Challenging the Nature of Faith: Belief and Modern Perception
Father Abraham is praised in the Bible and revered by many. But if I were to attempt to sacrifice my son today, like Abraham was prepared to do, society would view me as insane. This dichotomy highlights the tension between ancient faith and modern sensibilities.
Genesis 22:2-3: "Then God said, 'Take your son, your only son, whom you love—Isaac—and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you.' Early the next morning Abraham got up and loaded his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac."
What if I talked to snakes and they talked back, like Eve’s interaction with the serpent? In today’s world, I’d be labeled delusional. This disconnect raises questions about the nature of belief and the stories we hold sacred.
Genesis 3:1: "Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. The snake said to the woman, 'Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?'"
In the Bible, a man named Balaam had a donkey speak to him. If I claimed the same today, it would be seen as a sign of mental instability, despite people's professed belief in the Bible.
Numbers 22:28: "Then the Lord opened the donkey’s mouth, and the donkey said to Balaam, 'What have I done to you to make you beat me these three times?'"
Consider Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who were thrown into a fire and emerged unscathed. If I told someone today that I went through fire unburned, they would think I need psychiatric help.
Daniel 3:27: "And the satraps, prefects, governors and royal advisers crowded around them. They saw that the fire had not harmed their bodies, nor was a hair of their heads singed; their robes were not scorched, and there was no smell of fire on them."
This dichotomy reveals a deeper issue: many people profess faith in these stories but struggle to believe them when faced with similar modern claims.
Quran 21:69-70: "We said, 'O fire, be coolness and safety upon Abraham.' And they intended for him harm, but We made them the greatest losers."
Conclusion
Faith is often tested by its applicability to real-life situations. The stories in sacred texts are revered, yet the same miracles today would be dismissed as madness. This discrepancy suggests that many people do not truly believe in the miracles they claim to accept.
The strong faith of those deemed "abnormal" may actually be closer to the ancient faiths we hold in such high regard. Perhaps we can learn more from these misunderstood individuals than we realize.
In our journey through life, we often seek guidance and wisdom beyond our own understanding. St. Mykul’s prayer is a beautiful expression of this desire, a heartfelt plea for divine intervention and alignment with Jehovah’s will. It serves as a reminder of the profound connection we can cultivate with the divine, allowing us to become vessels of His wisdom and love.
St. Mykul’s prayer:
“I pray for Jehovah to speak through me all the time, and I pray for Jehovah to remove all my thoughts, and implant His thoughts all the time, as I do not even want my thoughts.”
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