Three: Faith in the Dark, Part Two

“For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away…For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.” 1 CORINTHIANS 13: 9-10, 12 (New Testament, Bible, KJV)

Imagine that our whole existence (pre-earth, earth, and after-earth life) was a single day, and our time on earth the night. God (and all spiritual truth) is the light of the sun. This is the way I see three of the religious views of this life:

(Disclaimer: I take each of these views from the most positive, optimistic possibility, and I hope I represent them each fairly – I apologize if I’m mistaken in my understanding.)

The Atheists view: We live in a dark world. There is no such thing as a sun, and there is no light, save that which we make ourselves.

The Agnostic view: We live in a dark world. There may be a sun, but I do not know. I have not seen it. If it does exist, I am without the means of knowing it. Thus, for me and for this life, there is no light save that which we make ourselves.

The Faith view: We live in a dark world. There is a sun, it shone on us once, it will shine on us again, but for now it is night. There are ways of knowing that there is a sun and you must learn to appreciate those things that indirectly give us the light of the sun. For example, if we look up at the sky, we can see the moon and stars, which reflect the light of the sun. In the mean time, anything that we (or anyone) can do to bring light into this time of night is good – but we must never forget that there is a light far greater than anything we can do ourselves, and it will rise on us at the end of this night.