Assurance ? Faith != belief

[AOSpare]

I am noticing that many here looking for the absolute. Some kind of an assurance, proof of some sort. You must try to change your thinking and abandon the search for absolutes and assurances. Instead, try to listen and build up your little inner voice.

Once upon a time, I wrote a bunch of spiritual essays and bundled them together with the title Faith:Belief with Wings. Download the whole thing, from smashwords....

"Faith and belief are frequently used as synonyms, and indeed their definitions have overlapping elements. Both words are properly used to denote one’s convictions that hold something (or someone) to be either true or false.

Merriam Webster’s Dictionary defines belief as “conviction of the truth of some statement or the reality of some being or phenomenon especially when based on examination of evidence”. Alternatively, its definition of faith includes “firm belief in something for which there is no proof”. This fine distinction, the presence or absence of evidence, is where the two words diverge.

The emergence of science in the past millennium has led to great advances in our understanding of the physical world around us. The attending scientific methods focus on observing, hypothesizing, predicting and experimenting in order to gain, correct, or integrate previous knowledge. This is a logical process and appropriate for those things that can be observed and measured (i.e. the physical world). Scientific methodology can be compared to Gautama Buddha’s Kalama Sutta which, parsed and paraphrased, can be summed up as “don‘t believe me because I say so, apply it and see for yourself”.

The Wisdom of the Kalama Sutta
It is free to download from smashwords.com in all formats imaginable. Kindle, Nook, Kobo, pdf and so on....

Anyway, meditate on the difference between these two concepts and you might find your answer.
Cheers

 

[Crazy Train]

I see beliefs as being somewhat changeable, based on new information. I guess it depends on the person when it comes to how changeable their beliefs are.


Faith is much more difficult to modify or dispose of outright. It requires going against an authoritarians use of force of some type, because like you say it is not based on any kind of proof. Threats are heavily involved, as is peer pressure. There is also the emotional investment in their faith, and not too many people want to admit that their faith was misplaced.


In my opinion, the trick is to have temporary beliefs that one has no emotional investment in. That, and a complete rejection of anyones demands of "faith" of any kind. The next person I meet IRL that says I must have faith is going to get it with both barrels.

don‘t believe me because I say so, apply it and see for yourself”.

If only all "occult" authors would say that. :laugh:


I think people are programmed from their school days to believe others are smarter than them, and only another will have the absolutes and answers. That is a tough program to beat, because it's so hard to see it in the first place. At least it was for me.

 

[AOSpare]

There is also an added angle to this whole discussion, our mind is perfectly capable of creating its own reality. The occult secret is that whatever we strongly believe is actually manifesting, gradually, right before our eyes. Whatever form of afterlife we believe is what's going to happen to us up to a certain point. That point is our rebirth/reincarnation. So whatever is the time we spend in "limbo", in between lives is actually largely based on the set of projections and beliefs we formed in our lives.

 

[Tinkerman]

In my small corner of the world I have come to understand that the journey of faith is an inward growth, or as you call its you call it an "inner voice." In my opinion this has been the route of all the great masters... Buddha alone under a Bodhi tree, Jesus in the desert, Abraham, Mohammed etc etc. They did not seek faith or beliefs in big temples or crowded churches... they went out into their own wilderness and plunged themselves into their own head... we call it meditation and or prayer.


Faith is one of the five spiritual virtues and sometimes referred to as "the seed." It is said, we have the seed, but it must be propagated, nourished and sent forth into the light in order to manifest. I believe this is done in the wilderness... in prayer... in meditation, or whatever you choose to label the action of the inward journey.


In the Theravada Library I found this reference to faith "Intellectually, faith is an assent to doctrines which are not substantiated by immediately available direct factual evidence. To be a matter of faith, a belief must go beyond the available evidence and the believer must be willing and ready to fill up the gaps in the evidence with an attitude of patient and trusting acceptance. Faith, taken in this sense, has two opposites, i.e., a dull unawareness of the things which are worth believing in, and doubt or perplexity. In any kind of religion some assumptions are taken on trust and accepted on the authority of scriptures or teachers."


Tman

 

[Pyrosfuel]

Well tman I can say to be faithful or have beliefs on religion, I don't think anyone needs proof of that I certainly agree. But what about spirituality? Anyone of any religion would come to the same conclusion that spirituality is a oneness of mind body and spirit! Would you agree that this is something that needs absolution to move on in the journey?


One thing actually shocks me a little, not all religions embrace spirituality! Or at least I could never tell as a child because I never truly felt like I belonged in one. Never felt right to me! I can say I've gained more spiritual awareness, happiness, and sleep since I started it and I can never recall feeling anything like this going to church. They treated it like law that you must abide by or you go te hell!!! Even as a child I felt this system was depressing. My religion ties very closely with my spirituality because it is something I can tangibly feel.


Latly I have been haveing religious expieriences, surges of energy with waves of images that I feel are given to me to help me develope myself further at increased speeds. But again I never had that at churches today. They didnt teach us to respect this planet, respect each other, love and cherish your wife. If these words were said they were always hollowed words. If these were practiced, as they were preached then why would churches allow or recognize devorce at all. I'm getting kinda preachy myself srry bout that. These are the reason I've never needed absolution or proof of my religion, comeing from preachers I always threw it out as useless information. I've always know what actions and words were right and wrong.


And to my main point again. I have always had absolution and proof every step of the way on my spirituality, and religion. I can tangibly feel my higher power within and around me, "reiki" I'm starting to be able to see it with my eyes. "Auras". Building my confedence, reducing my stress, helping me sleep at night. I never saught out proof of my own personal religion, and spirituality. This all fell into my lap... Ill give you proof. Before I started this whole thing this is what I believed. There is a g#d, and if you don't do anything bad and conduct your life well you get to heaven. I can honestly say its because I didn't know any better at the time. Now I can FEEL multiple entities Devine, or other. I know just not doing anything bad isn't going to allow your soul to rest in the heaven, you have to take action against the wrong in this world. If you can't stand up for what's right, you either stand for what's wrong in the world or you stand for nothing at all!!! I know that the wrong in the world could never hold up against the ones who fight it plus the ones if that would rather not take a stand out of fear or not careing, but again back to the point, I learned this through tangible spirituality, I didn't need to search for proof, all of the proof straight up found me!!