Ben, thank you for your reply. I would like to speak on "Faith", as I see
it.
You said:
>Part of the deeper problem I see, however, is that when we rely on faith
>as our guide we run the risk of conflicting with reason. This applies
>just as much to business as it does to religion.
>I've heard a number of managers -- all at different levels in the
>organization -- say "well, we've got to run on faith. What other choices
>do we have?"
I could not agree with you more. I think it is the ignorance of the use
of faith that is the problem. I have faith in God, I have faith in my
car, and it is of the same sort. Allow me to explain (I hope). I had
heard of the things God had done, and wanted to be a part of that. I had
heard of the things cars like my car had done, and wanted to be a part of
that. The more I know of the aspects of both, the less faith it takes to
believe in them.
>Running on faith is an act of ignorance, and I am not sure ignorance ever
>produces the type of results we want.
The kind of faith you speak of here is not the kind of faith I am talking
about. I see this faith as "gambling", I see the faith I am talking about
as experience, or having proof. I know that 2+2=4. I know what God has
done in my life, peace that is unexplainable, fulfillment that goes beyond
words, etc. Those things are not of ignorance, nor of blind hope.
>The use of reason in governing our own lives and the lives of our
>organizations are critical to our long-term success.
The use of reasoning is the only thing we can count upon. If we are
operating our businesses on anything other than faith that is born out of
reasoning, we are gambling with our future and the futures of all those
that count on us. I see a faith that uses gambling as completely
different than the faith I have in God. I do not speak *for* God, I speak
as someone who has an intimate relationship with God, and understands he
knows more about me than I know about him. But he still seeks that
relationship with me, and desires me to learn through questioning. Not as
much as to *why* he does, bus as to *what* he does. Thank you for this
opportunity.
For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise
from another place, but you perish. And who knows but that you have come
to this position for such a time as this? Esther 14:4 my Version David
--"Guinn, David I" <dig@eastman.com>
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