Can You Trust?

Can You Trust?

          You believe in a Higher Power that we will call God. You have perfect faith in Him, You love God and you know that He loves you…But…do you trust this power called God? This is not a foolish question. There is a big difference between faith and trust.

          Faith is accepting without question and believing without proof. There is nothing wrong with having faith, except that a deep faith might make you so comfortable with what you know that you ignore any nagging questions that bother you. You may just say that we must accept it on faith. Trust is having enough confidence in your belief that if you feel something is not quite right, that makes you wonder why or how this has become a part of your religion, you dig into the why and the how. You investigate until you feel comfortable with what you believe. If your religion is true it can stand up to inquiry.

          Every religion that I know about has been started by some human. That person felt that they had a call from God to enlighten the human race with new knowledge. And they did. Religion has come a long way from idol worship and human sacrifice. Of course, there were some like Jim Jones who fed his followers poison Kool Aid. The members of Heaven’s Gate died thinking that they would be picked up by a space ship, revived, and travel to another planet. There are more characters who may think they have an insight. And more who have found an easy way to control people and make lots of money. We would never be fooled by anyone leading an outlandish cult.

          However, even the sincere ones have their own beliefs and opinions. They include what they personally believe because they want to save your soul and they think they know best. Maybe they do and maybe they are wrong. Wouldn’t it be better if you would think for yourself?

          The Jewish people would not believe any part of Jesus’ message. They were true to what they had been taught. The strict Jewish laws did not leave any room for questioning; only for obedience.

          Even our Bible was written by men. Men who had to decide what was important and what could be left out. How many times has it been translated from one language to another? The mistakes in the meaning of words. Not to mention the time and trouble and mistakes by men that had to copy every word by hand. There have been manuscripts discovered, hidden around the world. Hidden because they were forbidden by the rulers in power at that time. Could they have knowledge that we should know?

          Maybe this is the reason for the many different denominations? We hold fiercely to one particular belief that our church teaches. Take baptism for an example. Some folks feel strongly that you must be dunked under water completely, with the congregation and family to witness the ‘changing of your life’ as you swear your faith in Jesus. Anything less is unchristian. Others are just as sure that a few drops of water sprinkled over their head is sufficient. While still others think that accepting a rose in a ceremony is all that is necessary. And each one will argue heatedly that their way is the only true way.

          Do any of the above really matter? It all boils down to a ritual; an outward show to impress others. Is God interested in what we claim or is He looking into our hearts and minds for what we really think and feel? This is what we should do. Look into our hearts and minds and find the flaws that we keep hidden from others but not God. When Jesus was baptized He told those present that it was a ritual for the people, for now, but the time would come when men will be baptized in spirit and truth.

          I don’t think that any church or religion has all the answers. But don’t, like the Jews, close your mind to your good. Don’t fall for the next ‘new religion’ to come along either.

          In science everything is only a theory until there is absolute proof. A scientist learns by observation, study and experimentation. Not until it has been proven over and over with the same results, over time, can it be called a scientific fact. Many brilliant scientists have had a cherished theory dashed by an orderly investigation of trials and tests that prove beyond doubt that they were wrong. Doesn’t God deserve as much?

          I asked, can you trust God? You can trust when all doubts are replaced with knowing the God that you trust.

          789 words                                      Loretta Ellen Edwards

Reviews

[Rene Salinas]

Inviting writing here Loretta however this could lead to a disarray of emotions and here is why. Faith the word is one thing. I just read the other reviewer comments and again that is subject to intepretation just like yours is. When writing like this in my opinion one should quote or at least paraphrase the knowledge that comes beofre us otherwise it seems like re- inventing the wheel. The theological virtues have been around for "donkeys years" so nothing new there and they are all subject to be defined as transcending our nature. Faith , Hope and Love. Here is were I think your writing was slightly tinged by emotions. It seems your assumption is that becuase they are not to be questioned intellectually one just need to accpet them. Wouldn't that just be so easy? Yet on the other hand as the writing unravels you get to the end accepting that you can get to form an idea of your divinity when you "know" assuming that this knowing is also transcending the nature of common intellectualism so maybe knowing meets faith?

Oh, so very intriguing

Food for thought though

Thankyou

[MomzillaNC]

You've written an interesting essay. I would have to disagree with your definition of Faith. Nothing in Faith tells us that we cannot question. As a Christian, I did not come lightly to my views, nor my denomination. In fact, for many years I strayed from Christianity, from religion. I came to the understanding that Religion is NOT Faith. Religion is humanity's attempt to define and to limit the indefinable, the limitless God. Faith is a personal relationship with God. I do agree that true Faith can stand up to questions and doubts. We are humans and humankind questions, tests, adapts, evolves. I found my way back to Faith through my questioning, because of my doubts.

As far as scientific proof goes… well, accepted proof is overturned all the time. Science is all hypothesis.

And, Judaism does not disbelieve all of Christ's message. It disputes the Christian understanding of His message. It denies that he is the Christ, the Messiah. Jews accept that Jesus was a teacher, a prophet, a rabbi. Islam accepts Jesus as a prophet.

The problems lie not in Faith, nor in religion. The problem lies in dogma. When people adhere slavishly to one set of ideologies, their dogma, there is no room for questioning, for growth, for a differing opinion. Dogma excludes all other possibilities and becomes a tool for very human and base agenda. Whether it's intellectual, political, social, ecological, or religious dogma, it all comes down to people with an agenda imposing their will, their power over others -- even when that means marginalizing or killing vast swaths of humanity.