Question 19.3

Faith is a belief structure. Without faith, your world is shifting and unstable where you can no more trust what you see and hear than an out of control schizophenic. I do have faith in my alarm clock, in my husband, in that the sun will rise tomorrow. I have faith that the tested and retested laws of science are likely to remain the same tomorrow, but the possibility of things changing exists. These are things that my daily living experience shows me to be true.

For many people their belief structure includes things beyond their daily living experience. Faith is an explanation for something that cannot be shown. Most typically this faith is what their parents taught them, and/or the majority of their surrounding community taught them. How do you know that Allah, God, Jesus, Zeus, or whomever exists? Because of Faith.

I understand how people get to this place. I am frustrated when people accept whatever their belief structure is without sticking a probe in it all directions.
Without this probing, people accept dogma as their faith and I am baffled by what some people lay claim to due to as a result.

Somehow faith can be twisted around to allow one us to lynch another, to crash a plane into the twin towers, to accept money from the destitute for a Christian roller coaster park and a lap of luxury, or to blow yourself up in a crowded shopping center. Of course these are extremist versions of faith in motion, but they are supported by hundreds of smaller faith based misguidance resulting from people not probing.

I got an e-mail this week from my aunt who is a holy roller. It wouldn't surprise me in the least if she was friends with the people who were in the Jesus Camp movie. She forwarded me this e-mail...

Subject: Obama.... Life Story

This is very interesting, please take a few moments and read it.
Who is Barack Obama? Something that should be considered when you make your choice.
If you do not ever forward anything else, please forward this to all your contacts... it is very scary to think of what could lie ahead for us here in our own United States... better heed this and pray about it and share it.

We checked this out on 'snopes.com.' It is factual. Check for yourself.

Who is Barack Obama?
Probable U.S. presidental candidate, Barack Hussein Obama was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, to Barack Hussein Obama Sr., a black MUSLIM from Nyangoma-Kogel, Kenya and Ann Dunham, a white Athiest from Wichita, Kansas.

Obama's parents met at the University of Hawaii. When Obama was two years old, his parents divorced. His father returned to Kenya. His mother then married Lolo Soetoro, a RADICAL Muslim from Indonesia. When Obama was 6 years old, the family relocated to Indonesia. Obama attended a MUSLIM school in Jakarta. He also spent two years in a Catholic school.

Obama takes great care to conceal the fact that he is a Muslim. He is quick to point out that, 'He was once a Muslim, but he also attended Catholic school.'

Obama's political handlers are attempted to make it appear that he is not a radical.

Obama's introduction to Islam came via his father, and that this influence was temporary at best. In reality, the senior Obama returned to Kenya soon after the divorce, and never again had any direct influence over his son's education.

Lol Soetoro, the second husband of Obama's mother, Ann Dunham, introduced his stepson to Islam. Obama was enrolled in a Wahabi school in Jakarta.

Wahabism is the RADICAL ISLAMIC teaching that is followed by the Muslim terrorists who are now waging Jihad against the western world. Since it is politically expedient to be a CHRISTIAN when seeking major public office in the United States, Barack Hussein Obama has joined the United Church of Christ in an attempt to down play his muslim backgorund. ALSO keep in mind that when he was sworn into office he DID NOT use the Holy Bible, but instead the Koran.

Barack Hussein Obama will NOT recite the Pledge of Allegience nor will he show any reverence for our flag. While others place their hands over their hearts, Obama turns his back to the flag and slouches. Let us all remain alert concerning Obama's expected presidential candidacy.

The Muslims have said they plan on destroying the US from the inside out, what better way to start than at the highest level - through the President of the United States, one of their own!!!

Please forward to everyone you know. Would you want this man leading our country?... NOT ME!!!

I had faith in who the audience was and what the nature of this e-mail was before I even read it. It fit in with my belief system due to my past experience. It also fit in with my belief system that of the slew of people that it was sent to, few would question it's authenticity, so I took it upon myself to set the record straight and called this propaganda for what it was. I heard back from one person who only said,

"I really don't know WHO to believe... out of control."

I have no understanding for belief systems that are not put under a microscope, for people who have faith in something because that is what their ancestral line brought them to. Faith without seeking is scary.