativity and find solution, and it provides direction and purpose to help us achieve our dreams. It enables us to look beyond our fears and uncertainties, and protects us from becoming overwhelmed by the possibility of failing.
But faith must never be seen as just a notion that some people exhibit in tough times and in difficulty. It must be seen as a vital and important element of living, to be called upon when needed. Life itself, like all of nature, is never homogeneous. It always reflects good and bad, hot and cold, rain and sunshine, and joy and sadness. Faith is the component that carries us through, provides the light in darkness, the calm in the storm and the strength in times of weakness. It is without question, one of the most vital elements in sustaining a society, since it will not be destroyed by the continuously changing circumstances and conditions of the world. In fact, it is only when faith is replaced with arrogance that one witnesses the chaos and disintegration that has become so prevalent among the current societies.
Tragically, even the strongest faith in ourselves can be quite fragile, especially when our belief system is challenged, or we come under attack. Under such conditions, when, as a result of uncertainty or fear, we allow our confidence to falter, or succumb to negative thinking, or fall under bad influences, or during times of physical or emotional stress, we become more vulnerable, more likely to question ourselves and instead turn to others for help. This experience of losing one’s faith can become quite difficult and lead to severe consequences including alteration of attitudes, behavior and personality, and in extreme cases, annihilation of core identity. All of which will more likely occur if the faith is based on self-esteem, status or religious beliefs rather than on intrinsic, well-founded ideas, in a stable, secure personality.
Without question, each person is always defined by his own interpretation of his faith in himself. Whether this faith, relates to his religious beliefs or to his personal life, it is this faith, or lack of faith, that determines his ultimate direction and the outcome. Perhaps this was what the very influential 13th century Roman Catholic theologian and philosopher, Thomas Aquinas, meant to convey when he declared:
“To one who has faith, no explanation is necessary.
To one without faith, no explanation is possible.”
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