I've been trying to follow Mirembe's lead of treating the question of Faith poetically. We all live by faith. Faith that there really is a world out there and that we're in it. But all my attempts have been more that a bit jejune -- as bromide stuffed as a graduation speech. Faith isn't about God -- unless you want it to be. Faith is about oneself mostly. About what you want to happen. About your attitude towards yourself and all others. Forget God. 'God' is just a word. No one wants God. We all only want ourselves to blossom and suck in the sun and be diddled by bees. God is having people take notice. Having people care. That's God. That's all God ever is. Joy in our selves. Faith is faith in life. And since I can't do justice to Mirembe's musings I offer Merwin's GIFT which I find rich in intepretation possibilites, GIFT I have to trust what was given to me if I am to trust anything it led the stars over the shadowlesws mountain what does it know remember in its night and silence what does it not hope knowing itself no child of time what did it not begin what will it not end I have to hold it up in my hands as my ribs hold up my heart I have to let it open its wings and fly amontg the gifts of the unknown again in the mountain I have to turn to the morning I must be led by what was given to me as streams are led by it and braiding flights of birds the groping of veins the learning of plaints the thankful daysbreath by breath I call to it Nameless One O Invisible Untouchable Free I am nameless, I am divided I am invisible, I am untouchable and empty nomad live with me be my eyes my tongue and my hands my sleep and my rising out of chaos come and be given. > <><><> > faith is not irrational and is most certainly > compatible with reason > on the other hand > the decision of faith is not a rational one the > decision of faith may in fact appear > irrational > > think of it > levels different > ledges of > rationality accessible through > leaps > big ones or little but all leaps > of faith how else are levels of reason > joined > > think of it > levels of reason flavors of it > colors and whirlpools and rainbows > of it who needs a man for all > seasons we can have > a leaping person for all > reasons all of them > > <><><> > Best, MN > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------ > To change your Lit-Ideas settings (subscribe/unsub, vacation on/off, > digest on/off), visit www.andreas.com/faq-lit-ideas.html ------------------------------------------------------------------ To change your Lit-Ideas settings (subscribe/unsub, vacation on/off, digest on/off), visit www.andreas.com/faq-lit-ideas.html