Faith Revisited
Posted: Sun Apr 22, 2007 11:33 am
It has grown in my mind over the years that "faith" is little understood, but is bandied about as the essence of Christianity that every 'believer' is simply born to understand.
Not so. "Faith" is more than that. IT is THE essence of life, that when practiced/applied bears the fruit of life that prospers individuals, and communities...
That i'm not alone in this thinking was confirmed by an e-mail from my daughter, of a letter to her from 'Fletch'. "Fletch" is a mentor-type in the LA area. (I think?) His address: fletchrainey@earthlink.net It is his letter, to a group of his 'friends', that is paste below. I have bolded things that are firmly in my belief:
While i know Paul's statement is well read, and quoted, i do not think it is positively applied in religious communities (other than lip service to an after-life, forgive my synicism) IMSCO, real-faith is applied more in secular life by inventive, creative minds. That evidence speaks for its self. What is there of equal evidential impact from ecclesiastic-faith?
Being told the negatives by traditional religious types, that: "the world/humanity is growing worse," 'religious-faith' too often tends towards negs rather than positive attitudes.
This can direct people to habits and sentiments that are self destructive, and consequently influence and impose, overtly and covertly, on families and society trends not in our best interests. Increasing obeseity, personal debt, isolation, escapism into spectating rather than participation and violence can all be attributed, in some degree, to 'faulty-faith'.
That is, faith in magic, legend, and man's hysterics; rather than faith and confidence in self, others and "God's" Universe. As Jesus taught, and i see things... Warm regards, Roger
(Edited to credit Fletch as the letter author.)
Not so. "Faith" is more than that. IT is THE essence of life, that when practiced/applied bears the fruit of life that prospers individuals, and communities...
That i'm not alone in this thinking was confirmed by an e-mail from my daughter, of a letter to her from 'Fletch'. "Fletch" is a mentor-type in the LA area. (I think?) His address: fletchrainey@earthlink.net It is his letter, to a group of his 'friends', that is paste below. I have bolded things that are firmly in my belief:
The very reason for the Law behind Feelingization is contained in Paul's statement, (Heb. 1:11) "...faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen..."
If there were not a deep-seated awareness that that which you hope for or desire has substance and is possible for you to attain, it would be impossible to assume the consciousness (feeling tone) of already being or already having or already doing it!!
Read that sentence again.
Then, again.
Now, stop.
Let it sink in.
Got it? Good.
Now, read it one more time before continuing please.
It is the premise that I’ve written about before, that creation is finished, and that everything already exists that stirs you to the feeling of hope—and hope, in turn, implies EXPECTATION, and without expectation of success it would be impossible to consciously use the Law behind Feelingization.
"Evidence" is a sign of something actual...or real. Thus, this quotation means that faith is the awareness of the REALITY...the ACTUALITY of that which you assume. In other words, a conviction of the reality of things which you do not see; i.e. your mental perception of the reality of the invisible.
Consequently, it is obvious that a lack of faith means disbelief in the existence of that which you desire, right? Inasmuch as that which you experience is the faith-full reproduction of your state of consciousness, lack of faith will mean perpetual failure in any conscious use of the Law behind Feelingization. The Law we're talking about is of course, the Law of Attraction. Understand?
In all the ages of history, faith has played a major role. Big time. It permeates all the great religions of the world; it is woven all through mythology, and yet today it is almost universally misunderstood!!!
Contrary to popular opinion, the efficacy of faith is not due to the work of any outside factor. It is from first to last an activity of your own consciousness. Yours, and yours alone. If you don’t grasp anything else from anything that I’ve shared over the last few years....puh-leeze grasp that.
The Bible is full of many statements about faith; of the true meaning of which very few are aware. Here are some typical examples:
Unto us was the gospel preached, as well
as unto them: but the word preached did
not profit them, not being mixed with
faith in them that heard it.– Hebrews 4:2
In this particular quotation the "us" and "them" make it clear that all of us hear the gospel. "Gospel" I’m sure you know, means Good News. Very obviously, good news for you would be that you’ve attained your desire, yes? This is always being "preached" to you by your Infinite Self. To hear that which you desire does actually exist and you need only to accept it in consciousness is indeed...very good news.
Not "mixing with faith" means to deny the reality of that which you desire. Hence, there is no "profit" (attainment) possible.
Another...
O faithless and perverse generation, how
long shall I be with you?"– Matthew 17:17
The meaning of "faithless" has already been explained. "Perverse" means turned the wrong way; in other words...the consciousness of not being what you want to be. To be faithless, that is, to disbelieve in the reality of that which you assume, is to be perverse. "How long shall I be with you?" means that the fulfillment of your desire is predicated upon your change to the right state of consciousness. It is just as though that which you desire is telling you that it won’t be yours until you turn from being faithless and perverse to righteousness (right consciousness, remember?). Once again, righteousness is the consciousness of already being what you want to be; already having what you want to have; already doing what it is you choose to do!!!
Another...
By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing
the wrath of the king: for he endured, as
seeing him who is invisible. – Hebrews 11:27
"Egypt" here means darkness, or belief in many gods (causes). The "king" symbolizes the power of outside conditions or circumstances. "He" is your concept of yourself as already being what you choose to be. "Enduring as seeing him who is invisible" means persisting in the assumption that your desire is already fulfilled!!
Thus, my dear friends, this quotation means that by persisting in the assumption that you already are the person you choose to be, already doing what it is you choose to do and already having that which you choose to have, you rise above all doubt, fear, and any belief in the power of outside conditions or circumstances; and your world inevitably, that’s right...inevitably conforms to your assumption.
Period.
End of story. Don't look at me this way...
If what I'm saying wasn't true...I wouldn't spend all this time typing. Believe that.
"You cannot fool Spiritual Law! It produces effects in exact correspondence to what is held in your consciousness."
-- Reverend Dr. Michael Beckwith
My dictionary’s definitions of faith, "the ascent of the mind or understanding to the truth"---- "unwavering adherence to principle", are so freaking pertinent that they might well have been written with the Law of Feelingization in mind. Faith does not question or doubt. Faith knows.
While i know Paul's statement is well read, and quoted, i do not think it is positively applied in religious communities (other than lip service to an after-life, forgive my synicism) IMSCO, real-faith is applied more in secular life by inventive, creative minds. That evidence speaks for its self. What is there of equal evidential impact from ecclesiastic-faith?
Being told the negatives by traditional religious types, that: "the world/humanity is growing worse," 'religious-faith' too often tends towards negs rather than positive attitudes.
This can direct people to habits and sentiments that are self destructive, and consequently influence and impose, overtly and covertly, on families and society trends not in our best interests. Increasing obeseity, personal debt, isolation, escapism into spectating rather than participation and violence can all be attributed, in some degree, to 'faulty-faith'.
That is, faith in magic, legend, and man's hysterics; rather than faith and confidence in self, others and "God's" Universe. As Jesus taught, and i see things... Warm regards, Roger
(Edited to credit Fletch as the letter author.)