Faith In Letters To Menoeceus And Letter To Herodotus

The Unseen Faith by definition is the firm belief in something in which there is complete trust or no proof. The underlying concept of faith stays the same throughout variations of the definition in different parts of society. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary definition contained the most transversal explanation, it refers to faith as a belief not only in a God but also to a person, duty, or idea. Faith is a concept that is believed in your heart and can be described in individual interpretation from prior experiences. In Letter to Menoeceus and Letter to Herodotus, Epicurus describes how one can differently view faith: with question because of lack of proof or with the understanding that God knows all. Although the difference in the definitions of faith are minimal, only really changing who or what you are trusting. Faith in a person is the love and trust in their judgement. But, a faith that many people know is religious; the firm
belief in God for instance is showing your devotion and respect in what he is capable of doing. The beginning use of the word in dictionaries and encyclopedias usually refer to the religious aspect of faith, as the bond of trust that is experienced between man and God. In this day religion is not something that is as forced as it was and it is normal for people to be unsure or not have complete trust in their faith. This concept is the main reason that I as an agnostic have trouble accepting the belief that there is a God. In this faith, there is a feeling and need to please God because he has done so much in his sacrifices and we are said to be his creation. But, as society evolves the number of our unanswered questions increases causing an incomplete trust.
All things considered faith has been a concept since the planet was created; since the Bible starts with the story of Adam and Eve. Each religion shows its faith in different special ways. Though during Epicures’ time, it was described in literature in the aspect of religion. Epicurus writes about faith with God and what kind of faith man should have in his “Letter to Menoeceus”. This letter details an argument about seeking wisdom in which he claims happiness is a way to find it and faith in God will help man gain that.
“First believe that God is a living being immortal and blessed, according to the notion of a god indicated by the common sense of mankind; and so, believing, you shall not affirm of him anything that is foreign to his immortality or that is repugnant to his blessedness. Believe about him whatever may uphold both his blessedness and his immortality. For there are gods, and the knowledge of them is manifest…” (Epicurus 130).
Epicurus states that anyway you believe in God is okay as long as you keep his gracious name because the knowledge Gods have contain a clear view of the world. This is the belief that many in today’s society have considering that is how it has been passed down through time.
On the other side, faith is defined as no proof stimulating the idea that it is imaginary.
In terms of the scientific view of Epicurus man should only proportion belief to empirical evidence and logic. This logic assumes without proof of a higher of the heavens there simply cannot be one. Man lives through faith and gains anxiety when they cannot understand or see the object of their focus. “Beyond bodies and space there is nothing which by mental apprehension or on its analogy we can conceive to exist” (Epicurus 87). The weakness of faith is that is impossibility to have proof of the things we have faith in, the impossibility to fully understand the topic in which we are giving complete dedication. Comparatively if man followed God with no question our understanding of him and what he stands for would decrease more and more every day, even the idea of questioning the situation would put man in a frenzy of anxiety. The downfall is that man would be agreeing to let go their goal of knowledge to please a faith that they don’t even
know.
Faith is a concept that has its positives and negatives that come with understanding and questions. Faith is more than just a firm belief in a God, person, duty or idea. It has two sides: the same faith we have known since the beginning and the twists that have come along since. The truth is that faith is not really definable and is something that is different for everyone, causing argument and analysis to continue throughout the years. Faith can be the hope someone needs or the doubt that keeps them. Faith with always be on the balance in people’s lives. But, could it be that doubt makes your faith stronger and hope is keeping you from an amazing faith?