A question of faith...

[Ainsley Lo]

Just some random questions.

Do you feel that your faith in the spiritual world is strong? Do you have strong faith in a higher power?

What about in hard times? In times of loss and pain. How would you say the bad times, the bad times that stand out from the rest, challenges your faith?

If you have a belief in a certain deity, how has your connection to them helped you with your sorrows?  

[TeaDidikai]

Ainsley Lo

Just some random questions.

twisted

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Do you feel that your faith in the spiritual world is strong?

Faith in the sense of blind faith? No. But Gnosis of it's nature- sure.

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Do you have strong faith in a higher power?

I have gnosis of other kinds of powers. The term "higher" doesn't apply because there is no value judgment and said beings can exist in a supernal or infernal position on the Why-axis.

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What about in hard times? In times of loss and pain. How would you say the bad times, the bad times that stand out from the rest, challenges your faith?

Nope. It's not a challenge. Perhaps this is the difference between gnosis and faith?

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If you have a belief in a certain deity, how has your connection to them helped you with your sorrows?

It typically doesn't. My gods except me to be responsible for my own well being.  

[Recursive Paradox]

Ainsley Lo

Just some random questions.

You prolly don't want random answers though do you? >.>

Quote:

Do you feel that your faith in the spiritual world is strong?

Not really. I feel that I have some ideas on how the spiritual world works and some theories to explain some of my scientifically inexplicable experiences. But I approach everything slowly and carefully, trying only to build upon my own personal gnosis and not anything else.

I also account for the possibility that I am horribly wrong, delusional, crazy or confused in my day to day life.

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Do you have strong faith in a higher power?

Beings may be more evolved, more wise or more powerful than myself but that does not make them higher. There are no higher powers, imo, because all beings deserve respect and have the potential for greatness and none should be subservient or in a worship position to another.

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What about in hard times? In times of loss and pain. How would you say the bad times, the bad times that stand out from the rest, challenges your faith?

Bad or painful times don't challenge the experiences and knowledge I have. They don't really have an effect on the logical extension of that personal gnosis unless they specifically contradict it, but good times can do that too.

I may not be in a good position to answer these questions of yours as what I have isn't really traditionally considered faith. And it seems like you've taken the traditional view of faith.

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If you have a belief in a certain deity, how has your connection to them helped you with your sorrows?

I do not have a belief or relationship with deities because I do not consider the very concept of a deity to be valid (as I understand it) within the moral standards of my path (I consider the deities of other paths to be more evolved beings who happen to be worshiped or praised, but not that they deserve such attention). I do have belief in and relationships with various Aspects and low evolved spirits and some have been extraordinarily helpful from a simple "keeping me company" standpoint during times of pain.

There are times too when Etheristic Channeling (see Etherism Pathways thread for more) can be used to help me emotionally or physically during pain, injury, sickness or distress, both for it's capacity to shift reality and due to the meditation components of Etheristic Channeling.  

[TeaDidikai]

Recursive Paradox

Ainsley Lo

Just some random questions.

You prolly don't want random answers though do you? >.>

If they even check the guild.  

[Recursive Paradox]

TeaDidikai

Recursive Paradox

Ainsley Lo

Just some random questions.

You prolly don't want random answers though do you? >.>

If they even check the guild.

True true. I was sort of tempted to answer her questions in entirely pseudorandom numbers yanked from a generator on my computer and maybe throw in a recipe for cupcakes.

I felt that would have been random enough for me ^.^  

[Deoridhe]

Ainsley Lo

Just some random questions.

Your random is not very random. I recommend more practice.

Ainsley Lo

Do you feel that your faith in the spiritual world is strong? Do you have strong faith in a higher power?

Yes. No, the term higher is ....off.

Ainsley Lo

What about in hard times? In times of loss and pain. How would you say the bad times, the bad times that stand out from the rest, challenges your faith?

No. My faith has nothing to do with hard times.

Ainsley Lo

If you have a belief in a certain deity, how has your connection to them helped you with your sorrows?

Very little. My sorrows are my own, not the gods. Sometimes I do ask for help, though, but usually not with sorrow ....which on reflection is a bit odd. I suppose I've never felt my sorrows exceeded my ability to handle them, whereas some other things have.