pez@pyuxn.UUCP (Paul Zimmerman) (09/09/85)
Beth, You make some very interesting points about faith, describing how terminally ill patients with faith and a will to live can survive. And you're right when you say that the object of faith is irrelevant (God, themselves, doctors). Faith as you describe it represents a self-assured attitude. Where you fall, though, is when you describe ``the God of the New Testament'' advocating faith. He isn't advocating faith for YOUR benefit, He's advocating faith in Him, whorship of Him. He is using your faith and sapping it for His own ends. Look at the price Job paid for His faith. Slowly but surely, He tries to extract it from us all. I cannot see how the twisted morality God demands that people live up to (all the while putting obstacles in our way) can be refered to as ``eternal, all encompassing love.'' Certainly the New Testament does not stress such a truth as you describe. One look at what the Damager-God has aided and abetted in the name of whorshiping Him would tell us otherwise. Am I asking that people ``give up faith in something positive,'' or am I accurately depicting a lie told by God, a lie we would all be well rid of? Why can't we have faith in good things instead of bad things posing as good? Believing in goodness and love is one thing. Believing in a God who tells you He represents goodness and love when He does not is another. I have to wonder why you would want to discredit my motives for pointing out how the faith we are talking about is misplaced. Have you succumbed to the lies of God, even though you don't even believe in His existence. Be well, -- Paul Zimmerman - AT&T Bell Laboratories pyuxn!pez