Thursday, May 04, 2006

Reason and Faith

I have found that whenever we ask a question an answer is always forthcoming even if that answer means that we have to dig deeper in order to get a meaningful response. It seems to depend upon the quality and quantity of our intention.

How much do we need to know something? Are we passionate about obtaining the answer? Are we willing to let the answer come to us as truth or will we accept anything that appears to be like the answer? There is a long and a short way always. The short way resolves the tension of uncertainty but often means that we are accepting a solution due to its expediency. The long way allows the knowledge to come forth and penetrate our lives so that ultimately it is wisdom that we end up with seasoned and filled with truth.

At one point in my life I did not understand computers but my interest and intention were matched so that I put the time and energy into discovering what I needed to know. There still remains much that baffles me but I am satisfied that I can stay ahead of the learning curve at least for now. That process began as a desire to know more.

It is an interesting fact that people who work on computers will verify that sometimes they break down or work for no apparent reason. Many times when doing tech support for various companies I would intuit the answer or simply go through the same steps that the user was having and then all of a sudden it would work. I have had similar experiences working on my guitar amplifiers or video equipment. It sometimes wierdly enough depends upon my state of mind. I've learned the hard way not to try and fix any electronic equipment if I am tired or feeling negative. The converse is also true. In a positive frame of mind I just have to appear in the room. I remember a band mate of mine who wanted to keep the PA system when the band broke up. I told him okay but he would have to pay myself and the other band member our share of it. He refused to do so. Bottom line the PA system would not work for him and he ended up letting me take it. I just 'knew' that it would work for me which it did immediately when I brought it home.

The examples above illustrate how reason may go the extra distance in terms of learning a new skill, computers and also how faith makes that quantum leap so that things that haven't been working suddenly start working again. The same thing happened to me last week by the way. I was buying a lottery ticket from a machine in the supermarket. I had the ticket in my hand (did not get a single number) and one of the clerks said, 'Hey that machine is out of order.' I told him, 'I know here is my ticket.' When I looked on the machine it said out of order. This week I tried to purchase another ticket from the same machine and they taped up the slot where the dollar is inserted. I guess they weren't taking any chances with me again:)

The certainty that I have with electronics isn't based upon what I know about them but rather about what I have experienced directly as a result of my success. You are right faith cannot be explained and that is just fine. It goes along with the concept that you cannot use reason to explain faith nor may you encounter faith with reason. However it is my opinion that there is a blending that takes place on the edges of each conceptual determinate. This is an area that lies in my own no man's land. I've yet to discover exactly what this means, however, as stated above I am sure an answer will be forthcoming.

To be forever on the edge of discovery,
to uncover the secrets within and without,
my soul expands to attach itself to the Infinite, the Perpetual One, the Unity that surrounds and enlivens moment by moment along this wondrous path of liberation.

Many blessings.

B"H

0 Comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]

<< Home

Philosophy Blogs - Blog Top Sites

Religion Blogs
Religion Blogs

Religion Blogs
Start Blogging Add to Technorati Favorites

ThinkExist.com Quotes