A Faith-full Invitation.

Following on from one of my previous contributions I would like to extend an invitation to any who read these lines:

“You are cordially invited to join with those of us who have decided to stick their necks out and thereby to live dangerously.  RSVP is at your discretion and depending on your valour!”

You realise, of course, what is attached to the end of your neck!

Your head!

In your head is your brain – your mind.

And within that wonderful organ, thinking takes place…

Followed by choices and decisions.

This sequence is pretty simple really, but the external choppers, or clobbering machines, are what make the course we choose to follow a bit dicey and scary.

While you may be gathering at the start line, warming up and getting positioned for the READY, SET, GO… let me waft a few other thoughts in your direction.

I am having a few mental gymnastics on the subject of “faith”.  There is a huge amount that has been written on the topic from many different perspectives.  For some people, it seems to be regarded a rather “dirty”, or suspect, word.  Perhaps they feel more comfortable with the word “trust”.  Anyway, like it or not, we all exercise faith every day in many different ways.  What exactly is faith?

To be exact is not easy.  There are all sorts of ways the word can be used, but let’s look at two definitions, and keep things as simple as possible.

1.        Faith is a strong belief in someone, or something, especially when you have to commit yourself without having any proof.  It involves complete confidence or trust.

2.       Faith is the confident assurance that something we want is going to happen.  It is the certainty that what we hope for is waiting for us, even though we cannot see it up ahead.

In the thesaurus I found the following synonyms for faith:

assurance
confidence
conviction
credence
dependence
reliance
trust.

Now let’s come back to everyday activities which involve acts of faith: turning on a light switch or the TV set; committing yourself to an aeroplane and travelling safely to wherever; posting a letter or sending an e-mail.  Think about the times you’ve heard someone say, “I have faith in my coach … I have faith in myself… I have faith in the ___ system… I have faith that my son/daughter will make it.”

We regulate our lives, and we conduct our affairs, by our convictions or beliefs.  We have to rely on, and trust in people, technology or systems, even though we don’t understand how it all happens.

There is a weak link in the faith process, as I’m sure we all know about.  It only “works” if there is an absolute guarantee that whatever we commit ourselves to is reliable, totally safe and completely foolproof.

Have you found such a comprehensive guarantee?

Seeing as this website focuses a lot on health issues and the medical system (but no other system is exempt), think very seriously about the people and technology you are putting your faith or trust in; what you are committing your life and/or your family and future to.

And then think about all the influences that are trying to persuade you to do something; to choose the “right” path to follow.

How strong, entrenched and secure are our convictions and beliefs?

Is there a time and place when a switchover should occur?

Would it be true to say that it will only happen when you find a guarantee, or guarantor in whom you will have faith to have faith?!

The next heat in the SYNO race for life is about to start.

Take your marks… get set … GO!

Oh dear!  Some of the entrants seem to have pulled out.  I wonder if some of these big, burly security guards over there, have got anything to do with it?

Their shoulder flashes have DUD on them.

“Excuse me, Sir.  I’m not familiar with your security company.  Your presence here seems rather intimidating, could you tell….”

“Sure can mate.  We aim to make duds out of the faint-hearted.  The “Don’t U Dare” security company stops people making “fools” of themselves before they start.  Our methods are very successful.  Can I be of any further assistance?

“Er… no thank you.  You have been very succinct!”

My invitation still stands.  Reading chapter 7 in JALP, page 61, could be helpful.