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My thoughts?
I've already laid out my own beliefs, such as they are. Naturally any answer I could give here would be coloured by that.
I've always looked at faith as something apart from myself. It's interesting in that it's always been so remote. A non-religious upbringing combined with a natural habit of questioning everything leaves me bereft of the ability to just accept something without doubt or reason.
As an observer I find that, as I wrote earlier, those who hold faith of any nature seem to be able to draw comfort from it in their time of need. A man of faith, be it Christian, Judaic, Muslim or Buddhist, uses the answers his established religion of choice provides him to impose order on seemingly random events. That's where my confusion comes from. Nietzche famously characterized religion as a drug designed to sedate the people who fall under it. I suppose what I'm questioning is whether this is a valid assertion. Does a man follow faith for the comfort it brings, or does a man derive comfort from following a faith? I suppose it's a subtle distinction at best, but important all the same.
If I had the answers, I wouldn't ask questions. And I reckon that would be a boring way to go through life.
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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
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