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When I reflect on the religious landscape in my (modern) society, I tend to primarily see two forms of faith. The first, quite frankly, seems to be little more than a baptized therapeutic positive psychology coupled with random acts of kindness. The second is essentially an academic intellectualizing faith that lives a quite bookish existence and engages in intellectual exercises such as debate, little else.
Now, the bible seems to present a faith that I would say goes quite beyond either of those popular manifestations. This biblical faith, modeled by John the Baptist, Paul, James, etc. is a quality of faith most dare not attempt to emulate. In fact, I think it would be fair to say that most modern-minded Christian's would relegate this manifestation of faith, were they to witness it today, to religious mania and/or schizotypal mental illness. Some skeptics, I'm sure, would absolutely agree that biblical persons were in fact suffering from varying degrees of mental disorders. Now of course, modern day sophisticated believers will vehemently deny this accusation, but I wonder if we would in actuality be eager to befriend a person with this extraordinary faith, such as the Apostle Paul? Or would we keep our distance, be pleasant, but inwardly categorize him as a religious loon? Why, may I ask, do you think our lives are so often fundamentally similar to abject materialists and our quality of faith is utterly devoid of producing any supernatural manifestations? Will we pray for someone with the flu, but not someone with a severed limb? Could this be an indication that we either possess one of the first two qualities of faith, but not the third, which seems to me, to be the closest to the genuine article, as presented by the biblical text.
Just some thoughts, looking for some feedback.
"...when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?" (Luke 18:8)
Now, the bible seems to present a faith that I would say goes quite beyond either of those popular manifestations. This biblical faith, modeled by John the Baptist, Paul, James, etc. is a quality of faith most dare not attempt to emulate. In fact, I think it would be fair to say that most modern-minded Christian's would relegate this manifestation of faith, were they to witness it today, to religious mania and/or schizotypal mental illness. Some skeptics, I'm sure, would absolutely agree that biblical persons were in fact suffering from varying degrees of mental disorders. Now of course, modern day sophisticated believers will vehemently deny this accusation, but I wonder if we would in actuality be eager to befriend a person with this extraordinary faith, such as the Apostle Paul? Or would we keep our distance, be pleasant, but inwardly categorize him as a religious loon? Why, may I ask, do you think our lives are so often fundamentally similar to abject materialists and our quality of faith is utterly devoid of producing any supernatural manifestations? Will we pray for someone with the flu, but not someone with a severed limb? Could this be an indication that we either possess one of the first two qualities of faith, but not the third, which seems to me, to be the closest to the genuine article, as presented by the biblical text.
Just some thoughts, looking for some feedback.
"...when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?" (Luke 18:8)
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