Faith is a word used in two major ways. The first is the idea of belief in the unseen. The second way is synonymous with religion. No matter how you use it, it always has the feeling of believing in something without doubt. This idea of faith goes beyond religion.
During the Age of Reason, many wise (yet, boring) philosophers spent their lives trying to understand truth. They wanted to logically create models for truth that could not be torn apart. One of the ideas that came out of this age is "cogito ergo sum: I think, therefore I am."
Cogito ergo sum is a doctrine of philosophy that goes a little something like this.
I cannot prove anything. I must doubt all that I experience. Everything that is happening to me could be an illusion, and I would have no way to argue that it is not. I must doubt everything. I doubt my sight, I doubt my feelings. Finally, when it comes down to it, all that is left is that I am thinking. When I doubt that I am thinking, I am still thinking. I am a thinking thing. I know that is truth.
With that philosophy, everything else in this universe is built on faith. I have the faith that my senses are not picking up an illusion, and my surroundings are real. Right now, I have the faith that I am at a computer, typing away and watching the letters appear on the screen. I do not know it for sure, but I do have the faith that it is happening. You have the faith that you are reading this. Now that you have faith that your senses are experiencing reality, you must have the faith that the information you are receiving is true.
All of history is believed on faith. None of us were there when Julius Caesar was assassinated, but we believe it without doubt, because we have faith in history. We have no choice but to believe it. Even scientific data must be believed by faith. Some of us have the faith to believe that we as humans are putting enough carbon dioxide into the air to melt the polar ice caps. Others (like myself) would first believe in the abominable snowman before accepting that bologna.
When someone says that you can only have faith that Jesus Christ rose again from the grave, make sure they understand that you have to have faith to believe anything. For reality itself is not simply accepted as truth without going through the soul's filter of faith.
Friday, February 12, 2010
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Evangelogical
At my college, we have chapel three times a week. Luckily, being a commuter, I only have to go once a week. The infrequent attendance keeps chapel fresh for me. Everyone knows it is time to begin chapel when one of the Poorman sisters starts playing an instrument, and the rest of the band joins in. By the second song, people are really getting into the worship. As I look around, I see many people with their hands in the air, their eyes closed, and just praising God for all they are worth. I look at them and think, "This is really nice. I like to see people praising their creator." I think it is nice that they can get into the worshiping mood by listening to the music, because I am a musician and cannot.
You may be thinking, "Now hold up. That does not make any sense. You are trying to tell me that because you are a musician, the music does not move you?"
That is exactly what I am telling you.
As a musician, I understand the dirty little tricks that musicians play on peoples' psyches in order to make the listeners feel all bubbly and emotional inside. When I hear a song, I dissect the music, and it does not have the simple beauty that the other people are hearing. Picture Neo after he comes back to life in the Matrix. He sees everything in the code of the Matrix, as opposed to the illusion everyone else sees.
I find moments of worship in another way, a trusted way. When I am alone, I read the Bible. When I find a phrase that should be awesome to me, I contemplate it for a while. After I read it about a dozen times, key turns over the ignition in my soul, and I am overwhelmed by the truth that I am reading. Everything else fades away. My worship comes from reason. Sound boring? Sorry, but I guess I am not much of a romantic.
My Christianity is rooted in the word, and thinking about it intently. I worship God as an Evangelical that contemplates the word with logic. Therefore, I call my form of Christianity, Evangelogical.
If someone else has already coined this phrase, please tell me. I do not want to go on thinking that I came up with it if I have not.
You may be thinking, "Now hold up. That does not make any sense. You are trying to tell me that because you are a musician, the music does not move you?"
That is exactly what I am telling you.
As a musician, I understand the dirty little tricks that musicians play on peoples' psyches in order to make the listeners feel all bubbly and emotional inside. When I hear a song, I dissect the music, and it does not have the simple beauty that the other people are hearing. Picture Neo after he comes back to life in the Matrix. He sees everything in the code of the Matrix, as opposed to the illusion everyone else sees.
I find moments of worship in another way, a trusted way. When I am alone, I read the Bible. When I find a phrase that should be awesome to me, I contemplate it for a while. After I read it about a dozen times, key turns over the ignition in my soul, and I am overwhelmed by the truth that I am reading. Everything else fades away. My worship comes from reason. Sound boring? Sorry, but I guess I am not much of a romantic.
My Christianity is rooted in the word, and thinking about it intently. I worship God as an Evangelical that contemplates the word with logic. Therefore, I call my form of Christianity, Evangelogical.
If someone else has already coined this phrase, please tell me. I do not want to go on thinking that I came up with it if I have not.
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