#68: Blind Faith Vs. Resilient Faith

I take a lot of sociology classes, and I literally just started a new one. The professor in this class posed a great theory that I'd like to share. I think anyone who has read any of the entries in my blog know that I'm not a particularly religious person, and though I stand up for a lot of different religions and beliefs, people notice that I tend to sometimes exude animosity toward the Christian religion in particular, so I want to clear some things up. And keep in mind that this goes for any and every religion. I am completely open to other people's religions, Christianity included. The problem I have is that a lot of Christians that I have met in my life, not all but a lot, have my professor calls "Blind Faith."

Now, "Blind Faith," in my professor's terminology, means people whose faith blinds them - just as it sounds. It's when people believe so heavily that their religion is right that they judge other people and other religions based on their own, and some people go as far as to hate other people and other religions. People of "Blind Faith" push their religion on other people and don't question the practicality of their religion or understand why other people don't believe in it. They see only what they want to see and don't even hear out what anyone has to say about it. They are closed-minded and listen to anyone else's ideas or suggestions about it. They believe that what they believe is right, and everyone else is wrong, period. And they do not welcome comments or criticism and even become angry/irritated/offended when people comment or criticize their beliefs or religion.

On the other hand, a people of "Resilient Faith" ask questions about their religion and seek practical answers to the questions, so that other people understand where they're coming from and don't feel attacked, and so that the ideas of the religion do not seem so far-fetched to peope outside that particlar religion. These people are open to questions, comments, and criticism about their religion, and sometimes they have answers, while other times they allow themselves to ponder the proper and best answer to the question, which often times there are no good or true answers in the realm of beliefs that are not necessarily universal and can be based on individual perspectives. People of "Resilient Faith" understand that and are open to the idea. People of "Resilient Faith" are open and even interested in learning about other people's religions and cultures, and they may adopt some social norms of other religions and cultures that they think might be better than their own. They are open to the fact that they themselves and everyone else have a right to choose a religion or to not believe in anything at all, and they are ok with that. They do not judge people of other religions, and they do not push their religion or religious agenda on other people, but instead, they may be available for talks about their religion when called upon and they show their religious beliefts through treating people the way they should treat people (thereby living out what they would like to preach and would like for everyone to take from their religion.) They may even hand out fliers or try preach their religion in public locations, but they are always non-judgemental, sincere, and courteous in their preachings.

By the way, I actually think very highly of people who can question their own religion's flaws, think about the practicality and impracticality of different parts of their religion, take questions and concerns and criticisms from other people about their religion, ponder on those questions and concerns and criticisms in an open-minded fashion, not become offended or upset over said questions and concerns and criticisms, etc. - all the while still believing wholeheartedly in their religion. I think that makes for someone with extremely strong faith. But it also is a tell-tale sign of someone who is intelligent, open-minded, even-tempered, and easy to talk to. Afterall, if you go into conversations with an open mind and an even temper, you are way more likely to win someone over and have a good conversation, and you might even make the person re-evaluate their beliefs. You will definitely earn their trust and not push them away from that which you want to pull them closer to. Anyway, I feel like these are the makings of a truly strong Christian (or Muslim or Jew or whatever.)

These are the differences between people of "Blind Faith" and people of "Resilient Faith." If you are religious, I'd encourage you to strive to be like people of "Resilient Faith." The religious people that I can't stand and sometimes, admittedly, speak ill of are the people of "Blind Faith." That is why sometimes people say I have animosity toward Christians. That's completely untrue. My best friend/sister and her parents, who are like my second parents, are very devout Christians, and they are the most amazing people I've ever met, and I love them so much. But they have "Resilient Faith." They never judge; they only seek to help and teach love, which is how I think everyone should be, no matter what religion you are. The only people I have trouble with sometimes are people of "Blind Faith," and living in the Bible Belt, I meet plenty of them. And seriously, that doesn't just go for Christianity. It goes for any religion. Anyway, there's something you guys should keep in mind about people of "Blind Faith." No one who is not religious listens to those people anyway, and lots of religious people don't listen to them either. We just resent them and regard them as being looney tunes.

What people of "Blind Faith" are!