Messianic Fervor
During this period of religious significance to both Christians and Jews, a mental ‘almost overload’ has “….come upon me”–while I was raking last fall’s leaves.
Not being a theologian the following is the best that I could do.
Christians celebrate Easter as the rebirth of the Savior—someone who would cleanse them of sin and perpetuate their survival in Heaven.
Pagans celebrated this period as the resurrection of crops and fruit trees–those things necessary for their survival.
The Jews celebrate it for another reason—that they were ‘passed over’ and so survived to today.
It appears to me that ‘survival’ is a major component of this holiday season.
People want to hope for better times. They need a belief that things will get better as the pagans knew would happen in the spring. Or is it simply that people have faith that things will get better?
Faith is blind acceptance of a possible outcome. There is no available data to back up faith.
This seems very appropriate for what is happening today.
The Jews had faith that a Messiah would come and make things better. When Jesus came into the picture He didn’t help them in their struggle with the Romans so he was rejected as not being the Messiah that they expected.
Today we are experiencing a similar situation. Times are tough; fear is rampant.
Obama has been compared by many to be a ‘Messianic figure’.
The fact that he was elected President might have been as a result of this perception by a large number of people. In his campaign he said that he had a plan that would solve all the problems facing our country and perhaps the world, by extension.
I wonder if Obama and Congress will “deliver us from evil” or must we wait another four years for some, as of yet, unknown Messiah?
I would strongly suspect that if you took a campaign speech from England in the late 1700’s you’d find exactly the same verbiage. The particulars of course would be different but the the general slant would be the same.
As for the religious aspects, and many would disagree with this, it’s a business. The product is hope in a future that we can’t comprehend. What continues to astound me is that individuals will thank God for saving them from a tornado but fail to put the blame on the same God for generating it.
I think I am seeing a corollary here:
Easy money with a get rich quick scheme.
Make children behave with a pill. (Pills, especially)
Lose weight with lipo-suction
Get all the important news by watching TV.
Find inner peace with blind faith.
Fix the world by electing a “messiah.”
People seem very drawn to things that seem like “quick fixes.”
“Religion is regarded by the common people as true, by the wise as false, and by rulers as useful.”
~Seneca the Younger
There are things we consider certain (e.g., the Sun will “come up” tomorrow morning, it will “go down” tonight, etc.) because recorded history has reflected that pattern (empirical evidence).
At least two volcanoes have blown enough “stuff” into the atmosphere that sunlight was so significantly reduced that abnormal weather conditions resulted across the Northern Hemisphere (the most recent being 1816, the year with no summer — which occurred after the Indonesian volcano Tambora did its thing). But in spite of the more limited sunshine, people did not forget that the sun “comes up” and “goes down”.
Suppose for a moment that sunlight could be blocked so effectively that total darkness would prevail, say for 1 month, and that some part of civilization still survived. At the end of that 1 month, and prior to any penetration of sunlight, would the survivors believe that the sun will “come up” tomorrow, or would they believe that the sun may never again “come up” again?
What’s the point? The point is FAITH. If you know from experience that something is likely to repeat, you don’t need FAITH to accept the liklihood that it will occur again (that’s why farmers plant seeds). But if you have no prior empirical knowledge that something will occur, and yet you believe strongly that it will come to pass, that is belief based on FAITH. A wise man once said, “FAITH is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Another said, “…FAITH is not to have a perfect knowledge of things; therfore if ye have FAITH, ye hope for things which are not seen, which are true.” So truth is also a factor of what FAITH actually means. If I believe that my neighbor is a space-alien and will one day whisk me away to some far away planet, that’s a belief, it’s not FAITH.
Science has progressed a long way over the last 100 years, but still does not have “all the answers.” That’s not to say there aren’t those (some of them scientists) who do believe that science does have all the answers, but there are an even larger contingent of us who believe science falls short in many areas.
There is no question in my mind that God is indeed active in the affairs of His children, but I cannot explain why he answers some prayers and not others, except to say that, “Because He is God, He can see the implications of each and every prayer.” When two neighbors are in disagreement over a matter affecting them jointly, and each of them prays to God asking that their position prevail, how would you (if you were God) respond to those prayers? My belief is that you would respond as best you were able, predicated on what you knew of the outcome certain.
Dave,
Thanks for your input. It may get a discussion started.
That was the ‘hope’ or ‘wish’ when I started this BLOG way back in November 2007.
A ‘hope’ or ‘wish’ doesn’t necessarily guarantee results.
‘Faith’ might although there is no evidence that it will.
‘Belief’, on the other hand, is a stronger expectation of results.
I think ‘belief’ implies prior evidence.
I ‘believe’ that the sun will come up tomorrow because it always has.
Beyond this is ‘I know’. After an infinite number of its doing so I know it will come up tomorrow.
‘Faith’ implies to me that ‘this couldn’t possibly have happened by chance therefore I have ‘faith’ in a supreme being.
As I prefaced my article, I am not a theologian therefore I am on shaky ground.
I ‘believe’ that you will come to my rescue because you have in the past.
Had I not known you I would only have ‘faith’ that you would do so.
NOTE: The sentence above is a result of Dave having been my supervisor and mentor when I was a new Electronics Technician aboard the USS TAYLOR in 1952.
John
In further response to Dave’s comments above is the apparent convergence between science and religious philosophy today.
The deeper we get into modern physical quantum theory (speculation?) the closer we get to esoteric Buddhist philosophy regarding the non-existence of reality.
Are we the generators of our own reality or are we following a pre-programmed script written by some supreme power?
I “dumped” religion when I was fourteen after eight years of catholic grade school. Frankly I’ve never looked back with any remorse.
Are we generators of our own reality? Sure, at least part of it. You also have the “group” reality to contend with. As for any “God” it lies within the six to seven inches between your ears.
As for religion itself, the closest to being true came from George Lucas.
Today I have two historical figures to really thank, King Henry VIII and Martin Luther. Without these guys things wouldn’t be so sweet for guys like me! I’d have been burned at the stake at fifteen!
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The BLOG uses WORDPRESS. The setup was easy.
I find it’s very easy to add articles etc.
As far as all the postings go, I research all the info myself and do my own writing…when the spirit moves me!
Thanks to all for reading and the comments.
I am not certain where this BLOG is heading or what its ultimate purpose is.
I love your blog! did you create this yourself or did you outsource it? Im looking for a blog design thats similar so thats the only reason I’m asking. Either way keep up the nice work I was impressed with your content really..