Faith

"I respect faith, but doubt is what gets you an education. "
Wilson Mizner, US screenwriter (1876 - 1933)

Started the new year with a bang and renewed vigour for the ever-growing challenges. The new year is a time for celebration but also for reflection and, over a week into it, the idea of faith is one to consider.

To the extent that faith provides confidence and hope, it has value. The phrase "things will get better" borrows a little faith to get one through testing times. But what about faith that anchors one's perceptions and views of what is? Or what about faith that effectively informs or dictates an opinion on a subject? Is there a spectrum from confidence to dogma? And to the extent that we bring faith into issues of knowledge or understanding rather than situations or challenges, are we straying into the spectrum of lower value? Is there not some value in having doubt in the information or knowledge realm, where this doubt triggers further enquiry and debate and ultimately increases the accuracy and understanding of the information or knowledge?

I guess what Wilson Misner is getting at is that faith makes you feel better, but doubt makes you learn more...