Conversation with Master Buddha and TMichael: Faith

TM:  What is the nature of faith as it relates to matters spiritual or religious?

Master Buddha:  The nature of faith rests on the premise that there are things one can’t know for certain through direct observation, and so one must imagine that given a strong feeling that something must be true, then it is accepted as true.  It becomes a belief in one’s truth based upon the strong feeling.

TM:  So what we consider to be evidence of truth through direct observation of facts is not faith?

Master Buddha: Well, that is faith also to some extent, because has one ever experienced absolute proof of truth?  Can you truly say that even the things you thought you proved to yourself through direct observation have always been really true?  Have there been occasions where you observed a thing to be true and later discovered your observations were not so accurate?  There is usually some element of doubt and faith fills in the gap.

TM:  Aren’t all these considerations about truth relative to time and our progressive understanding of many things that change over time?

Master Buddha: Yes, of course.  Your understanding of truth changes as you grow to reach new understandings about yourself, others and the universe.  There is always a measure of faith thrown in to close the gaps and to bridge your doubt and what you perceive is truth in that moment.  Once you think you have reached some absolute truth, you will soon discover the illusion inherent in that notion.  It is better to say, for now I think I know the truth of this matter and I’ll take it on faith as I continue searching for new information, new knowledge, new understanding about this.

There are those people who believe in a mechanistic universe.  That there are physical laws that behave in a way that explains all the phenomena that surrounds you.  You might say that even for those believers there is a measure of faith to fill in the parts that are missing.

TM:  Some people allow more room for faith and some it seems allow less room.  But you’re saying that we all allow some room for faith regardless of our beliefs?

Master Buddha:  Yes, I’m saying that.  As science has progressed, it has revealed the vast knowledge that humanity has amassed in understanding your world.  It has also revealed the vast ignorance.  If you plot that on a time continuum you can see that the more that you know, the greater your understanding that there is so much more you don’t know.  So, you take what you know and you project a little further into the future of the possibilities of things that could be true.  That is a form of faith.  If you act upon faith by assuming the projections are true, then it is meaningful.  To speculate is to explore ideas about truth and to act upon faith that something is true is commitment.

TM:  It seems to me that people of religious and spiritual faith rely upon teachings of the past to form their foundation, which requires faith that the teachings were accurately recording and interpreted.

Master Buddha: And that the projections of those truths are applicable to humanity today.  There are many new teachings brought forth today and they are received similarly as were the teachings given long ago.  There is a resistance to new teachings by humanity, because they cling to the old ones, the ones they were taught are true.  There is a lag in time for new beliefs to be accepted.

TM:  No way around that is there?

Master Buddha:  Not likely it will change any time soon.  It is human nature and probably a good characteristic if it is moderate.

© TM 2015