keep the faith

It is very easy to have faith in God, religion, an ideology, our family, lovers, friends, an idea, science and art when life is not troubled by broken dreams and death. When the nectar of paradise is the only substance our tongue tastes each time we open our eyes, we believe that our faith in whatever it is works and nothing will ever go wrong. To the contrary, once we are surrounded by problems, challenges and obstacles, we either cling on to our faith to help us through or question its validity and reliability.

But what is faith? Maybe the question should be, why do need to have faith in anything? Very often, it is about having convictions in something outside of ourselves like our complete devotion to a particular religious creed, a system, a person, an opinion or some sacred texts. By having something to believe in externally, it provides us the security of not being alone. That something bigger and infinite are constantly watching over us to put us on the right passageway. It is safe and certain to have a sure way of life and to follow a proper code of conduct.

We prefer to believe (or have faith in) that we have freedom of choice, speech and thought. The American constitution guarantees this and so do many constitutions of the democratic world. What is intriguing is that our most basic right to talk, to choose what we want in life and what views we wish to follow have to be written down in a piece of parchment, signed and sealed by some fellows who swear to protect us from tyranny and nepotism. But then, who practices autocracy in the name of democracy? Who oppresses the impoverished to earn more profits only to donate them again in the name of charity?

It is amazing what faith can do to man. It is equally puzzling how the lack of faith can weaken man. Since the beginning of mankind, we have always sought for answers to the same question – our creation, the mysteries of life itself. Until today, we are still dabbling on the fringes of reality. One theory is as probable as the next. Every hypothesis debunks itself and all is in a constant flux. And so faith keeps our feet planted firmly on the ground and offers temporary satisfactions to our lonely souls.