Profound belief in the intangible is often questioned by those insisting its existence be “proved”. Whether it is God, ghosts, or voodoo magic, the devout belief that something intangible exists frequently makes some observers doubt the adherent’s reasonable judgment.
Curiously, faith is so central to each of our lives. When we drive over a hill, we have faith that the road continues on the other side as expected. It only becomes a fact when we are beyond the crest and can see the other side. Most would argue that even though we have not yet seen the road ahead, it exists because those “in authority” put it on the map, others we know have traveled there, and we have the belief that they are telling the truth. You could say that is silly; we all know those roads are there, and I am just nitpicking.
What about beliefs that are not usually contentious? Personal certainty that your spouse is not cheating, that your business partner is not embezzling, or that the cashier is not dipping into the till are all things we choose to believe. What would life be like without faith in the people around us?
You might contend that belief in the spiritual aspect of life is different. No scientific proof seems to exist, so we can’t prove it beyond doubt since science is only concerned with observable and measurable physical evidence by its very nature.
If any diligent scientist intends to prove life after death, he needs only wait a few years until it reveals itself in due time, one way or the other. But if he wishes to prove it before death, he must look inward, not outward.
We must conclude that “proof” is a word that only applies to the physical universe. Personal experience allows us to know our own road ahead in the spiritual universe. “Faith” indicates we believe that something physically unseen, but believed, does exist. To know spiritual existence is actual, we must experience it, each for oneself.
When you experience the beauty of a lovely sunset, a well-crafted work of art, or the love for a person dear to you, I don’t believe it is just a body or brain reacting to the physical world around it. There is a being behind those eyes, a thinking, feeling soul with a spiritual life of its own. A random synapse never wrote a moving song or a funny act in a play. It never sacrificed its life so many others could live. Of course, you could ask doubters of spiritual life to prove love, admiration, beauty, and other such concepts to “prove” they exist. I suspect they would explain it was synapses in the brain.
To achieve goals in life, you must focus your actions toward them or never get there. If your focus lacks spiritual knowledge and experience, the result will only reside in material world gains.
Most religions and other spiritual groups set aside a few hours weekly for spiritual pursuits. How much of that time determines what we do within the physical world? Those individuals who require proof of the spirit set aside no time. We do not need convincing that the physical universe is factual.
In my opinion, when you strip away the physical, we are entirely spiritual beings. We do not “have” a soul, which implies it’s a possession we carry like a cell phone. We “are” a soul. Recognizing your “unprovable” existence is easy if you sometimes ignore the physical and allow the spiritual to be discovered.
Faith is fine, but in experiencing your spiritual abilities, it becomes factual. Let others rail about proof; some of us know we don’t need it.
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