Fundamental
Faith (Givens) and Guiding Principles (Applications) of One Believer
I take responsibility for each of
the ideas in this blog. They are not intended to be forced on others, but
rather presented to help understand my faith as well as a sizable number of
other spiritually minded individuals. Philosophy, humanism, and science also
have underlying assumptions which are worthy of thoughtful examination. I find
it perfectly possible to care about and respect someone who makes different
assumptions than I do. As we come to understand one another, our similarities,
and our differences, we can discuss with civility, respect, and also learn to
live with and enjoy the differences. We also change and transform as a result
of such conversations.
God Exists
God is all knowing. God embodies all
good. God is unchanging in the sense that he is completely dependable.
God operates within, not outside of
natural law. He is all powerful in the sense that he understands natural laws
completely. Natural law is the sum of all truth.
God is a creator and organizer. God
does not create out of nothing (ex nihilo). Matter has always existed. God has
organized matter for His purposes. His purposes are good, kind and loving.
God is the father of our spirits,
our Father in Heaven. Spirit is matter, but it is more refined than the matter
studied by scientists.
God is interested in and concerned
about us, His children.
Any theory attempting an accurate
perspective of humankind must include God. Since he exists, He must be
considered. The vast majority of human beings world-wide recognize a Higher
Power.
Individuals Can Know God
The most common vehicle for knowing
God is prayer. Prayer is a two-way process. God hears and answers prayer. God
can and does communicate with individuals through visions, dreams, and
spiritual impressions. Spiritual impressions or inspiration are the most common.
Such impressions are like thought/feelings. Such impressions contain an idea of
truth and feelings of calm, enlightenment, and assurance of the truthfulness of
the idea.
Revelation or inspiration can have
three sources: God, the devil, and the individual him/herself. Just like God is
a real entity and the embodiment of all truth, the Devil is a real entity and
the source of much untruth.
The process of coming to know God is
different than the use of the scientific method. The process of coming to know
God is individual, personal, and subjective. The scientific method is
impersonal, rational, and distant. Both approaches seek truth but in very
different ways.
Individuals Have Agency (Choice)
Choice occurs within context and is
not unlimited. Choice brings responsibility. Consequences follow choices. We
may choose but we may not determine the consequences of our choices. The
consequences are fixed.
God sets the rules. Within every
context, there are moral absolutes, just as there are absolutes regarding
natural laws. God communicates to human beings these moral absolutes. He calls
these absolutes commandments.
Adherence to commandments brings
growth, development, progress, and happiness. Failure to adhere to commandments
brings the stinting of growth, failure to develop, the cessation of progress
and unhappiness.
All actions have consequences. Some
are positive. Some are negative. Some are short-term. Some are long-term. Some
are easily seen, others are subtle. Some consequences are very meaningful,
others are trivial.
This Life Has Purpose
Life is an opportunity, a time for
growth, a testing experience. One goal is joy and happiness.
Family is Central to Life's Purpose.
Marriage is pleasing to God and is good. Husband and wife have a responsibility
to love and care for each other and for their children. Children have a right
to be wanted and to be nurtured.
Evil
If there is one who is all good
(God), then it stands to reason that there is one who is all bad (Satan or the
Devil). Satan has power and influence. His power and influence are not as great
as is God's power and influence. God allows Satan to influence individuals.
Satan tempts us and we must choose between good and evil. Evil prevents
progress and development in individuals. Evil leads to sorrow and misery in the
long run. This is one reason the Devil is less powerful than God.
There is opposition in all things.
Because individuals have agency,
much evil in the world is brought about by choices that individuals make. This
can be the result of one’s own choices or someone else’s choices. Likewise,
much good results from good choices. Mortal existence also brings challenges:
disease, accidents, and early death.
Truth
“Truth is knowledge of things as
they are, as they were and as they are to come.” Truth leads to understanding, wisdom,
and peace.
Science is a method for
understanding truth. God reveals truth. These are different methods with
similar goals. Science is always "becoming," the law of successive
approximation. God reveals truth which is absolute. Philosophy, including
humanism, also seeks truth and understanding. Each uses different methods.
Science, philosophy, and humanism can err. God is perfect and does not err.
Humans see in part. God sees all.
Regardless of the immediate source,
truth is truth.
Understanding the Human Situation
To fully
understand the human situation, one must go beyond an understanding of human
cognition, affect and behavior; one must also consider the influences of both
God and the Devil.
Factors
which influence the human situation:
- The
nature of the spiritual and physical laws of the universe
- The
culture and society with all its complexities
- The
family
- The
cognitions, affect and behavior of the individual
- The
biological self
- The
influences of God and Satan and the choices humans make.
Life is
not always fair. Individuals make choices that may help or hinder themselves
and others. Disease, genetic mishaps, accidents, natural disasters, war, hate,
and selfishness bring unwanted experiences into one's life. Many of these
experiences are beyond our control.
While we
cannot control many of these experiences, we can determine our attitudes and actions
regarding them. Much growth can occur as a result of difficulty dealt with
effectively. Just as muscles become stronger through strenuous exercise,
character is shaped by our response to adversity.
If one
purpose of life is to test us and provide growth promoting experiences, then
hardships may be a part of the process. Equity and fairness may only be seen
when one looks at the bigger picture of pre-mortal, mortal, and post-mortal
experiences.
Justice
and Mercy
Laws exist
which govern every aspect of the universe. It is easy to see the orderliness of
the physical universe. For example, the law of gravity. In our atmosphere one
can throw a ball up and be assured that it will come down. This is great at
baseball season. On the other hand, if I drive my car off a cliff, negative
consequences follow due to the same law. Laws exist in every aspect of human
endeavor. Commandments reflect the laws of spirituality. If a married person is
faithful to his or her spouse, the probability of a successful, happy marriage
increases. In contrast committing adultery brings pain and sorrow.
We cannot
really break a commandment, but we can break ourselves against the commandment.
Sin is the breaking of a commandment. The just result of sin is to distance
oneself from God, to curb self-development and happiness and to hurt others. The
law of justice demands its consequences just as the car going off the cliff
results in injury.
The
process of change allows one to learn from his or her mistakes and proceed
differently in the future. In the spiritual realm this is called repentance. The
process includes 1) recognition that one has done something wrong, 2) sorrow
for the pain and suffering one's actions have caused oneself and others
including pain to a loving God, 3) a commitment to stop the sin, 4) confessing
the sin and getting help from God and others who can be of help, 5) attempts to
repair the damage caused by the sin in oneself and others, and 6) a
self-renewal which includes a commitment to move ahead in a positive
direction. This process is wonderful but
also requires one who can remove the eternal consequences of our sins. For this
reason, we need a Savior.
Jesus
Christ who lived without sin, offered himself as a sacrifice for our sins. In
essence He paid the debt we have incurred through our own sins and are unable
to pay ourselves. His action of paying for our sins is called the
atonement. It occurred in the Garden of
Gethsemane where the pain was so great that blood issued from every pore, and
it occurred at Golgotha where he willing gave up His life for us. Three days following His death, Christ was
literally resurrected. He said, “Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I
myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me
have” (Luke 24:39).
Given what
He has done for us in bringing about the atonement and given His exemplary
life, it easy to love Him and want to become more like He is. Our acts of love help
us, help us help others and give great hope for ourselves and for all humanity
who will take advantage of his offering through personal change or repentance. Thus,
He is merciful.
Beyond His
atonement for sin, Jesus Christ also offered to sooth our suffering, heal our
spiritual wounds, and strengthen us in meeting life's challenges. What a great
gift this is. Because of
Christ, all humankind will be physically resurrected. “As in Adam all die, even
so in Christ shall all be made alive” (I Corinthians 15:22).
Faith
Faith is
the substance of things hoped for which are true. The assurance of the
truthfulness of things unseen. Faith is not knowledge. Knowledge comes through
the senses. Faith differs from belief in that it impels one to action. In other
words, faith causes one to act, to do. Faith is understood in the mind and felt
in the heart. Faith is personal and cannot be demanded of someone else. Each
person must come to an understanding of their own faith. Others may teach and
be good examples, but each person develops his or her own faith.
Faith
comes through sincere searching, learning of a truth and receiving a
confirmation from God of the veracity of the truth. The Spirit of God communes
with the spirit of man, woman, and child. In this sense faith comes by
revelation. It is a gift from God.
Experience
plays a role in the development of faith. As one tests a principle by
attempting to live that principle, consequences follow which attest to or deny
the truthfulness of the principle. One wise author suggested that it is like
planting a seed. In the beginning one simply hopes that the seed is a good seed
when planted. As the seed is nurtured, if it is a good seed, it grows. Eventually
a mighty tree may develop and yield its own fruit. All along the way one's
faith in the goodness of the seed grows from desire to hope, from hope to
belief, from belief to faith, and in some cases from faith to knowledge. One
sees the real fruits of the tested principle.
Science
Science is
based on observation. The more accurate our observations, the better we are
able to understand, explain and predict. Because scientists are limited by
their ability to observe, scientists may make some mistakes. However, continued
research may result in self-correction. As noted above, science is always
“becoming.” Our theories are constantly
being refined or replaced. Because scientists are limited by the effectiveness
of their observations, the advancement of technology allows us to make better
and better observations. Modern brain scans (e.g., MRI, CAT scans) are
improvements over EKGs. The direction of scientific inquiry is influenced by
zeitgeist, culture, politics, and funding sources. The representativeness of
the sample also places limits on generalization. Scientific inquiry may move
forward two steps and back one, but it continues to self-correct and make progress.