Faith vs Belief

Captain America: The First Avenger

Before Steve Rogers and the 107th walk back into the camp, Col Phillips is yelling at Agent Peggy Carter.  He is extremely unhappy that she helped Captain America set out on his self-determined mission.

Col Phillips:  I can’t touch Stark (Ironman’s father) he is rich and the number one weapons manufacturer.  You are neither one.

Peggy Carter:  With respect sir, I do not regret my actions and I don’t think Captain Rogers did either.

Col Phillips: You think I give a damn about your opinions.  I took a chance with you Agent Carter and now America’s golden boy and a lot of other good men are dead because you had a crush.

Peggy Carter:  It wasn’t that.  I had faith.

Col Phillips:  Well I hope that is a big comfort to you when they shut this division down.

Then there is a great deal of commotion.  They both go to see what it is.  It is Captain America entering camp with the 107th and Bucky.

After a brief conversation with Captain Rogers, Col Phillips turns to Peggy:  Faith, huh?

Faith

We confuse faith with belief in the Church.  

Webster Dictionary Definition of belief
1: a state or habit of mind in which trust or confidence is placed in some person or thing
2: something that is accepted, considered to be true, or held as an opinion : something believed
an individual's religious or political beliefs
the beliefs of the Catholic Church
3: conviction of the truth of some statement or the reality of some being or phenomenon especially when based on examination of evidence

Webster Diectionary Definition of faith 
1a: allegiance to duty or a person : LOYALTY
(1): fidelity to one's promises
(2): sincerity of intentions
acted in good faith
2a
(1): belief and trust in and loyalty to God
(2): belief in the traditional doctrines of a religion
2b
(1): firm belief in something for which there is no proof
clinging to the faith that her missing son would one day return
(2): complete trust
3: something that is believed especially with strong conviction
especially : a system of religious beliefs the Protestant faith

Even the Webster Dictionary has adopted a confused definition of the two linking them so closely together you may decide they are the same thing.

Faith vs Belief

For me, from my spiritual experience and understanding, they are not.

Belief is of the mind.  It is a head thing.  You believe in something because you have made an intellectual decision.  There is evidence, even if that evidence is not of this world, not tangible.

Faith, on the other hand, is more challenging.  It is of the heart.  Faith resides fully in the heart.  The rationality of faith is about intuition, inner knowing.

Beliefs are taught. Faith can not be taught.

Beliefs, especially in the church, create a system, a dogma, by which we live, through which we trust.  Faith invites us to TRUST without proof sometimes.  Faith invites us outside of dogma, outside of carefully constructed systems, out in the liminal realm.

Beliefs, no matter how deeply ingrained they are, can be learned and unlearned.  Faith must be transformed, transformed through deep work and trust with (note not by) the Sacred.

Beliefs can be argued, explained,  Faith just is.

Having Faith

When Peggy Carter says she has faith in Captain America, she is speaking about way more than belief.  Her inner knowing, having watched him in basic training, talked with him, etc, knows that he is capable of what he set out to do.  Her faith in him recognizes the power of his Soul to accomplish Good in this world.

She has faith.

I want to take this a step farther.

We teach is our churches that we need to have faith in God, faith in Jesus.  For me this is off the mark.  Faith in Jesus, faith in God allows us to take a pass:  

“I don’t need to go to that protest, I have faith in God’s ability to create change in this world.”
“I don’t need to feed the hungry.  If they had a strong enough faith in Jesus, they would be fed.”

The thing is, our Sacred Texts do not ask us to have faith IN, they ask us to embody the faith OF.  Very different.

In the Paul’s letter to the church of Galatia, he encourages us to put on the faith of Christ, not just have faith in Christ.  (Galatians 3: 22-28) That is huge!

Think about it.

The faith of Christ Jesus is a sacrificial faith, a faith that understands sacrifice is part of Love, Compassion, Justice.  If we really believe what we say we believe, then our faith will uphold and support us through actions of sacrifice.

This is not easy stuff.

When Captain America made the decision to reduce Bucky and the 107th, he (in a way) took on the faith of Christ, an inner knowing that (1) he had the strength to do it and (2) if it required sacrifice he would.  And in the end (end of the film) he does.  He sacrifices his life for the safety of the world.

Do you have faith?

Are you willing to sacrifice for the betterment of your community, your family, the world?

Faith comes from the heart.
The heart, when filled with faith, has strength you can not even imagine.
Step our in Faith
Witness the transformation power of the Sacred as it flows through you.
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