“‘Do you believe in flying saucers?’ they asked me. ‘Do you believe in telepathy? — or ancient astronauts? — or the Bermuda Triangle? — or a one true creation of the Universe – or life after death?’ ‘No’, I quite simply replied. ‘No, no, no, no, and once again, no.’ And then one of those present, possibly goaded into desperation by my repetitive litany of unrelieved negation, suddenly burst out “Don’t you believe in anything?!?” ‘Why yes, of course’, I noted. “I believe in science. I believe in evidence. I believe in theorizing and searching and observation and measurement and confirmation. I believe in reason and corroboration and opening everything up to being tested & poked & prodded & revisited. And I believe in other things too – things less tangible yet things that produce equally witness-able results – things like goodness and kindness and generosity & self-sacrifice. In fact I’ll believe just about anything, no matter how wild and ridiculous, if there is evidence for it – if it bears Good Fruit when put into bold practice … And this is my definition of faith; walking face-first and full-speed into the darkness of unknowing, and yet doing so not for my own salvation of security, but rather to either serve others or uncover new truths (or both). Indeed, if we truly knew all the answers in advance as to the Meaning of life and the nature of God and the destiny of our Souls, our belief therein would be neither a leap of faith nor a courageous act of selfless caring. It would be hollowly religious – nothing more than a vapidly prudent insurance policy.” ~ inspired by Isaac Asimov & Elizabeth Gilbert

Filed under: Peace Pilgrimage #02: Walking HOME (2019) by Scaughdt