I am constantly wondering about the dynamics of my own faith and where I stand on certain issues. I don't know the answers to most questions, and I certainly have plenty more of them to ask myself. Paul Tillich defines faith as "the state of being ultimately (actively)
concerned" and this ultimacy "demands total surrender... and it promises total fulfillment." I struggle with my faith daily; sometimes I don't even know what I believe anymore. I feel like I'm flailing my arms for something to hold on to, knowing that there is something there but it is just out of my reach. I keep searching for the God whom I know in my heart but struggle daily to see. I feel like a fog has settled over my certainty to blur my view, but could that fog really bring me clarity? Best-selling author, Ann Lamott, says that the opposite of faith is not doubt, but certainty. Do we discover our true faith in our disillusionment? In my upcoming entries I will give you my thoughts on the topics I struggle with most. Until then be forming your own opinions on this: There is often a symbolic relationship between a religion and its culture. So, is religion culture dependant? Or, does religion transcend cultures? Are all religions of all cultures equally valid? Can there be truth in every religion? Is universalism a valid argument?
