Faith!

Xuefeng

Faith refers to what is credible, believable, and reliable; reverence implies admiration, worship, and awe.

Faith is the product of the human mind being struck by a certain doctrine, teaching, phenomenon, or mysterious force, thereby automatically forming a set of life values in one's consciousness.

Faith is a creation of the soul, not a product of religion or political parties. Religion or political parties merely act as catalysts. Even without religion or political parties, people can still possess faith.

Faith is an individual act of consciousness. Faith established collectively is hard to endure. Faith based on collective belief will dissipate with the dissolution of a certain religion, political party, or organization.

Faith takes on countless forms and is incredibly diverse. Communist faith, the belief in the unity of heaven and humanity, faith in the Greatest Creator, in gods and Buddhas, faith in science, and even obsessions and adoration of power, status, wealth, fame, or beauty are forms of faith. Beliefs like "seizing the moment," "doing the bare minimum," and "just getting by" also count as faith.

Faith can essentially be divided into two categories: theistic faith and atheistic faith.

Theists are humble, believing that everything in the universe is created by god. They are hopeful about the future, believe in the cycle of cause and effect, and rely on an inner moral compass to guide their actions. They hold the belief that "a divine presence watches over us," which restrains them from misconduct.

Atheists, on the other hand, believe in human agency, trust in science, and value empirical evidence. They accept evolution and see life and death as coincidences. For them, death marks eternal "rest," with nothing left afterward. Thus, they focus their energy and time on the successes, failures, and social standings of this life. Since they believe in neither past lives nor afterlives, they are bold and daring, fearing neither heaven nor earth, and reject the notion of karmic retribution.

Faith is hierarchical, ranging from the lowest to the highest levels as follows:

1.Faith in the "Law of the Jungle" This is a form of faith rooted in animalistic thinking. Phrases like "the victor becomes king while the defeated become outlaws," "a man must be ruthless to succeed," and "the strong prey on the weak, and the fittest survive" are representative of this belief.

2.Faith in "Money is Power, and Profit is Paramount" This is the faith of the ignorant and the worldly, focusing solely on immediate benefits. When sufficiently tempted, government officials may engage in corruption, police may shield criminals, intellectuals may distort the truth, virgins may "go to any lengths," loving couples may turn against each other, and even siblings may harm one another.

3.Faith in "Integrity and Honor" Those with this faith value character and dignity. Phrases such as "refusing charity given with disdain," "a gentleman loves wealth but acquires it ethically," and "do not do to others what you do not want done to yourself" exemplify this belief.

4.Faith in "Loyalty and Filial Piety" The entirety of Confucian teachings falls under this category of faith.

5.Faith in "Family, People, Nation, Party, and Religion" This is the typical faith of mortals and the foundation of political and organizational beliefs.

6.Faith in "Harmony between Heaven and Humanity" Rooted in Taoism, this faith emphasizes self-cultivation, non-action (Wu Wei), and the reduction of desires.

7.Faith in the Greatest Creators and Buddhas This faith is represented by major religions such as Christianity, Buddhism, and Islam.

8.Faith in "Lifechanyuan" The core tenet is "walking the way of the Greatest Creator." This is a faith built on the wisdom of Jesus, Buddha, Muhammad, Laozi, the achievements of science, and the philosophical essence of human sages and saints. It represents the convergence of all beliefs and the highest level of faith, embodying the ultimate limits of human wisdom.

Faith is non-material, the compass of the soul. The nature of one's faith determines the outcome of one's life.

Every human being has faith. Without faith, one is no different from a "straw dog"—a mere animal.