Faith, morals and political integrity, three subjects that most Americans believe they have. The question, however, always comes to mind, how much of these belief systems are real or just a matter of convenience?
As we listen to the caustic and angry rhetoric of our current election campaign, where does integrity begin? Again, I need to remind us that I am not talking about hypocrites. I prefer to believe most people are sincere. What concerns me is how the belief systems that candidates espouse, or anyone of us, become compromised when it is no longer profitable, financially or emotionally, to continue to believe in them.
Let’s consider religious convictions or faith. We all deal with the two bookends of life: Birth and Death – the tension created by the frame they produce, fuels the positive impulse that drives life.
Within each of us a need for certainty exists – a certainty that cannot exist in the world as we know it. From this premise, we begin a journey to seek an uncertain truth that can only exist in faith. Within the intuitive understanding of this concept, we begin our journey.
The frame of life created at birth and ending with death is a vertical boundary. To travel beyond the vertical boundary is a matter of transcendence, and if we go beyond the frame, we go from the uncertainty of reality to the certainty of uncertainty. We call that journey faith, and it cannot be resolved as long as we remain in the frame.
It is easy to see how normal it would be to have these faith belief systems challenged by circumstances that could harm us. How would we hold up if challenged to this degree?
Here we have many examples of people who believed and acted according to their ideology. This also includes those who gave their lives. It seems a good idea to reflect on the lives on these heroic people, so we can see how we might compare to them.
I know the standard is high here, but so is the concept of personal integrity. Self-examination should be an important part of our growth process. To wait for the trial to appear without serious introspection beforehand would be foolish. There is a reason military training is so vigorous and often dangerous. It prepares the soldier, as best as possible, to understand the dangers and tasks they will be facing.
Should we be any less vigorous with our faith? If one needs an example of “the Christian life” there could be none better than Dietrich Bonhoeffer*. Take some time to consider this man’s life and faith. He set the standard. How would each of us hold up? That is a question only for you and your God.
* http://www.christianitytoday.com/ch/131christians/martyrs/bonhoeffer.html?start=1
Brother Giovanni, commenting for “Musings”
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