My Position on Vaccinations

This is a living document, it's unfinished and I will be adding more to it.

The First Experience with Vaccinations

My wife and I are fully vaccinated. I hated needles because I always felt nauseous afterward, sometimes for a few days depending on the vaccination. But beside that don't recall any terrible experiences.

But sometime shortly after my first son was born, we took him in for his first, or one of his first, vaccinations.

It was a three in one. Meaning there were three vaccinations being injected at the same time.

I don't recall what the other two were, but one of them was Rabies.

At the time, I didn't really know what Rabies was. But I knew it was a nasty one.

We asked the doctor if we should be aware of any potential complications, they said no - in so many words.

Not long after we got home, Owen started to cry. Crying quickly became screaming. And the screaming just kept going.

Obviously, we called the doctors office right away. They reassured us it was probably nothing and to wait it out.

But the screaming wouldn't stop. It was obvious something was wrong. But an infant can't communicate so we had to figure it out ourselves. It went on for hours.

During this time we researched symptoms of each of the vaccinations and then I realized he was kicking his legs, one more than the other. I noticed the leg he was kicking less was seized! His thigh was hard as a rock. Instantly, I realized, this is Rabies! So we called the doctor back and they maintained a position of being completely unhelpful.

I was so mad. So, so very angry. I trusted these doctors to educate me and give a vaccination that would protect my family. Instead, I found us alone in our apartment wondering if my child would even survive being told there was nothing they could do!

Now, I have had many wonderful doctors and nurses. So don't interpret this as a discredit to doctors and nurses.

What this experience lead us to was that we are responsible for our health and we decide what goes into it. Because, when it really counts, were the only one who will definitely be there when something goes wrong.

Taking Responsibility

We had thoroughly educated ourselves on vaccinations before this point. But without experience you lack confidence. We read a book or two, asked our doctors what they thought, got counsel from friends and family, and researched it on the internet. But we still - ultimately - had complete trust in our doctors prior to this experience. I think, subconsciously, we viewed doctors as someone born with a super power that us laymen could never possess. 

After this experience we realized that we simply couldn't trust our doctors without verifying what they were advising and telling us.

This philosophy, later, saved my daughter from horrific consequences when she was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis. And myself from extreme consequences as I faced symptoms of Chron's Disease.

Self Diagnoses

Self-diagnoses is dangerous.

But so is driving.

And many, many, other things we must do in life.

There's a quote that has helped me immeasurably throughout my life: "In the multitude of counselors there is safety." Proverbs 11:14, the Bible.

To self-diagnose does not mean you go with your gut and that's it. Or that you do a little research on the internet and call it good. Or any one thing.

It means you assess the situation, research the topic from multiple sources (meaning published books, from authors with professional qualifications, etc...), seek counsel and opinion from verifiably qualified professionals but ALSO from people with first hand experiences - whether they're professionals or not.

You'll find that the CDC, health institutions, the government, the media, etc... caution or blatantly shame self-diagnoses. I believe this is not because they are actually against it, but because they find that many people don't know how to cite their sources and use basic logic and reason.

Sometimes you really do just have to trust the doctor blindly. I learned that when I severed part of my hand on a sheet of metal and had to get surgery right away. I'm so thankful for their experience and swift resolution.

But after my surgery I was given Vicodin for pain. I went against my instinct to allow the pain and I took it - desperate for sleep. But after just a day and a half I could see why someone would become addicted and noticed it impaired me. So I stopped. My doctor didn't like that. But the fact is I didn't need that. And yet my doctor pushed me to continue taking it.

That pressure is understandable, but also slightly inappropriate. When you need anti-viral medication because you could die: that is an appropriate time to pressure someone. When it's less than that I firmly believe there should be no pressure. Simply education of facts, with an opinion and then it's done.

When Doctors Can't Be Trusted

Many years later, my daughter, at 3, had swelling around her knees and pain in her elbows. If felt like she had water balloons around her knees. And we, later, learned the pain in her joints wasn't really pain but a discomfort that you feel if you've sat still for too long - like on a long drive and you need to stretch.

When we were first told by a Specialist doctor, he explained she would have to come in monthly for the rest of her life - at least until 18 - and receive steroid injections into each of her joints.

We asked what alternatives there were, and what had been tried, and he - dismissively - said there were none and promptly followed it up with asking when we'd like to schedule the first injections.

Within just a couple of days we found numerous sources - including people with RA - that found removing gluten - which is NOT naturally occurring in the majority of foods and when it is it's literally like 100 times less than what you find in man-managed foods - cured them.

So we got her a blood test. I think it was $150. From a local naturopathic clinic. I don't mean hippy-dippy naturopath. I mean a clinic full of doctors with the same education, and beyond, that of the doctors we saw in the traditional hospitals. It came back and we saw she was allergic to dairy and gluten, as well as slightly to a few other things.

We removed the gluten and six weeks later her symptoms were completely gone! A year later we took her back to the doctor and - admitting he had never seen it before - cleared her as clinically cured.

Clinically cured is not the same thing as just lacking symptoms. It means there is no evidence she ever even had RA! Think of it like the highest honor you can receive in school.

It was liberating and hardened our belief in trusting our instinct when it's balanced with proper self-diagnoses.

When Institutions Can't Be Trusted

I believe in the necessity and benefits of institutions of many kinds. Including organizations like the CDC, the federal government, privately owned media, and beyond.

But I also believe they are imperfect and must be held accountable and restricted from monopolizing things.

For example, I don't know anyone who hasn't had the flu. Multiple times. I also don't know anyone who has died or had complications from the flu unless they were a newborn, very elderly, or had existing health complications.

Yet, the CDC's official page on the flu lists the first reason that they recommend every person gets it is because of the possibility of death.

Now, I think the CDC is an amazing organization that is consistently saving millions and millions of lives. I love them and what they do. But I also believe this presentation is manipulative and misleading.

Did you know that the flu virus mutates every year? And since vaccines can only be made from an existing virus, that means the flu shot you get this year is made from last years strain. And it takes 6 months to create mass quantities of a virus so they can't even vaccinate using early strains for the current year at this time.

This is why the flu vaccination is notoriously ineffective.

Take, for example, the CDC's own data on mortality rates. Keep in mind this is not people who only had the flu, this is people who had the flu but may also have had other existing (and known) complications.

The grand total for deaths in 2018... 184. Not 184,000. Just 184. There are over 325,000,000 people just in the US.

For comparison, according to National Geographic, your chances of getting struck by lighting at 1 in 700,000. That's just each year. In your lifetime it's actually 1 in 3,000.

So, conservatively, you're 464 times more likely to get struck by lightning than to die from the Flu.  Unless, of course, you're over the age of 5 and under the age of 65 and then it's virtually impossible. 😂

As most of us know, local news hypes the truth. I live in Wilsonville and Sherwood, Oregon. If you watched just the news about these cities you would be left with the impression we have a lot of fires that endanger everyone in the city, there are hostage situations often. Children get hit by cars frequently. And many other extreme scenarios. All have happen in our city! But about as many times as you can count on your fingers and spread out over about 20 years. It's actually one of the safest places to live in the country!

Institutions like local and national news, the CDC, the WHO, our federal government, etc... All have a unique role in the world that creates a bias. Bias is not bad, it's natural. We all have them. But when accepted without "a multitude of counselors" it can create fear and panic where it wouldn't be otherwise. This can result in laws being passed punishing families or individuals who don't get certain vaccinations.

If the Vaccination doesn't hurt you, why not get it?

Apart from the prick of the needle, if getting every available vaccination didn't hurt you - why not do it just to be safe?

I think that's a valid question. And it was my reasoning for getting vaccinated until I learned how vaccinations are made and that many are proven to cause or be linked to things like Down Syndrome.

This, ultimately, is the most compelling reason I find to avoid vaccinations unless they're absolutely necessary.

{I'm working on the rest of this segment}

Resources

I strongly recommend reading these resources as you make your own decisions.

• https://www.nvic.org/about.aspx
• https://www.cdc.gov
• https://www.who.int/

Are People Worth Loving?

In recent years I've had a few close relationships suddenly separated by a chasm. Regardless of whose is to blame; it's most painful and disappointing, among other things. And it happened again recently, several times, and it's left me wondering why bother being around people at all if there is no true foundation for even the most desolated relationship to be rebuilt on?

In this vulnerable place I find a most tangible comfort. To find peace and joy in a valley of hatred and spoil is humbling. It comes from reflecting on my reason and purpose for existing, and the story of Jesus. Lately, it usually makes me weep before the words can leave my lips. In this place though, I suddenly remember how many times I must have treated my creator with similar contempt.

During this I find I love him even more. Like holding your first child and knowing how you couldn't possibly love someone any more, and then holding a second child realizing it still happened.

Thank you for your mercy and grace Father! Thank you for your sacrifices Jesus!

This leads me to question how he maintains faith in us. Most cite it's a mystery, and I don't necessarily disagree, but I have found you can't truly love our creator if you don't learn how to loves us first.

As I consider this I find that surely you can't love someone if you don't have faith in their character. Trust is the house of love and without it there is no where for love to dwell and abide - much less grow. So our creator must have faith and trust in us. But why?

Here I rediscover that we are an image of our creator, being a by product of his universe. The Bible is stunningly accurate when it says that we're not only an image; but the image of our creator. You can find that reference in the first book of the Bible, Genesis, chapter 27 in the first sentence.

Knowing this also tells me that whatever brings about our destruction, as people in relationships especially; has no place in our life, loves home - for the sake of poetry. So I should cast those things out, the products of fear, that would keep these relationships torn down and again take confidence in love, true love, love like our creators love, and tirelessly work until they're rebuilt.

I can't save the world, that was Jesus' role. But I can raise better people for the world to come, that's my job.

I Believe You God

I don't know of the Bible claiming to be Your "Word", dictated. But I do believe that it, in fact is still used to perfectly represent you at the exact moments you intend it to and in no others.

That these moments of encountering your words are not at the turning of a page or harmonizing with a song. Rather at the moment you mysteriously choose and reveal to us by faith. Faith that isn't conjured by the cheap recycling of mans services, but the great and awesome power of the one creator.

Tonight, as with many other nights, the words of the Bible have apprehended me and my present circumstances in a way that is clearly intentional and not simply happenstance.

Its by Faith, in the nature of our Creator - your character, that we come to truly know you. Not by words, or actions, circumstances or environment. But by all things that provoke us in faith to believe completely and progressively in You.

I don't know exactly why you use the Bible so often as your mouthpiece, but I believe you do. And that you did tonight. And I thank you for your consideration and affection for me.

I also thank you for the revelation of how my character, in its purest form, reveals to me no less than the same about you. That is to say that if I'm capable of love, generosity, excitement, joy, singing, dancing, and so much more... then the same must be true of you as well because nothing could come to exist without you first.

You are God, and I am not. I am human, and your ways are above my ways. I am free from the burden of omniscience and it's liabilities. Thank you God. I love you. And I wish to love you as rightly and truly and fiercely as you love me.

In the midst of an exponentially complicated fallout of a volatile act by another person; I read Ecclesiastes' final two chapters. Exhorting it's reader not to allow the excitement and events of your youth to overshadow your awareness and affection for your Creator. But to begin life there and carry that forward.

This is a divine message from God to me because this has been a topic in my life ever so presently, as recent as this morning.

Open Ended Thoughts on True Sustainability.

Because I have the capacity to be rational and logical, alongside the ability to be emotional, I believe that our creator is - in some form and no less than our own; equally rational, logical and emotional. Though not necessarily limited to that in ways we may be.

That being said, it occurred to me that, assuming the Biblical records of Jesus are accurate (which I know of little to no evidence to suggest they are falsified or otherwise inaccurate) then Jesus' promise of eternal life from our creator testifies that it is, and probably was, our creators intention to make humans immortal.

However, rationally I see a few problems with this;

• If humans are designed to be immortal, are other living creatures suppose to be also?
  • If any living creature is designed to be immortal what happens when the Earth is over populated? Popular scientific theory suggests that death prevents over population, and therefore is designed into life. AKA "the cycle of life". But that theory seems to contradict the purpose of nature's ability to heal.
    • If you believe humans were designed to expand into the universe (or beyond) the same problem is, eventually, reached if our universe is finite.
  • I see no other explanation than to assume that our creator is infinite, although we can't fully grasp that. So none of this is necessarily a problem, just a potential problem.
• If humans are designed to live forever on earth then why does Jesus put such great emphasis on having a new body, living with him in Paradise, etc...
• if humans are not designed to live forever why would Jesus put such great emphasis on advancing the Kingdom of God and Kingdom of Heaven into the Kingdom of Earth?

However I see a few proponents to suggest we are design to live forever.

• Telomeres - The abiltiy for human bodies to repair themselves (healing from wounds, etc...) - Apparently the only reason we die is because of a single enzyme that our bodies mysteriously stop producing. We can increase production in mice and increase their lives dramatically so theoretically we could re-invogorate them in our own bodies.
• Since we know stress reduces the production of this enzyme could this be achieved by living forever?
• To completely eliminate stress would we need to no longer fear death?
• Or do we just need to limit stress like we limit how much food we eat to remain healthy?

Jars of Clay - World's Apart Lyrics

I look upon the empty cross.
Forgetting what my life has cost.
Wipe away the crimson stains
Steal my heart
More and more I need you now.
Battle between grace and pride.
Given up not so long ago.
Wash my feet and clense my pride.
And all the things I cannot hide.
Take the beauty and take my tears.
Take it now.
Take the words I can't deny.
Wash the world I lost.
Take my world apart.
I pray.
Take my world apart.

Biological Facts

Disclaimer: I am not formerly qualified or educated on anything. This is a compilation of information I've confirmed and believe to be true by observation, personal experience or credible sources. As always verifiable constructive criticism is welcomed.

I love staying up late to watch a good movie, or working through my hungry stomach because I'm on a roll (which I'm doing right now, ha) or playing video games until I have a head ache. But I'm discovering how dangerous these behaviors are, especially over the long term.

Here are the things I've discovered and the related citations so you can verify them yourself;

Evidence for Biological Demand for a Schedule

1. If you don't wake up on time you won't eat on time.
2. If you don't eat on time then you get hungry rapidly and suddenly.
1. I've read that by the time you have allowed your body to experience "growling hunger" you have already allowed your body too much time to starve.
1. Citations needed for side effects.
2. This can result in overeating because you feel the need to satisfy that hunger rapidly, but you eat foot faster than you can digest, resulting in over eating.
2. It also results in eating your following meals later.
3. If you eat your following meals later then you're more likely to eat late.
1. If you eat too soon before you go to bed then your body can't digest it's food properly.
1. It results in a myriad of intestinal issues such as acid reflux, gas, general stomach pains, etc... that can cause irreversible long term damage to the affected organs.
4. If wait to digest and you don't go to bed on time (or whatever the reason) your body still tries to wake you up at the "normal" time the next day.
1. This results in less sleep then your body actually needs.
1. Less sleeping time means shorter period of REM (rapid eye movement, AKA "dreaming state") cycles.
1. Dreaming is your consciousness' awareness, AKA a side effect, of your body organizing your memories. It's your brain literally re-experiencing all of the sensual memories (hearing, seeing, feeling, tasting, emotions, etc...) as they are taking from one part of your brain and delivered to another for storage.
1. Your brain tries to take the days memories and store them in an organized fashion so that you can, most quickly, recall and use them in following days. They're stored in nodes which are networked to other nodes. Just like computers are networked through the internet to share information.
2. Failure to sleep enough means that your brain didn't have enough time to organize those things so memories from the day get lost, die (AKA deleted), forgotten (die over time) and result, in following days, in the form of failure to recall, "think clearly" or be generally focused (fatigue from lack of sleep).
5. This makes maintaing a schedule the following day much more difficult resulting in compounded consequences that, ultimately, decay the body in ways and at times that it, otherwise, would not.

The point here is that your body was designed to manage all of this and inform you in real time. All you have to do is not ignore it! Your body wants to be satisfied and it rewards you for doing so.

Observational Evidence About Humans Anatomical Diet

I love Sushi. And cold dairy milk with Cap'n Crunch. And my dad's seared and seasoned steak.

But... the evidence I've discovered is that those things are literally destructive to the human body (not so much Sushi actually).

Despite my present dietary choices and vocalness on the topic; I was not raised vegan, virtually no one I know is, and the only reason I came to research this topic was because I started experiencing a number of the symptoms listed in this article and my "modern" doctors couldn't provide solutions and the ones that they proposed were expensive, inconclusive and hard to pronounce.

Regardless of my present belief I'm just trying to follow the evidence. So if the evidence suggests that a heavy meat and animal-by product diet; that's what I'll eat. And vice versa.

I'd like to emphasize that these details aren't just highlighting the difference between meat-eating and non-meat eating, but actually highlights any diet that includes animal by-products (dairy is a big one).

Here is the evidence that has persuaded me of these things

1. Jaw - The human jaw is identical to the rounded jaw lines of any herbivore. It's as different from a carnivore's jaw as is possible in the scope of jaw-differences.
1. Teeth - Carnivorous teeth are sharp, even omnivores have more sharp teeth (per capita) than humans). Teeth are subtle to an untrained eye (like myself) but it's still quiet clear, especially when put in the context of the other evidence throughout this article.
1. Consequences - Jaw/tooth and mouth related consequences of non-vegan diets;
1. Halitosis (bad breath) - 90% of cases the origin of odor is the mouth itself. It appears that the only causes of bad breath are easily-avoidable choices (leading with meat and dairy, but also obvious things like drugs)
1. Includes Dry Mouth.
2. Gingivitis
3. Tooth Decay
2. Benefits - Jaw/tooth and mouth related consequences of vegan based diets:
1. B12 Deficiency - There really aren't any consequences of vegan diets I can find. The closest to one is the rumored B12 deficiency which I discovered is only lacking in fruits and vegetables that have been cleaned by modern chemicals but otherwise occur naturally growing on the outside of them and is sufficient for a human body. But in our culture - unless you have your own garden like our family - you should take B12 supplement.
2. Prevention and protection against halitosis, bacterial causes of dry mouth, gingivitis and tooth decay! Because fruits and vegetables, especially a variety of herbs, naturally defend against it and simply don't cause it like animal products and by products do. Here's a non-authoritative, but easily verifiable citation.
1. This means you wouldn't need to brush your teeth (you might say gross, but think about it... why do you brush your teeth? Bad breath? Get the meat unstuck from between your teeth? If this was necessary to maintain a healthy mouth and avoid nasty breath then why weren't you born with a tooth brush and mouth wash?)
2. Nails - Just look up pictures on Google.
3. Organs - TONS of articles about this. I'm not even going to bother citing it because I don't know which article is best, there are TONS.
4. Cancers & Diseases
1. I've read and hear, many times now from many sources, that cancers, diabetes, heart diseases, strokes and obesity are virtually non-existent in carnivorous animals. Yet they're prevalent in omnivorous humans.

If we're not omnivores then why did we ever start eating meat?

My theory; because some environments the majority of plant life recedes during seasons while animals, and other living creatures, remain abundant.

So when humans begin to starve it would seem the natural instinct would be to find alternative sources for food to survive (animals). And easy to understand why we continue to eat them considering their rich flavor and high-density so eating less is more filling to a stomach that measures it's fullness by quantity instead of mass (weight).

Diet Summary

In summary, all observational evidence (facts) indicates that humans are herbivores, despite behavioral patterns. Which have well documented consquences that anyone could easily test if they adopted herbivore (probably 90%+ vegan diet).

Miscellaneous Notes

• A friend of mine recently reminded me that fasting, as you know, flushes your body of all sorts of filth but, while doing that, can cure allergies!

What is faith? How is it used? What is it used for? And how does one obtain it?

Over the last few years, my subconscious has been wrestling with logical inconsistencies with a variety of things that has resulted in a manifestation of itself through the following questions:

What is faith? How is it used? What is it used for? And how does one obtain it?

I believe these questions are important enough to be asked because life demands faith in a variety of circumstances (ex. other drivers on the road, your employer to deliver a paycheck, the nature of our creator, your spouse to be faithful, etc...). And if that faith is misplaced it will be to your detriment, even unto death.

Before you continue reading; consider whether or not you, subconsciously, interchange the word faith, with the word belief/believe as I did. By doing this I, and those who know me, missed countless blessing that our creator, through life as we know it, has to offer.

According to Webster's dictionary the word "believe" means choosing to accept something as true (and "truth" is defined as something that is in accordance with fact or reality ["fact" or "reality" meaning something that is proven or otherwise verifiable]).

What is faith?

The most common response that I've received when I asked others (religious and secular); is that faith is "spiritual" and cannot be fully grasped or defined. I quote that word because, like the word "faith", "spiritual" is another term that people use ambiguously (in this article, I'm not going to try to define it though). Interestingly, to me, the only direct answer I was offered is a single verse from the Bible in a letter to some Hebrews in it's 11th chapter and first verse which says: "Faith is the evidence of things unseen, the substance of things hoped for..."

I've long accepted that as a definition, until I began writing this article and realized that it is more of a description of faith not a literal definition.

According to Webster's dictionary "faith is the feeling or belief that one can rely on someone or some thing." Of course Webster's isn't, necessarily, the authority, but I think you'll find the rest of this exposition to prove that definition as consistent and true.

I've found, although, that most people who claim to have faith in the nature of our creator disagree that faith is a feeling at all. I, too, felt that way prior to starting this article. But, I realized I couldn't explain why! Maybe because I viewed it as irreverent to God? (Because I view faith in the nature of our creator as the most critical use of any application faith has in our life - although it's, obviously, not the only thing faith can be applied to.)

You see, faith is a noun (nouns are the subject of a verb). This implies that it doesn't do anything. By itself. Kind of like... a feeling! You may feel love for your spouse, but if that doesn't manifest itself with action; it's vain.

I've heard faith, when invested into our creator, described as "information from-God to-you." Which is an interesting summary when you look at this example from how the Bible teaches one of it's most renown stories of a man of faith:

"So God said (informed or described) to Noah: 'I have decided to destroy all living creatures. ... Build a large boat ...'" ~ Genesis 6:13-14

You may be thinking to yourself: "If faith doesn't do anything, then isn't it useless? I don't accept that!" And I would respond by asking you: "Are oars for a boat useless?"

How is it used?

Faith is used by belief.

For example; oars are an object. They don't do anything by themselves. So, too, faith may not do anything, but... belief... does.

Because believe is a verb (verbs are words used to describe actions). So if you have faith in me, for example, when I say "Oars enable you to move a boat." you would say "Ok." But if you believe me then you would prove your faith by grabbing them, getting in the boat, and starting to row.

Let me use a real world example to illustrate a practical application:

I believe God exists because I have proof through deduction and by observation that we were created. I don't need faith in that instance. But when you don't have proof; faith is required (assuming ignorance isn't an option). So I do need faith to believe in God's promises. Why? Because promises are things yet-to-happen. Meaning there is no evidence, facts or reality to prove them as presently true.

What is it used for?

Although there is a follow up question to this, I believe this is the pinnacle point of this article.

Since faith can be used for many things, as I established at the beginning of this article, I want to focus on the most influential purpose of faith. So I lead in with this question: what good is faith in the nature of our creator if, ultimately, our lives surmount with death?

It would be vain, really. I mean right? Feel free to comment a disagreement, but I can't see any benefit beyond temporal satisfaction. Not that vanity is equivalent to uselessness. It just wouldn't seem to be worth writing an article like this otherwise.

Unless...

...

That creator made a promise of eternal life through a resurrection...

In which case it becomes immeasurably valuable.

I mean... right?

And how does one obtain it?

Since we've established the invaluable worth to faith in the nature of God, assuming you can't debunk my conclusion, it would seem like you would be asking (like I did) "Man, if that's for real then how do I 'get' this faith?"

The answer, once again, is right under our nose. How do you gain faith in anything or anyone?

You experience it.

If you have a best friend, you probably, hopefully, really trust them. That's a form of faith. If you do; it's probably because they did something like help you move, bring you food when you were sick, lend you money, etc... So it was by getting to know them, and actively doing things with them that you built that faith in their character. The more you have faith in them the more you spend time with them.

I'm sure the same has happened on the opposite with someone, maybe even that same friend, when they didn't follow through or they let you down. You lost a little faith in them, in their character. As a result you probably spent less time with them.

With faith in our creator, it's a little more ambiguous than that because you're trying to interact with something that is so beyond, and all encompassing of, what we are as mere humans that you have to breakdown the expectation that you'll fully experience that creator only if they become human and stand before you (see Jesus for reference, haha). If you're struggling with that concept I'd encourage you to read this article where I explain it a little more.

Beside from directly experiencing our creator there is at least one other way I know of:  other people.

If you want to know if a restaurant is good what do you do? If you're like me you probably look for reviews. I often start by asking my friends and family because I trust them. Hearing their stories about their experiences builds my faith that about the kind of experience I can expect.

So to asking people who say they have faith in God's character and nature is a great place to start. Be that friends or family. But my personal favorite (because I only have three friends - which technically aren't friends if you don't count my wife and two kids) is THE BIBLE. I'm not saying it's perfect, or the only way to build and maintain faith, but it's a great starting place.

Reading this article right now is me sharing my faith with you. And if you find yourself feeling encouraged and confident about this idea: BAM. You now have faith. If you want more of it; I'd love to share more stories about my experiences in life that have grown my faith in our creators good nature. Or you can simply ask our creator using whatever means you have (speaking out loud, writing it down, whatever...).

Conclusion

I'd like to make it abundantly clear that I don't believe we were born to die so God could dangle eternal life in front of us like a horse and a carrot. Rather, I believe that we were designed to live perpetually; as evolution clearly represents with so many things. My favorite being our body's ability to self-heal. And it's the result of a single free-willed act of disobedience that introduced a virus, that can, and will, be starved some day, that resulted in exactly what God said it would: death.

I believe that one "sin" introduced death into the world because death is the absence of life. It is not a thing in and of itself, like drinking water from a glass is not filling it with emptiness but emptying it of water. So, too, when we rebel against the way we were created (our nature) then we are subtly killing, or destroying, a part of ourselves that can only be restored by our creator through obedience to him.

Which is why the hope of resurrection, to be made perfect again, is such a wonderful promise to believe in. And why it has permanently changed my love and hope for humanity and our universe. That I can believe that I, with my faith, play a critical part in restoring humanity and the universe back to that intended state.

It's truly worth sharing.

Assuming you agree with my exposition, I hope you will consider this final question:

If you have faith in Jesus' promise of resurrection from death; how does that change the way you're going to live today from the way you lived yesterday?

Annotations

If you enjoyed and benefited from my exposition above it may benefit you to review some annotations from the things that instigated the writing of this article in the first place:

• "It's truly worth sharing." I mean that to be a play on Jesus' Great Commission to preach the Good News about God (his nature and character).
• James 2:17 says that "Faith without works (belief) is dead (useless)."
• Here's a Scriptural example of faith coupled with belief: "So Noah did (notice the verb?) exactly as God commanded him." ~ Genesis 6:22
• There wasn't any way for Noah to prove God had spoken to him (as far as we know). So it was by faith in the nature of God and how he speaks to humans that he, and a few others, believed.
• It's interesting, to me, that you can believe something without faith (supplementing faith for proof or ignorance). But faith is useless without belief.
• The antonym of faith is doubt. And doubt prevents belief.
• I'd like to note that the definition of faith is almost identical to the definition of "confidence". As an exercise; imagine replacing every instance of the word "faith" in the Bible with the word "confidence