Brain Food #602

To have faith against the facts

Thoughts of the day

As another week begins, though for many today will be a day of rest, it is worth contemplating the symbolic significance of these days -despite our beliefs- and the message of hope that comes with them.

The world is becoming increasingly empirical in its nature, where facts and numbers drive decisions (and, many would argue, rightfully so). A number that supports the previous confirmation of a presupposed assumption provides reliability, reassurance. Even the inclusion of a number in an email subject line or the title of an article is likely to increase the likelihood of someone wanting to read more.

We believe in facts. We refer to anything that does not have solid foundations, that have been previously proven, as ‘fluff’.

Yet, sometimes we need to believe in the unbelievable, even when knowing that it is so. To have faith against the facts is partly delusional, but partly optimistic (isn’t optimism a form of delusion as well?) To take a leap of faith is to take risks, and to let oneself move forward in life, even if, and especially when one is not entirely certain of what will come next.

“For without risk there is no faith, and the greater the risk the greater the faith; the more objective security the less inwardness (for inwardness is precisely subjectivity), and the less objective security the more profound the possible inwardness.”

— Søren Kierkegaard