Eric Boyd wrote:
> To Reed, KMO, and Richard:
>
> I want to thank you guys for giving me an insight into a side of faith
> I had not previously seen -- to Reed for his "human" posts, his "lived
> in" faith; to KMO for the post on affirmations and the "it's who I am"
> paragraph; to Richard for "programming and purpose", two important
> watch-words.
Wow. You're most welcome, Eric, and thank YOU for "paraphrasing" what I said in a way that further develops the position I've been trying to articulate.
> I had already decided that authentic experience and
> self-confidence were important concepts, but I see now that where
> these two meet and merge is in faith -- not the dogmatic kind, but
> rather that which identifies individuals; that which explains
> who-they-are to themselves. In this sense, a strong faith is what
> makes people "comfortable in their own skin", as it were -- anyone who
> has met many good priests I think knows how that looks.
>
> That said, I doubt I'll use the word ("faith"), as it carries far too
> much baggage to be useful, and triggers quite nasty memetic responses
> in lots of people.
It does carry a lot of baggage, and I hope you can come up with a workable alternative. I suggested "phaith," but obviously that can only work in written communication.
Thanks again, Eric, and take care.
-KMO
Not one of us knows what effect his life produces, and what he gives to others; that is hidden from us and must remain so, though we are often allowed to see some little fraction of it, so that we may not lose courage.
-Albert Schweitzer