Martian

I've restrained myself from posting in several threads here, because I can't seem to make the argument I seem to want to make without veering off-topic. Finally, I've decided that it deserves a topic of it's own.

There are many flavours of Christians. I've known many in my day. My own mother claims to be Protestant, although she's never once to my knowledge attended church. She, like many others, seems to hold faith as a casual thing. She claims a belief but doesn't follow any of the tenets set out by the established religion she professes to be a part of. She's a good woman by all accounts; she lives right and has dedicated her life to helping those less fortunate.

This, to me, is in stark contrast to those who seem to hold a very strong faith. I have dated two Catholic girls in my time, both of whom attended church regularly and held their faith very close. In dating these girls, I saw the world through their eyes. As a non-believer, it was insightful to discover how they leaned on their faith in times of need, how when all was well they thanked a higher power for their good fortune.

In days past, one like me might be considered an outcast. Even today, I'm a bit of an exception due to my lack of any established faith. I profess to be neither a believer nor an unbeliever. I am firmly on the fence when it comes to matters of religion and belief and I will calmly state to any who wish to know that I make no claims to knowledge about any sort of divine creator or lack thereof. I don't have an answer; the correct one will present itself to me, in due course. This is, in a fashion, my own faith. I have a strong belief that I am incapable of presenting a definitive answer. Atheists believe the answer to be that of cosmic accident; we're here by random chance, essentially.

I have a working knowledge of quantum physics, which comes out most often in this forum. Philosophy and physics are more closely related than many seem to realize; philosophy seeks to find answers as to why things are the way they are by looking inwards, whereas physics looks outwards instead. A philosopher attempts to find insight within himself, where a physicist turns to the world around him. At times they overlap. The beginning of the universe is one of those instances; the currently accepted model defines a beginning of the universe as we know it and states that what's beyond that is unknowable. This is where faith takes over and therefore how the two can co-exist; one can believe in the Big Bang and believe that God caused it, if one should so choose. Is it necessarily so?

One of the two Catholic girls I dated was somewhat amenable to discussions regarding faith and we engaged in them quite often. Religious faith is central to a person's very character and therefore important in such relationships, particularly when they're between two people of differing faith. She told me during one of our discussions that she was able to see evidence of God's existance all around her. I informed her that I could not.

In truth, I would like to be a believer. Faith is a comfort to the weary or ailing. It allows one to accept as a truth that everything serves a greater purpose. Many people believe this, even those who are not Christian. Thus, suffering is allieviated, because although it's unpleasant it has meaning.

And it's at this point that I wonder. Does one accept faith in order to ascribe a higher meaning to all that occurs, or does one ascribe a higher meaning to all that occurs due to faith?

Discuss.

__________________
I wake up in the morning more tired than before I slept
I get through cryin' and I'm sadder than before I wept
I get through thinkin' now, and the thoughts have left my head
I get through speakin' and I can't remember, not a word that I said

- Ben Harper, Show Me A Little Shame