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Hope is the light at the end of a long tunnel.
Now, what is more interesting about this wish is that it is accompanied by a knowledge that the path laying before a person is hard, difficult, painful, and yet one remains confident of victory, fulfilment, achievement or success.
This interesting fact leads me to ask an important question: can hope walk estranged from faith?
If one is confident of success, despite experiencing woes; mustn’t one believe that someone or something will aid him/her to overcome obstacles?
Many people claim not to believe in God; yet they either believe in themselves or in a Higher Creative Power or even in humanity. They believe in something, they have faith (which is a driving force that brings into reality a wish).
Hope derives from the mind. It’s a desire after a need has been recognised.
Faith derives from the very depths of the soul. It transcends the mind. Although reason claims to be a belief, in sooth, faith is an assurance of what can be once we concentrate upon and commit to something. Where does this assurance stem from? It stems from the information contained in our spirit.
Another interesting question is: what came first, hope or faith?
Image: Ship in Stormy Sea by Ivan Aivazovsky
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Dissecting Society™ welcomes all sorts of comments, as we are strong advocates of freedom of speech; however, we reserve the right to delete Troll Activity; libellous and offensive comments (e.g. racist and anti-Semitic) plus those with excessive foul language. This blog does not view vulgarity as being protected by the right to free speech. Cheers
Hope or faith? Faith comes first, then hope. If we don't have faith in anything, then there won't be any hope 'coz life will seem useless. At least that's what I think.
ReplyDeleteI certainly don't believe and yet I hate hope. I put my faith in mankind.
ReplyDeleteI LOVE this painting you posted!!
ReplyDeleteThe Book of Mormon teaches that faith is like a seed, and that if you plant it in your heart, and nourish it, it will grow within you. However, if you neglect it, it will die. One scripture gives this definition: "And now as I said concerning faith—-faith is not to have a perfect knowledge of things; therefore if ye have faith ye hope for things which are not seen, which are true." Alma 32:21
I think faith comes first, always.
ReplyDeleteI wonder about hope, what is the difference between hope and a wish?
When there is faith there is a knowing, a trust in what will be. I am not sure that hope is a part of that.
Hey Amel :D!
ReplyDelete"Hope or faith? Faith comes first, then hope. If we don't have faith in anything, then there won't be any hope 'coz life will seem useless. At least that's what I think."
I agree with you. Faith is the root of things.
Gorgeous, thank you so much for sharing your thoughts with us :D.
Cheers
Hi Zhu :D!
ReplyDelete"I certainly don't believe and yet I hate hope. I put my faith in mankind."
You don't believe yet you have faith (belief) in mankind...what a paradox, girl ;).
I can certainly understand your detesting hope though. Hope can despair people, it can also blind...
Zhu, thank you so much for your valuable input :D.
Cheers
Hi D! :D
ReplyDelete"I LOVE this painting you posted!!"
Isn't it gorgeous? I love it too...and it seems so perfect for this post.
"The Book of Mormon teaches that faith is like a seed, and that if you plant it in your heart, and nourish it, it will grow within you. However, if you neglect it, it will die."
This is beautiful. I would say that Faith is an intrinsic assurance but since we are so exposed to distractions (and temptations) we must definitely treat it as a seed and nourish it; lest it might die.
"One scripture gives this definition: "And now as I said concerning faith—-faith is not to have a perfect knowledge of things; therefore if ye have faith ye hope for things which are not seen, which are true." Alma 32:21"
I agree with this definition too.
D, I love it when you share these quotes from the book of Mormons for I learn new things :D. Thank you!
Cheers
Hi Mark :D!
ReplyDelete"I think faith comes first, always."
Agreed.
"I wonder about hope, what is the difference between hope and a wish?"
If we think of it carefully there is little (if no) difference. I mean, hope means desire which means wish...therefore...
"When there is faith there is a knowing, a trust in what will be. I am not sure that hope is a part of that."
Yes. Faith is knowing what already IS. Hope is related to needs, desires...not Knowledge.
Mark, thank you for sharing your thoughts with us :D.
Cheers
Any chance that faith and hope are the same? Or at least that there is an overlap? I can have faith that I will be caught and thrown in jail for illegally downloading something, but that isn't hope - because hope is positive.
ReplyDeleteI thought of them as being related because there are sometimes when my mathematical derivations for some physics simulation induce both faith and hope as I test them out the first time and search for errors confidant that it will behave correctly.
Hi Max…
ReplyDeleteA lot of avenues of conversation open here…let me walk down this particular garden path…
Faith is only as good as the in whom it is placed…
The Scriptures explain:
Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.
- - Hebrews 11:1
We are not prescient but if we trust One Who is then there is hope…and this kind of trust is built upon relationship…thus it can grow as relationships grow…the more you see your trust quantified the more your hope expands…
…but if you have misplaced faith…trusting one that does not deserve it then it is hopeless…
Cool artwork...
Isn't it a bit the same ? about the chicken and egg?
ReplyDeleteOr: It's hard to see or have one within the other?
Never the less - you know I'm not religious - faith is something I believe in too :-)
Hi Max,
ReplyDeleteWhen I saw the title and the photo, I thought it was about that 16 year old sailor who was stranded in the middle of the Indian ocean. I wonder if she had hope or faith.
I think both words semantically are very close, however I do believe that hope is not as confident as faith. Hope is what you throw out first when you don't have faith. You may hear people say, "I hope so," or "I'm hoping it will turn out okay."
Whereas faith is a knowingness that everything will be okay. It stems from our inherent connection to our soul. I think that hope is the light at the beginning of a long tunnel and faith is riding shot gun. Eventually the two words merge and hope becomes faith. (And let's not forget charity.)
We can never lose either one. We need hope and faith to get us through all tunnels.
Excellent post my friend.
Faith Cheers!
Alexys...always thinking of sailors ;)
ReplyDeleteLSX & Max,
ReplyDeleteNo LSX, sometimes I think of sailing. :D
With faith comes hope. Both are derived from the individual's belief that either a being far greater than them here on earth and/or above, will be there for them, or, staying true to a way of life without wavering will ease their pain and suffering. To live without faith or hope is to live a life destined for failure and sorrow.
ReplyDeleteTake Care,
Peter
aleXys and maX
ReplyDeleteYou included maX in your comment is she our chaperone?
That being said I have hardly been referred to as a sailor before…however I have been on a few war ships…
Suuuure sailing….
;)
Thankfully Peter is here to keep an eye on things…however alXys has one very LARGE eye…
LSX,
ReplyDeleteAre you saying that I am a cyclops?
Funny you say that X-Girl...I did think it...You know there is a Cyclops Sailing:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.cyclopssailing.co.uk/index.php
...but I know you just like sailer's...
Max:
ReplyDeleteThere is a theory that faith, or the belief in God, is actually hardwired into our genes. Outlandish? Maybe. It’s called the God Gene. And some theorists contend that this is actually a natural selective mechanism embedded in our genetic code as a way of giving us faith even when all else around us seems to be coming apart. It 's like a defense mechanism against anxiety. Obviously hope is the ultimate anxiety response. Of course, some would be outraged at this contention. They prefer the pie in the sky scenario, pearly gates and all that, and would contend that God is definitely not the product of something so mundane as natural selection. It’s the old evolution versus religion thing all over again, an argument akin to the proverbial cat chasing its own tale. As to your provocative question, however: Which came first faith or hope? From the God Gene perspective, I think hope logically came before faith, faith being the natural selective mechanism that satisfies our need for hope.
Max, my old friend, I’m not trying to cause trouble in Eden. It’s just my two cents worth.
Happy trails.
First was the verb therefore faith.
ReplyDeleteFaith is knowledge because one is absolutely sure that will get there some way, somehow.
Hope is a choice for one feels the need to believe even when the hurdles say otherwise.
Faith and hope, egg and chicken: which was first?
ReplyDeleteFaith, like intelligence, is inherent and once it is found and understood probability becomes possibility.
Hope is emotional and as such it can be unstable; however if linked to faith the world would be perceived as a place to be in with lesser fear.
Max, it's always a pleasure to read your articles :)!
Hi Looney :D!
ReplyDelete"Any chance that faith and hope are the same? Or at least that there is an overlap? I can have faith that I will be caught and thrown in jail for illegally downloading something, but that isn't hope - because hope is positive."
Let's put it this way: can belief (faith) and wish (hope) be, mean, the same? I agree though that they can complement each other. LOL LOL that example is funny; and the meaning of faith in it is "knowing" so yes, it cannot be "hope". I would say that hope is positive in a sense that the person wishing for X hopes that its wish becomes true; however it doesn't mean that the thing hoped for is necessarily positive.
"I thought of them as being related because there are sometimes when my mathematical derivations for some physics simulation induce both faith and hope as I test them out the first time and search for errors confidant that it will behave correctly."
They can be related, yes.
Looney, very interesting comment for which I thank you a million times :D. Always a pleasure.
Cheers
Hi LSus :D!
ReplyDelete"Faith is only as good as the in whom it is placed…"
So, to you only Faith in God is good. Shouldn't have faith in people? Or should we only Hope for the best in/for people?
"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. - - Hebrews 11:1"
It makes sense. But can one have Faith and not Hope? They complement each other, but are they totally independent from each other?
"We are not prescient but if we trust One Who is then there is hope…"
Are you sure we are not prescient? My, my, my...you sure do like to reduce us to extreme intellectual and spiritual simplicity, don't you?
"…but if you have misplaced faith…trusting one that does not deserve it then it is hopeless…"
What would you call misplaced faith?
"Cool artwork..."
Isn't it? :D
LSus, you pamper me with your provocative and excellent comment: thank you so much :D.
Cheers
Hi Renny :D!
ReplyDelete"Isn't it a bit the same ? about the chicken and egg?"
Indeed...
"Or: It's hard to see or have one within the other?"
They surely do complement each other.
"Never the less - you know I'm not religious - faith is something I believe in too :-)"
To believe in something is a marvellous thing for it doesn't limit human beings to mortality (if you know what I mean).
Renny, a most interesting thought: thanks for sharing :D!
Cheers
Hi Lady A :D!
ReplyDelete"When I saw the title and the photo, I thought it was about that 16 year old sailor who was stranded in the middle of the Indian ocean. I wonder if she had hope or faith."
That is an excellent thought and question...I love it when art raises such questions in us.
"I think both words semantically are very close, however I do believe that hope is not as confident as faith. Hope is what you throw out first when you don't have faith. You may hear people say, "I hope so," or "I'm hoping it will turn out okay.""
I must disagree on one point: semantically they are not that close. I mean, to believe is to accept as true or real, to know; which is not the same as wishing (that means to desire for something, to long for something). But somehow, we tend to think that Hope and Faith are the same thing; whereas they complement each other.
"Whereas faith is a knowingness that everything will be okay. It stems from our inherent connection to our soul. I think that hope is the light at the beginning of a long tunnel and faith is riding shot gun. Eventually the two words merge and hope becomes faith. (And let's not forget charity.)"
This is beautifully said.
"We can never lose either one. We need hope and faith to get us through all tunnels."
Beautiful...
"Excellent post my friend."
Thank you *bowing*...
Lady A, gorgeous comment for which I thank you immensely :D.
Faith & Hope Cheers
Hi Peter :D!
ReplyDelete"With faith comes hope. Both are derived from the individual's belief that either a being far greater than them here on earth and/or above, will be there for them, or, staying true to a way of life without wavering will ease their pain and suffering."
Beautifully put, Pete! *bowing*...
"To live without faith or hope is to live a life destined for failure and sorrow. "
Somehow I tend to agree with this part of your comment. Whenever I begin to imagine of not living with faith (or even hope) I see nothing but darkness before me...
Peter, a profound comment: thank you ever so much :D!
Cheers
Hi Swu :D!
ReplyDelete"There is a theory that faith, or the belief in God, is actually hardwired into our genes. Outlandish? Maybe. It’s called the God Gene."
I don't find it outlandish at all.
"And some theorists contend that this is actually a natural selective mechanism embedded in our genetic code as a way of giving us faith even when all else around us seems to be coming apart. It 's like a defense mechanism against anxiety. Obviously hope is the ultimate anxiety response. Of course, some would be outraged at this contention. They prefer the pie in the sky scenario, pearly gates and all that, and would contend that God is definitely not the product of something so mundane as natural selection. It’s the old evolution versus religion thing all over again, an argument akin to the proverbial cat chasing its own tale."
It is an interesting theory, that would make me ask those theorists: and why was such a defense mechanism created, what for? And by Whom? The anti-spirituality (or even the anti-Religion) folks are never able to answer this for me; which makes me wonder...
"As to your provocative question, however: Which came first faith or hope? From the God Gene perspective, I think hope logically came before faith, faith being the natural selective mechanism that satisfies our need for hope."
I have a question: if one knows for sure (faith) why wish (hope)?
"Max, my old friend, I’m not trying to cause trouble in Eden. It’s just my two cents worth."
LOL no troubles caused, Swu; au contraire :D.
Swu, thank you ever so much for your precious two cents (I loved it) :D.
Cheers
Hi Dux :D!
ReplyDelete"First was the verb therefore faith. Faith is knowledge because one is absolutely sure that will get there some way, somehow."
I agree.
"Hope is a choice for one feels the need to believe even when the hurdles say otherwise."
That is interesting...most interesting indeed. But what if one possesses knowledge, assurance (faith), and despite the hurdles one just keeps on surpassing them without having to resort to Hope? Is it even possible?
Dux, excellent comment, man :D. Thank you so much!
Cheers
Hi C.C :D!
ReplyDelete"Faith and hope, egg and chicken: which was first? Faith, like intelligence, is inherent and once it is found and understood probability becomes possibility."
To me it was the egg. Beautifully put!
"Hope is emotional and as such it can be unstable; however if linked to faith the world would be perceived as a place to be in with lesser fear."
I agree. That is so gorgeous and positive :).
"Max, it's always a pleasure to read your articles :)!"
Why, thank you, guys *bowing*...thank you for keep reading them :).
C.C, a fab comment for which I thank you a million times :D.
Cheers
Hi Max…
ReplyDelete"Faith is only as good as the in whom it is placed…"
So, to you only Faith in God is good. Shouldn't have faith in people? Or should we only Hope for the best in/for people?”
- Actually Max note I used the lower case “whom” thus I left it open to God and/or humans…
"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. - - Hebrews 11:1"
It makes sense. But can one have Faith and not Hope? They complement each other, but are they totally independent from each other?”
- Great questions…lets compare:
HOPE
1.
the feeling that what is wanted can be had or that eventswill turn out for the best: to give up hope.
2.
a particular instance of this feeling: the hope of winning.
3.
grounds for this feeling in a particular instance: There is littleor no hope of his recovery.
4.
a person or thing in which expectations are centered: Themedicine was her last hope.
5.
something that is hoped for: Her forgiveness is my constanthope.
FAITH
1.
confidence or trust in a person or thing: faith in another'sability.
2.
belief that is not based on proof: He had faith that thehypothesis would be substantiated by fact.
3.
belief in god or in the doctrines or teachings of religion: thefirm faith of the Pilgrims.
4.
belief in anything, as a code of ethics, standards of merit,etc.: to be of the same faith with someone concerninghonesty.
5.
a system of religious belief: the Christian faith; the Jewishfaith.
6.
the obligation of loyalty or fidelity to a person, promise,engagement, etc.: Failure to appear would be breaking faith.
7.
the observance of this obligation; fidelity to one's promise,oath, allegiance, etc.: He was the only one who proved hisfaith during our recent troubles.
8.
Christian Theology . the trust in God and in His promises asmade through Christ and the Scriptures by which humans arejustified or saved.
When looking at these two definitions it seems hope is a feeling while faith is a decision or plan in action…I choose to trust…this is interesting because in the Christian faith love is not just an emotion but a plan and intent to love…
"We are not prescient but if we trust One Who is then there is hope…"
Are you sure we are not prescient? My, my, my...you sure do like to reduce us to extreme intellectual and spiritual simplicity, don't you?”
- One of the best ways to test ideas and ideals is to push their envelopes…how do they cope under pressure? How close can they get to absolutes?
"…but if you have misplaced faith…trusting one that does not deserve it then it is hopeless…"
What would you call misplaced faith?”
- LOL Buying GM!
“LSus, you pamper me with your provocative and excellent comment: thank you so much :D.”
- Oh my…actually I have never worn pampers :)