A Subject of Faith

Posted on 11 May 2010

I am not a man of faith. The very concept in being able to believe in something without proof is beyond me. Sometimes I think that it is a strength, but other times I think it is a defect. And yet, it is not from any topic of religion that my desire for faith arises, but instead a desire for love.

I know that sounds cheesy, but oh well, I’m in a cheddar mood. And, in particular, a mood to wonder at the oddness of love in a world of science. Love cannot be tested. The very concept of testing love breaks it. To try and force someone to prove love hurts them, and anyone who has ever had an “if you love me you’ll . . .” thrown at them knows this. And to anyone who doubts love, here is a simple concept: if you doubt it, it isn’t missing in the other person, per se, it is missing in you.

And right there is where love and faith come together. You can know when you are in love, but you have to take it on faith the other person is. You have to take it on faith that the other person won’t hurt you or betray you. And, if you know that you cannot trust that person, well, you might not be able to control your love for them, to turn it off like a switch, but you can at least have the presence of self to take yourself out of the situation. If there is one thing I doubt, it is that anyone who knows your feelings and does not return them will ever properly return them. To think otherwise is a romantic comedy, and those are just works of fiction.

Or perhaps I’m being emo. But meh, everyone has the right occasionally.