I read an interesting thing today while reading a novel - in fact it was this novel ("The Constant Princess" by Philippa Gregory) that sparked my thinking on mythology and Christianity. In the part of the novel where I am now, Queen Katherine of England consults a Arab doctor. As a devout Catholic during a time where Muslims and Jews were being persecuted as infidels in Spain, Katherine feels that he is a heretic. Naturally they talk about faith before they get down to the medical issue. Doctor says to Queen, "We are both people of faith. Our enemies should be the people who have no faith, neither in their God, nor in others, nor in themselves. The people who should face our crusade should be those who bring cruelty into the world for no reason but thier own power. There is enough sin and wickedness to fight, without taking up arms against people who believe in a forgiving God and who try to lead a good life."
I wondered what happens to people who were around before the time of world religions and what happened to them. After reading that selection I feel that salvation is about more than faith in the God of world religions. I think that having faith in something beyond this world and living a life that doesn't harm others is enough to earn mercy and eternal life from whatever Eternal Being there might be - whatever his or her name.
Another point this book brought up in my mind is what made people think that there is only one way to be 'saved'. In the novel, Katherine feels that Catholicism is only way to eternal life. Others who don't follow Catholicism are deemed heretics and unbelievers. I'm starting to think that it was just hate, intolerance, and ingorance.
I don't think that doubts about faith are meant to be a bad thing. I think that doubts about faith should strengthen it. I don't believe that doubts should be viewed as bad things as they might have been many years ago. I think doubts should lead us to think a little bit more about why we believe what we do,
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