In Search of Faith
“Some things are only knowable by faith.” That statement will drive some people crazy. They find it infuriatingly circular. They might explain the logic something like this: 1) One must have faith; 2) Faith unlocks beautiful worlds; 3) One can’t get to them without faith.
You can see the problem.
It positions people of faith to have the only key to these magical new worlds, both now and forever. It assumes exclusivity, and also that people will want to live in these new worlds or states of being. Clearly there are many different versions and invitations.
Take an extreme example, for instance. Imagine an occultist who promises, “There are unbelievable powers to achieve your goals in the occult. You simply have to sell your soul to the devil. Trust me, it’s worth it.” Would that promise be enticing enough? Simply put, yes! If you desire power enough.
The heart of any faith message depends on desiring what is promised. So the real question of faith becomes simply, “What are you looking for?” And eventually then, who is “selling” (put crassly for emphasis) what I am looking for? Who are its vendors?
When you go to an appliance store, there will be various shapes, sizes, and features. It will be overwhelming, especially if you don’t know what you are looking for. How much space do you have to work with? What is your budget? How much food do you actually need to keep cold?
Once you know what you need, you can begin to rule out the many options that don’t meet your requirements. And, importantly, you can begin to focus on the few that actually do. From there it is a matter of honing in on the best deal and working out the details for delivery.
What if faith was like that?
What if it started with the simple question, like the clerk at Best Buy might ask: “What can I help you find today?” Imagine such a question at the Store of Faith: “Hello, welcome to your life, what is it you seeking today, and how can I help you find it?”
What would you ask for? Is anyone out there offering life, peace, grace, and love? Who has the best deal on the table for a preferred future? These kind of consumer questions may actually be helpful when applied to matters of faith, so let’s try it.
What religions or worldviews offer what? What philosophies or religions offer the kind of world you want to see? Do most faiths really promote the same kinds of things? Or are there fundamental differences?
Does one hit differently? Does one articulate a more compelling vision for the cosmos - not a sales pitch, but something that seems overwhelmingly true, even self-evident? For the truth of a philosophy or religion will eventually speak for itself and resonate deeply inside. Right?
Certainly sincere people have been sincerely wrong. People have been misled, however passionate. But there is a sense the human heart will know the truth of its own liberation. There is a certain self-evident freedom that is experienced when you find the thing you have been looking for.
The question is, have you found it?
