EnnisP, Author at NowTHINK!AboutIt

Faith Basics Should Be The Same For Everyone

October 12, 2025 by EnnisP Leave a Comment

Differences Are Inevitable
Conflict Is Not

First a brief definition.

Faith refers to anything you believe which cannot be irrevocably proven or widely accepted. I believe in God. I can’t prove Him.

Unfortunately, that is the nature of faith. We call it faith because it cannot be tested in a lab. The only evidence we have is circumstantial.

And it isn’t the same for everyone. There are so many different varieties of faith it’s easy to see that faith tends to morph.

Therefore, when it comes to relationships based on faith, we must be careful. Before joining hands with anyone just because they have faith, we must determine exactly what they mean by the term.

Faith isn’t equal. Faith ideas can be polar opposites.

Even when they are close, they can be very different. One person believes Jesus is all one needs to get saved. Another adds baptism to the formula. Both believe in Jesus but the two ideas can’t be reconciled.

The uncomfortable truth is faith (the idea, the concept, the stance) tends to migrate depending on whose adopting it, how they promote it and on what they base their faith conclusions.

And since we can’t prove what we believe, it is entirely possible to become emotionally reactive when others respond derisively to the ideas we hold most strongly.

Buddhism, for example, is based on the teachings of Buddha. He excites attention because many of his teachings are at least thought provoking if not obvious. Some are easily accepted by all.

One of his popular statements illustrates the point:

Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present.

Easy to grasp and accept.

I’m not sure Buddha was the first to advocate for such an idea. In fact, Paul said something similar:

Behold, now is the accepted time, today is the day of salvation. (2 Corinthians 6:2)

Paul’s focus was salvation, not life in general, but the application was the same. If it didn’t happen in the past, don’t focus on the future, it can happen right now in the present.

Many have said something similar but Buddhism probably popularized it and the only ones to disagree are the disagreeable.

Ideas of this nature are sensible. They compel us to think and that’s a good thing.

One important observation is the fact that every religion promotes some ideas that are easy to see and accept. They all have an element of faith (that which can’t be seen) and sense (that which can be easily recognized).

But the balance between faith and sense is not fixed and because of that problems can surface. [Read more…] about Faith Basics Should Be The Same For Everyone

Why Faith Is Such A Problem For Christians

August 31, 2025 by EnnisP Leave a Comment

We Are Anchored
As Much By People
As We Are By Faith
And That Can Be A Problem

We usually think of faith as a problem for non-believers and that is true but it’s also a problem for believers. Let me explain.

Faith and Christianity are almost synonymous.

You can’t become a Christian without faith.
You can’t live like a Christian without faith.

The Bible makes very clear statements to drive those points home:

For by grace are you saved through faith. (Epheisans 2:8)

We walk by faith, not by sight. (2 Corinthians 5:7)

And the book of Hebrews confirms:

Without faith it is impossible to please God. (Hebrews 11:6)

Christians know this. Living by faith is their mantra. We wear it on tee shirts, broadcast it on bumper stickers and declare it verbally and endlessly for anyone close enough to hear.

All of that is understood.

Christianity’s most notable quality is faith and those who have it can’t stop talking about it. It’s a good thing but it’s also a problem not because we don’t have it but because we do.

What Are We Talking About

First, a brief explanation of faith. Faith involves three things: mindset, focus and manner.

What it means to have faith is simple. The word means trust, confidence, assurance in something unseen or not yet proven. The dictionary puts it simply:

Confident or unquestioning belief in the truth, value or trustworthiness of a person, idea or thing.

The first part of that definition gives us the mindset: trust, confidence, assurance.

The second part features the focus: person, idea or thing.

Having faith is one thing but it only counts if you place your faith in the right person, idea or thing.

Believing in the wrong idea will not make the idea right no matter how strongly you believe.

Faith is important but it cannot and does not stand alone. It will always have a target and if the target is wrong, the faith will do you little good.

But if the object of your faith is correct, it will be followed by an appropriate manner. That is, you’ll act accordingly. If I believe I will lose credibility if I don’t pay my bills, that belief will effect how I manage my money.

So faith is three things:

Unsubstantiated confidence
Placed in the appropriate object
Followed by sincere actions

Why is that a problem for Christians? [Read more…] about Why Faith Is Such A Problem For Christians

When Demagoguery Replaces Democracy

August 10, 2025 by EnnisP Leave a Comment

Beliefs Are Unproven Ideas
That Can Only Be Accepted
By Faith

A New York Times article reports that the Trump administration is planning to burn $9.7 million dollars worth of contraceptives.

The contraceptives, stored in Belgium and part of the USAID program, “were destined for clinics in the poorest countries in Africa.” That is, until the USAID was dismantled leaving these stored drugs in limbo.

But what do you do with $9.7 million worth of contraceptives once the program under which they were commissioned is dismantled?

The answer depends on who you ask or better yet whose in control because, as far as I can tell, there was no discussion over the matter. [Read more…] about When Demagoguery Replaces Democracy

7 Thoughts Explaining Repentance

June 20, 2025 by EnnisP 1 Comment

If Your Mind Doesn’t Change
Your Life Never Will

At one point in the early stages of American history, repentance was a word often heard in sermons, usually accompanied with lengthy arguments but also offered threateningly or with a demanding tone.

The arguments were essential. If the arguments were sound, the threats weren’t always needed. But, as you can imagine, if you can’t make a sound argument and no one seems to listen, demands make it possible to get results anyway.

That isn’t a well respected approach but it is true, threats can be effective in a pinch.

Tent revivals of the past, also called brush arbor or camp meetings, were known for this. These revivals were p;\opular in the early stages of US history. George Whitefield and John Wesley were remarkable for their ability to preach in open air settings to thousands, and be heard clearly by all.

There was a great deal of emotion in Whitefield’s preaching but his sermons also included arguments woven together convincingly.

I’m not saying that you would agree with Whitefield on every point but his arguments, right or wrong, were clearly articulated and he did what Calvinists of his time were loathe to do; he ended his sermons with an invitation to get saved.

His inaccuracies can be forgiven. Only God is known to be without error (and Christians are known more for what they disagree on) but his ability to project and to make sensible arguments, if not always absolutely correct, were well known and respected by everyone during his time and ever since.

People were known to go far out of their way just to witness Whitefield’s speaking ability. There’s no surprise there. Whitefield studied and performed in theatre at a time in history when vocal projection was the most important skill in theatrics and no one was better than Whitefield. It was in itself an attraction.

Attending one of his services in the 1700’s was like going to the movies today. It just so happened that his extraordinary abilities, that drew people in, were also used to preach the Gospel and repentance featured dominantly.

Whitefield understood that repentance is essential to any person’s coming to faith.

What Is Repentance

But what is repentance. We speak about it a lot without defining what we mean.

Repentance is nothing more and nothing less than a change of mind. A real, life effecting, lasting change of mind. Once this change occurs, it can’t be undone. There may be doubts, fears, and questions but there’s no going back. [Read more…] about 7 Thoughts Explaining Repentance

Fundmentalism’s Biggest Flaw – Negativity

June 4, 2025 by EnnisP Leave a Comment

It’s Only An Insecure Person
That Requires Everyone
To Believe The Same Things

Gallop Poll does a survey at the end of each year (End of Year Survey) to measure optimism about the coming year. They ask respondents if they think things will be better, worse or the same.

Compared to the past ten years expectations are low at the moment. According to Gallop, 29% believe 2025 will be more prosperous, 35% believe it will be economically difficult and 31% say it will be the same as the last 12 months.

That last category, the Same, is revealing because at present, confidence levels are at some of the lowest degrees of all time. Not the GOAT but the WOAT.

Expecting things to be the same is the equivalent of expecting things to be as dismal in the future as they’ve been in the recent past. What that means is a total of 66% of those responding had a bleak outlook. Things aren’t looking too good. Hope is generally not up.

And, of course, the question is why is that so? What’s contributing to the negative perception?

One answer would be the government (aka the President).

Nine years ago Obama was finishing his final term as President and things looked very good. There were naysayers and antagonists for sure, but public perception in general was at an all time high.

That period of positivity was followed by Trump and that’s when public perceptions (along with the economic realities we live with at the moment) began to slide. The slide continued until we are hovering at close to all time lows and according to Trump’s own words it will get even worse before it gets better.

In other words, the thing Biden worked really hard to avoid and did a fair job at curbing, Trump is not just embracing but provoking.

But Presidents aside, religion is to some degree guilty too. If you go to church regularly, you’re getting a consistent diet of philosophical negativity. Since fundamentalism is very much in league with the Trump movement, it is fair for us to look a little deeper. We need to understand the what and why of fundamentalism’s negative effects.

I know about this negativity because I played that roll for many years, decades even. [Read more…] about Fundmentalism’s Biggest Flaw – Negativity