Journal 5

Challenges to Faith

Summary
The main focus of this chapter are the major challenges of faith for us today, living in a world plagues by consumerism and doubt. The three areas that the book discusses are: Atheism, Scientism, and Dehumanization. Atheism, not believing in God or a higher being, is a challenge to faith because it instills disbelief and ditrust in an idea. Trust and belief are the main factors of Faith, and without these virtues, the meaning to life is lost in an unfaithful mind. Scientism is the affect that sceintific discoveries impose on our ideas onI am expending a piece of myself t o faith, these ideas cause us to doubt God and put faith into another "more probable" idea. Dehumanization occurs everyday when we watch TV, read an add, or buy some new clothes. We may buy something that is very expensive, but we are losing a piece of something that is priceless, ourselves. This may seem farfetched, but I think with all the media and advertising, it all adds up and billows a haze of doubt and deception in our face.

3 Important Things to Remember:
Limitations of Science
There are 4 reasons why we can't place complete faith in science.Science presupposes the uniformity of nature, meaning that science generalizes that all people are the same on a molecular level, not bringing thought or feelings into the equation. Science also emphasizes empirical knowledge. This means that science mainly deals with tangible things, but it doesn't deal with spiritual realities. Science also remains unable to give us certitude, or complete knowledge, about the world around us. The final, and most important limitation is that it can't deal with the question "Why?" Science tells how, or to what extent something may or does happen, but it doesnt put it into significant context in our lives, like we get with Faith in God.

Apathy
I want to remember that Religious Apathy, or Indifference, is not honorable. I feel that it is better to have a firm stance on your beleifs, whether it would be Atheism, Theism, or Agnosticism. Being Apathetic is a lazy way out of believing in something of supreme importance. Although Atheists seem to be the least faithful, because they completely detest the thought of God, they still maintain a sense of faith in their own beliefs. Agnosticism is the same way. They realize that humans are incapable of knowing such information about the meaning of life, but they still acknowledge the probabillity of a higher being. No matter how my veiws develop, I don't want to lose them and become Apathetic.

Dehumanization
Finally, I would like to remember the lessons I learned from the Merchants of Cool and the video by Fr. Kavanaugh. I learned about how corporations try to deceive us into beleiving that their product will open the door to a new better life. They take advantage of teen interests in order to make a profit out of what we think is "cool" at the time. I often find myself delving into advertisements and thinking that I need that so I can look good in the eyes of others. People begin to lose a sense of self when they indulge themselves too deeply into materialism. By spending my money on a style that will eventually fade out, I am giving into the advertisements, and changing my life to conform with the look they present to me. I need to be my own person and not let an advertisement tell me how to live.

A Question to Ponder?
The Greatest Challenge to My Faith: I think the greatest challenge in my life is Dehumanization because I can see myself being easily captivated by material goods, without giving as much attention to my faith, friends, or family. Even though I don't always go out and buy everything I want, I always think about how much nicer it would be to have more money, to drive that car, or to have that shirt. Advertising has shaped me to become very materialistic, and I need to search for the deeper meaning to life, instead of being smothered by consumerism. 1