Misinterpreting Faith

On a recent visit to The Daily Show by Jon Stewart, evolutionary biologist, Richard Dawkins, described faith as belief without evidence (and not positive). It's easy to label religion or spiritualism with a tag word of fanaticism due to the current events the world is embroiled in. It is also very easy to assign the tag of stubbornness because of the so called conservatives who would misinterpret every scripture to spread spiteful propaganda. Unfortunately this is the state of world we live in the modern society. 

However, I find these arguments thrown in various forms of media all too easily; almost readily available like a No Income/No Asset mortgages in the world prior to economic crisis of 2008. A rather extended analogy but that's how easy it is to blame religion or spiritualism in today's world. Moving from one to another; the elephant of mulishness is real (in reality elephants are quite smart animals and have been here before the biped mammals learnt to hunt) - so ignorance exists on both sides.

Richard Dawkins at The Daily Show

In all this noise why do we forget that the true purpose of religion or spiritualism is to pursue the goal of learning the truth and rising above the issues that seem to bog us down in normal circumstances. It's the simple feeling we get looking at the sky in a dark night on a mountain top; the feeling begging us to rise beyond petty differences and somehow begin to consider the world (or universe) as a giant home. Perhaps Jonas Salk felt the same when he said "Who can patent the Sun?" on patenting polio vaccine.

I've wandered enough; coming back to the "definition" of faith by Mr. Dawkins. I was a bit saddened by these words. Any scientific endeavor begins with a faith in something that's not quite evident immediately but has to be pursued "faithfully" and intelligently like a student. A student of religion or spiritualism uses faith as one of the tools to align herself to the path and then study it (not just blindly believes it). The student would have the qualities of eagerness to learn and insatiable curiosity to discover more. So please pursue it (even have the courage to challenge it - that's what learning is!).

A student of religion or spiritualism would never stop asking questions until the core is reached. She wouldn't be blind-sighted by superficial and illogical junk that's thrown. As semesters would pass the answers would come or at the least the questions would become clearer. So my humble request to Mr. Dawkins is to not malign this beautiful word. Any endeavor starts with a question and a resolute desire to find and to study. The evidence is just a byproduct of study that just keeps the compass pointed to true north.

Somehow his words seem to imply that the faith that has the power to bring about the biggest discoveries in the field of science has rather alarming implications when applied in the study of religion or spiritualism. I find it laden with bias and obstructing the desire of discovery. In case you're wondering about this interview, you can see it all here. I want to leave you with some eloquent words I found (as my blathering may have bored you).

“Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.” - Mahatma Gandhi

The notion that science and spirituality are somehow mutually exclusive does a disservice to both." - Carl Sagan

In the end I would like to say that dear Mr. Dawkins the faith in religion is not faith..is faith..is faith. It starts with a belief and then continuous study that brings about greater experience on the path to study religion or spiritualism. I feel Mr. Dawkins is confusing the faith with religious bigotry. Sorry to say Mr. Dawkins but you're wrong and repeatedly shouting for evidence without entirely understanding the subject is akin to me trying to disprove the existence of electrons and protons without studying science.