The faith of
I've almost always been a person of faith. Admittedly, in the midst of my adolescence, I was a person of little faith. But, it is something important to me. I would even venture so far, being a North American, to assert that it is something of importance to most people in my culture. Even, perhaps especially so to many who call themselves atheists. A perhaps better ascribed term for many would be, anti-theist. A vehement refusal to accept G-D and perhaps even to have as dogmatic a faith in science as the dogmatism they loathe.
Now, let us veer for a moment towards our object and discuss dogmatism. Searching for the definition of dogma: results, a principle or set of principles laid down by an authority as incontrovertibly true. “the Christian dogma of the Trinity”
So, the dogma is the man-made rules about G-D. What must be true, even, what must be accepted in order to be approvable in the sight of G-D according to your fellow man.
Perhaps, man, what a bugbear. The example itself from the dictionary exemplifies the dogma of the trinity, which I believe is a catholic dogma, (that even being the faith I was raised in) which really typifies the sort of problems that come from dogma. The roman catholic church insists that G-D is three and one at the same time. This of course brings up an issue for Muslims, who believe that G-D is one and only one all the time.
Now, we could go further down that line, much much further, but, let's not. We'll allow it to be sufficient to contend with the premise that “true rules” get in between people and what they may feel comfortable believing, because others have told them that if they don't believe in certain “true rules” then whatever they DO believe really doesn't matter, because it's not good enough.
In the Gospel of John, chapter 14, verse 6, the following is read: Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. Now, I might contend that the interpretation of this verse has led to a dogma that has rent many further separate from their true spiritual lives than anyone could desire.
Now, we're going to veer right back into the topic of this essay, the faith of. The dogma of faith in Jesus Christ gets in the way of living the faith of Jesus Christ.
I think the key to understanding this argument is the phrase 'I AM'.
So, I just did some digging around in the scriptures, to make a case to support my argument, which I can still do, I think, but I do feel the need to make a brief reprieve to amend it. It is a sufficient step to have faith in Christ alone. But the message of Jesus' life and teachings also extends beyond that into a disclipline, that would make one who follows him to become a gateway to him for the world. Or a gateway to the world for him. By living the faith of Jesus we can also be an example of 'I AM' for our brothers and sisters, just as Jesus, our big brother, was.
