Songsoptok
SONGSOPTOK: Belief is simple
acceptance that a proposition is true, without regard to reason(s) while faith
is the acceptance of a proposition rather than an epistemological
(evidence-based) reason.” Does this reflect your understanding of the two
words? If so, why? If not, then how would you distinguish between the two?
MICHAEL MILLER: No, it does not for me, while people of the nations
suppose many things are true and accept them (believe) for me to believe I have
to have evidence before I will make the statement that it "is true".
While I like many tentatively accept some things such as universal laws such as
in the cosmos, I remain in the state of it's theory until sufficiently
researched, and that also remains true as to Faith. The "biblical"
perspective on faith that was taught by Paul is that in the book to the Hebrews
Chapter 11 verse 1: Faith is the realization of what is hoped for and evidence
of things not seen. (Such as air you cannot "see" it but you have
tangible evidence that it is real and reliable). As the substance of the things
we believe it must follow that there is real physical matter in that what we
perceive to be true has real definable characteristics.
SONGSOPTOK: Each person can
inherit, adopt or construct her own set of beliefs and faiths, or it is a
combination of the two. How would you qualify your own personal set? Were your
faiths and beliefs handed down to you by someone? Who? Or were they acquired?
If so, how?
MICHAEL MILLER: Most of us do inherit and adopt what has been set forth
by our forebears, but my family was full of unmitigated prevaricators , so the
question of whether I believed anything they said came under full scrutiny .
Also while it is taught that this is a Christian Nation all that I have sought
to learn about those concepts here compared to what "the book"
actually teaches is greatly conflicted
and in actuality much of what is taught in those "theological"
schools is more directly from ancient pagan religions than from "the
book" itself . I would say to date that I have researched and acquired a
set of perspectives based not on what surrounds me but my own dedicated pursuit
to it's study. (Which is still and will always be in a state of study)
SONGSOPTOK: In your own personal
sphere, do you consider worship as a religious act involving rites, rituals or
other types of practices? Or is it related to something that transcends
religion? Can you explain your position with some examples?
MICHAEL MILLER: No, absolutely not . Worship for me would be absolute
loyalty and dedication to a set of standards and laws that affect our own
characters and behaviors both as to self and to others. I'm of the opinion that to cut a tree down or
use metal to fashion a figure for the purpose of "prayer" is of no
value. It cannot see, nor hear, nor think, one fashions a god or idol with one and
supposes it can answer, then takes the other half and burn it for warmth or
fashions "accessories for personal use. While "some" may find
"comfort" in rituals, they in fact hold little value in developing
our characters, the only benefit I could even possibly stretch it would be that
of "consistency". Does wearing
a "cross" make any of those professing "Christianity" a
better person (or is it rather worn to be seen) and not rather devotion to a
set of standards with regard to our treatment of Life .
SONGSOPTOK: “Faith takes over
where reason leaves off” – do you agree? Can you explain your point of view?
MICHAEL MILLER: Absolutely No. Faith is something that is built upon
discernible substance. As in the above quote from the "biblical"
perspective, I don't believe it just because someone says so. While we may take the reliability of the sun
rising every day, when we become well studied we "understand" that
there are actual realities that preserve it's course, as well as all of Life’s
motions that exist in well definable
laws and are trackable. Therefore I would state it is fully based on reason and
conclusions based in realities.
SONGSOPTOK: Did you ever face a
conflict between your beliefs, reason and knowledge? How do you react to such
situations?
MICHAEL MILLER: Rarely, since I consider myself a student (a child in the
cosmos) I expect those things that have been absorbed from childhood to come
under scrutiny somewhere in life. Also I expect to keep learning and
eliminating what I have been taught that may be full of error as well as
acquiring more certain and definable information. It is factual that in a
cosmos with more information than can even be obtained in one lifetime that
learning will continue and even if we lived "many lifetimes" there
would still be more than enough to keep us in "learning mode".
SONGSOPTOK: Are you a believer?
What do you believe in?
MICHAEL MILLER: Definitely Yes. There can only be one creator (and to
define that would be like trying to quantify how much energy exists in the
cosmos) and from the biblical perspective that one is the "FATHER" of
all Life including us. That we are the Children of Life, and like it we
relentlessly pursue all that it has to offer. That we are "imperfect"
due to inherited misinformation set out by those who desire to be our Masters.
That we are capable of far more than we know but we have "bad
teachers" and a serious lack of correct information. That we have been enslaved to ideology that
has put mankind on a course of destruction of both himself and the finest
little blue marble in "our" solar system . That there are
"others" who have life besides that which live on this little blue
terraformed planet for which we are well designed to live upon. Also great deal
many things other than these, which may "morph" over time .
SONGSOPTOK: Do you think that it
is essential to convince and convert others to your own system of beliefs and
faiths? Why? Can you please describe the reasons for your answer?
MICHAEL MILLER: I think it's essential for everyone to feel free to
discuss anything they wish, with whomever they wish, anytime they wish pending
another is inclined to be of like mind or up for the discussion. Force rarely
works in any case and usually further repels anyone who might actually be of a
reasoning mind and is usually implemented by Pontificators. I would say most of
us are inclined to be repulsed by someone "who thinks they know it all
already”.
SONGSOPTOK: Do you think that
each individual has some form of faith or belief, whether related to religion
or not? If yes, then what do you think are the main reasons?
MICHAEL MILLER: Yes, even if it's inconsistent, wavering, a belief in
"no belief" . Our minds are designed to seek information and implement
it even if it's not correct, we seek patterns in everything and the nature is
full of them and our own nature seeks them out and categorizes them. Some of us love this and find it most fascinating.
(Some more than others) (We are discussing
adults aren't we ??? hahaha)
SONGSOPTOK: “A man can no more
diminish God's glory by refusing to worship Him than a lunatic can put out the
sun by scribbling the word, 'darkness' on the walls of his cell.” said C.S.
Lewis. Do you agree with this view? Or do you think that some form of worship
is indispensable for humans? Why?
MICHAEL MILLER: I have read much of C.S Lewis and enjoyed it. Whatever we
may think (and I don't agree with all he has written) that is something many
will have to determine for themselves. While I will continue to pursue
knowledge and make alterations to that information , I "suspect" we
have much more to learn and that we will find that reverence for the glory of
Life , Truth , and becoming brothers and sisters in that pursuit . As to worship
, adore , love then yes I most implicitly think yes , the more I love the more
I can adore about Life , men pursue love and being loved as part and parcel of
our very being (so , in fact we are indeed created in the "image" of
God in that respect should you care to consider it )
SONGSOPTOK: You may or may not
choose to answer this – but nevertheless we would like to know who do you
worship? Why do you worship? How do you worship? And above all, in what way
does it help you in your everyday life?
MICHAEL MILLER: Yes I can answer, but as stated above how can one
quantify what God is . The biblical narrative had given that one a name but due
to the superstitions of the Jews it has been lost though many feel sufficiently
confidant to give that one a name. Jesus’ advise was just to use
"Father" after all that's what we use in our own "families"
, we don't normally call our parents by their first names or even their
surnames , The biblical perspective is that "no man has seen God"
(indeed only "servants" of God , or those opposing God) .I Love what
I have learned , I hope to implement that which has been taught to me Jesus
said to keep on seeking , same as keep on
learning , as long as I have a functional mind I intend to do just that
, besides I love being a student and of course that means further discussion on
so very many things from science to philosophy , morality , understanding any and everything which we can learn, after
all that's what inquisitive children do
. (YHWH)
We sincerely thank you for your time and
hope we shall have your continued support.
Aparajita Sen
(Editor: Songsoptok)
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