FAITH

 

FAITH

In previous posts we listed studies and experiences of several individuals on the subject of the power of thought to bring about events beyond the physical. I referenced the work of the mathematician, Jacques Hadamard; the psychoanalyst, Carl Jung; the parapsychologist, J. B. Rhine; the mystic, Joel Goldsmith; and the physician, Paracelsus. The subject is closely related to that of faith, which occupies an important place in the Christian scriptures.

Let's look at it from three points of view: that of Jesus, of Paul, and of a theologian, taking Kierkegaard, who wrote extensively on the subject, as an example. First, let's explore a little of what Kierkegaard has to say on the subject. He seems to consider faith strictly as a means of salvation by enabling us to accept what is true, although that truth appears absurd because it defies reason. He assigns a meaning to faith that is consistent with his own personal interpretation of Christianity. That interpretation is open to controversy in many ways. For example, Kierkegaard places a lot of emphasis on sin in general and original sin in particular. Consequently, he seems to consider the primary function of faith to be a means of escaping from the punishment for those sins. That is certainly a negative view of Christianity.

In his opus, Fear and Trembling, Kierkegaard discusses faith from several points of view, but he never seems to consider that Abraham might have the kind of faith that gave him absolute certainty that it was the right thing to do, both for himself and for Isaac, if it was God's will. It doesn't require a “leap of faith”. It just requires seeing the situation from the viewpoint of the spiritual rather than from the physical.

Both Jesus and Paul have a far different description of faith. They both treat faith as a means of accomplishing miracles. They approach it as one who has experience with his subject and is trying to communicate that knowledge to others. Paul says, “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen”. There is no room for doubt in this definition. In fact a definition of assurance is: “full confidence, freedom from doubt”. Synonyms for conviction are certainty and sureness.

Jesus, too, teaches that doubt must be absent. When Peter was trying to walk on water, he began to doubt: 'But when he noticed the strong wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” When they got into the boat, the wind ceased.

When talking to his disciples about faith, he said: “Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only will you do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ it will be done”.

There apparently is no limit to the miracles that can be accomplished by faith that is not thwarted by doubt. He said to them, “For truly I tell you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.”

However, any disagreement, doubt, lack of faith can block that power, as we see from this episode from the 6^th chapter of Mark which describes the attitude of the people in Jesus's hometown of Nazareth when he returned there:

'On the sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astounded. They said, “Where did this man get all this? What is this wisdom that has been given to him? What deeds of power are being done by his hands! Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon, and are not his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him. Then Jesus said to them, “Prophets are not without honor, except in their hometown, and among their own kin, and in their own house.” And he could do no deed of power there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and cured them.'

Paul's description of faith as “the conviction of things not seen” is consistent with the view of the Platonists, who see this world as a shadow of the real world of ideas where there exists an ideal counterpart to anything that is defective in this world. We don't see that ideal counterpart at present, but it is the reality and so it can replace that which is defective.

Paul's description is also consistent with the teaching of the alchemists: “Make the solid vaporous and the vaporous solid”. The “solid” is that which we experience with our body's senses, i.e., the natural world. The “vaporous” is that which is not yet seen, i.e., the ideal counterpart. So, carrying out this instruction is like applying faith according to Paul's definition.

We could draw many more parallels, but we don't want to belabor the important points. They are, first, the faith described by Jesus and Paul is a conviction undiluted by any trace of doubt. Second, there is no limit to the power of that kind of faith. Third, that kind of faith does not appear to be like that assumed by philosophers, theologians, and church ministers who seem to look on it as a kind of blind trust that a hoped-for result will ensue.

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