Faith; Part II: A lesson: Knowledgeable faith versus blind faith.  Knowledgeable faith beyond hesitation

Some Time back I wrote an article about Faith. Donald B. Carroll: Faith

 A brief recap: 

 Faith goes far beyond its name.  Like another small word; atom, describing such a small particle that it can only be seen with some of the world’s most powerful microscopes, yet, split this minute particle and immense power flows out. The power in the atom pales compares what is contained in faith.

There are dictionary definitions of faith; a firm belief in something for which there is no proof. Perhaps the Bible gives one of the better definitions of faith; Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (Hebrews 11.1)

 The Biblical definition and General Semantics coming closer to the mark realizing that the being, the concept of faith transcends physical proof and embrace the greater reality of mind and spirit.  Here is one of the first steps to measure how much faith is applied, practiced in our personal lives.  For faith is an experience, it is living and growing, it is active, not passive, it is participating with each other and the universe acting on its power and concept.

In the first article I wrote of the knowledgeable experienced faith as in the parable of the Centurion.

Jesus Heals a Centurion’s Servant [Luke 7 International Standard Version (ISV)]

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Jesus and the centurion

“6 So Jesus went with them. He was not far from the house when the centurion sent friends to tell Jesus, “Sir, stop troubling yourself, because I am not worthy to have you come under my roof. 7 That’s why I didn’t presume to come to you. But just say the word, and let my servant be healed, 8 because I, too, am a man under authority and have soldiers under me. I say to one ‘Go’ and he goes to another ‘Come’ and he comes, and to my servant ‘Do this’ and he does it.”

9 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed at him. Turning to the crowd that was following him, he said, “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found this kind of faith!””

This Roman centurion did not just sit back and wait for the Master or the universe to stroll by and aid him; He Acted!  Even though he felt he was not worthy he participated and took action and, in his actions, he lived his great faith. Experienced faith.

The Centurion knew of Jesus, his spiritual philosophy, and his miracles, including healing, he was knowledgeable of him and, with that, believed. He acknowledged and understood, in his terms, this power, this spirit. He understood that balance of knowledge, trust, and authority combined with faith that makes it living and growing.

Ideally with these words and with remembering the knowing of faith we already have in our being we can incorporate them into our daily living and being, acting in faith and growing in faith.  In participation our faith will develop, will expand exponentially, like the splitting of an atom we can split open the word of faith into an ever-expanding transcendental experience of light for ourselves and others leading us to our ultimate destination of the Empyrean light.

This example is an important one. On occasion I have seen people, well intended, stop and say I have faith, and I am just going to sit here and wait for God to show me or give me a sign for what to do next.  I have been guilty of this misunderstanding of faith, in the past myself. To stop working and acting on faith, sitting back, and waiting to be guided. This is not going into the experience, the application of a living, active, act of faith. This is not participating with spirit, as the Cayce would term it; to become Co-creators with God.  To put it another way, if guidance is needed; get up and go, ask someone for directions, or go seeking a map.

Faith is not something that is passive; it is active living participation in our daily experiences and beliefs, which is how faith grows to move mountains.  It is even at the core of the act of communion.  The etymology of the word communion is mutual participation.

 Such lack of participation could be considered by another phrase we are probably familiar with; Blind Faith.

Faith Part II: The importance of trusting knowledgeable faith versus blind faith. Blind faith is a type of certainty that has one stop seeking.  Certainty can stop growth, evolution, certainty is not the same as trust. Trust is related to belief, hope and the knowing we have.  It aids in growing in a knowledgeable faith.

An example of the doubting of such knowledgeable faith could be the Greek myth tragic tale of Orpheus and Eurydice.  Orpheus was a son of a Greek muse (generally goddesses of inspiration of all the sciences and arts), his true love was Eurydice.  They married and she died shortly afterwards.  He was so in love and inconsolable over this he went to Hades (god of the underworld) to find her.  Orpheus was known for his divine music and charmed Cerberus, the three headed dog guardian of the underworld to pass though.  He then enchanted with his music and love, Hades, the god of the underworld, to allow him to bring Eurydice back to the world of the living.  The only caveat was that he could lead her out of the underworld, with her following behind, but he could not look back until they were in the living world. Orpheus agreed.

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Eurydice be taken back to the underworld       

They traveled a long time on long roads and were nearing the living world and he worried that she was still following him.  As they came near to the living world he doubted and turned to see if she was there; she was.  Since he violated his oath, she was drawn back into the underworld.

This is a sad tale but a lesson of faith at the opposite end of the Centurion's faith.  Orpheus knew the Greek gods, he was part of them and their realms and even risk himself to negotiate for his true love, Eurydice, he had such knowledge. Then, even with all this knowledge, he lost faith and lost his love, falling back into the darkeness. Both the centurion and Orpheus had knowledge and experience to embrace faith; also, through mind and spirit. It brings faith beyond hesitation.

This is presented as example and differences between blind faith and knowledgeable faith and even the challenges of knowledgeable faith. Knowledgeable faith evolves and grows, and it is acted upon through our experiences. When such faith is then applied in an experience, the time for hesitation is past.