What is the test of authentic faith? What is the criteria or benchmark for genuine faith?
To be authentic means being fresh, new, original, and genuine. It is not the copy of something else that is plagiarism.
What Does Authentic Faith Mean?
In the arena of spirituality, nothing is clear. The definition of authentic faith is a reflection of your worldview or paradigm. So, what people think is genuine is colored by the filter of their beliefs. It can mean many different things, but that doesn’t mean they are all correct. So what we are talking about is spiritual authenticity.
The Freedom to Choose
“Authenticity is a collection of choices that we have to make every day. It’s about the choice to show up and be real. The choice, to be honest. The choice to let our true selves be seen.” ― Brene Brown, The Gifts of Imperfection
If the ability to choose is a prerequisite, what if your ability is tainted by propaganda or brainwashing? Children are often indoctrinated into the religion of their parents, so they don’t really have the freedom to choose.
Many adults subject themselves to the continual process of religious programming, which affects their ability to choose. If you are brainwashed to believe something, your decision-making ability is limited.
Some societies limit freedom of choice. It is against the law in some countries to choose a spiritual path. (1) Today, more than 80 countries have some level of religious preference. Some, like Saudia Arabia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Egypt, and Jordan, have harsh penalties for anyone who does not practice Islam.
What is The Test of Authentic Faith?
The test of spiritual authenticity has the following criteria:
1) Your ability to choose a spiritual path free from the influence of religious indoctrination.
2) The ability to experiment, access, and use methods for exploring consciousness.
3) Genuine faith has nothing to do with belief, mythology, or superstition.
When many people hear the word “faith,” they think of religion. But religion and authenticity are different things. Faith and religion are also different things. Faith is confidence in something; religion is the belief in a particular set of beliefs about spiritual reality.
What Are the Pathways to Authentic Faith?
But, it’s important to understand that religions run on a continuum from the strict belief in a specific mythological system to purely philosophical ones. So, not all religions or “faiths” are inauthentic.
Some religions encourage spiritual freedom. For example, Buddhism, Taoism, and Paganism are systems with the least boundaries and indoctrination in a specific set of dogma. So, you have a greater ability to choose to associate with a group or leave. Many people choose not to belong to any religious affiliation. They seek the freedom to use the tools to explore their spirituality.
Spirituality in the form of consciousness research pre-dates organized religion. It’s also the root of today’s modern medicines. The exploration of consciousness was the focus of indigenous cultures. Of course, this was before organized religion came to power. These early pioneers are the first explorers of consciousness. They show us the various pathways by developing tools to explore consciousness.
In contrast, the Abrahamic tree of Islam, Judaism, and Christianity (2) are systems of continual indoctrination into the mythology and superstition of the religion. These religions aren’t new; they are the plagiarized versions of the ancient mystery religions in the Medditriain religion. What is authentic faith in these systems? It is simply following what the sect leader says they need to believe.
Contradictory and Illogical Dogma
Many people don’t regard the Abrahamic mythologies as being an authentic or genuine path. These religions have contradictory doctrines and justify religious bias, discrimination, and violence. Moreover, these religions are absent from real transformative techniques, processes, or methods. So, the best definition of authentic faith in the Abrahamic religions is adherence to doctrine to gain God’s favor and avoid punishment.
“Authentic faith leads us to treat others with unconditional seriousness and to a loving reverence for the mystery of the human personality. Authentic Christianity should lead to maturity, personality, and reality. It should fashion whole men and women living lives of love and communion. False, manhandled religion produces the opposite effect. Whenever religion shows contempt or disregards the rights of persons, even under the noblest pretexts, it draws us away from reality and God.” ― Brennan Manning, The Ragamuffin Gospel: Good News for the Bedraggled, Beat-Up, and Burnt Out
The Primary Concern — Cashflow
Western theology’s foremost concern is to create a cost-effective income generation pipeline. All Christianity did was rebrand what was already in place. This rebranding focused on cash flow rather than spiritual development. It used the mythologies that were already in place. Using the myth to siphon funds reduced the cost of keeping an army in place.
Religion is self-policing using peer pressure to maintain the cash flow. Here the focus was on selling the afterlife, a commodity with no unsatisfied customers. It provides massive streams of wealth, making organized religion war-proof. It’s an intentional misrepresentation of mythology as fact.
In the Abrahamic religions, it’s all about having faith in God and your particular branch of the system. The Islamic faith is based on the belief that Muhammad is a divinely inspired prophet. The Christians rally around Jesus, and Judaism is about belief in God too, but as a monotheistic entity, not the triune one of Christianity.
Ignoring the Advice of Their Avatars
The interesting thing about the religions of Abrahamic is they ignore the advice of their chosen sages. What is the test of authentic faith in these paradigms? It is cherry-picking of doctrine to support their particular sect.
However, the great Sages say the test of authentic faith is walking our “own path.”
For example, Jesus was raised as a Jew and was a rabbinical scholar; he didn’t form the cult of Christianity. He taught the opposite.
The persona we know as Jesus of the New Testament was an orthodox Jew who rejected the trap of organized religion. He taught that you could not find authenticity by memorizing philosophies, doctrine, and dogma. The same is true of the prophet Mohammad. But, instead of leading people out of organized religion, their followers created more religions. Is genuine faith possible in our modern world?
“Truth is not to be found outside. No teacher, no scripture can give it to you. It is inside you and if you wish to attain it, seek your own company. Be with yourself.” ― Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh, Osho
What is authentic faith in today’s modern world? What is the pathway to authentic faith? Someone with a unique spiritual path doesn’t fit the cultural norm, and they don’t follow the crowd. They are freethinkers who reject the programming of the commercialized religion. Why are there so many religions if this is the definition of authentic faith? What does authentic faith mean anyway?
“The religion of the future will be a cosmic religion. It should transcend a personal God and avoid dogmas and theology. Covering both the natural and the spiritual, we should base it on a religious sense arising from the experience of all things, natural and spiritual, as a meaningful unity. Buddhism answers this description.” — Albert Einstein
So, we think a good definition of authentic faith is taking personal responsibility for the inner quest and avoiding becoming a follower. When you take this road, you learn to value tools and processes, not beliefs and religions. It’s an approach Joseph Campbell calls “the Hero’s Journey (1).” Many people hear the call for this inward quest. To follow it requires courage and common sense.
Buddhism is one such path that requires you to use your intellect and spirit. The goal is to become a better person today than you were yesterday. You do this by doing what is best for everyone and everything. Other paths outside of organized religion achieve these goals. So, you don’t need to be a dedicated Buddhist to follow this philosophy.
We are social animals, so many people shy away from leaving organized religion. But, although you may walk your path alone, you don’t need to be alone. You’ll soon find other like-minded freethinkers to walk with you. You will share your knowledge and gain knowledge from others.
Is Genuine Faith Found in Psychedelics?
“Psychedelics are not a substitute for faith. They are a door to authentic faith, born of encountering directly the sacred dimension of everyday experience. This is not the only gate to that discovery, but it is the most ancient and universal, and potentially the most accessible to the majority of the human race.” — Rick Doblin
We don’t advocate psychotropics or psychedelics as they can have unpredictable results. The potency of these additives can vary. These are tools for the experienced spiritual exploration traveler under the guidance of a qualified teacher.
Some people answer the question, what does authentic faith mean to me by taking psychotropic drugs? These substances immediately open doors of consciousness. But you have very little control.
You should only use additives if you can validate those who prepare and dispense the psychotropics. The problem is people think they are ready to begin because they are adventurous and courageous. These are good qualities, but they do not prepare you for the realm of the mystic.
“The psychotic drowns in the same waters in which the mystic swims with delight.”
― Joseph Campbell
The Shaman swims in the same water that the psychotic drowns because psychedelics are like diving into the pool’s deep end. You want to learn how to swim and float before doing this. They are tools for pathways to authentic faith and spiritual experience.
These substances come from cultures and traditions with an extensive history of perfecting their use. These are typically the last tool in a series of other preparatory practices. They are not for beginners. You’ll need to be physically, mentally, and spiritually ready to use these substances.
In Shamanism, the definition of authentic faith is to do the things you need to do to heal and progress. It is similar to the philosophy of Buddhism.
First, you need to be grounded. You need to have a solid history of spiritual exploration without psychedelics. We don’t recommend psychotropics if you have a history of mental illness. Never use these compounds without proper preparation and supervision.
The second condition is that the person administering them must be qualified. They need a verifiable track record of success using these substances. They must have a way to verify the origin and preparation of the plants you ingest. They should monitor you throughout the process. Otherwise, taking any psychedelic compound or substance is risky. It is potentially dangerous rather than helpful. Do your research.
Several factors can affect the potency and effectiveness of these compounds. Quality control is difficult. That’s because the same plant can contain different levels of active ingredients. Preparing plants requires experience and expertise.
Is Genuine Faith The Shamanic Journey?
There are other pathways to authentic faith. Mr. Doblin points out that ingesting psychotropic elements isn’t the only gateway. Another method is the Shamanic Journey. Some indigenous cultures use psychotropic ingredients. But these aren’t necessary to enter the shamanic state of awareness. The sound of drums is all one needs to achieve the Shamanic State of Consciousness.
The Shamanic State of Consciousness (SSC), or the fifth state of consciousness, is coined by Michael Harner (3). He is an anthropologist, writer, and Shaman. While in this state, your brainwaves are also in the theta-wave area.
The Shamanic Journey is probably the most ancient form of spiritual practice. Practices like this use symbolism, which is the most likely source of the mythologies of modern religion.
People rename and rebrand this process to make it more acceptable and marketable. Some call it guided meditation or creative visualization. Using this technique gives you complete control and freedom.
What Does Authentic Faith Mean to You?
What is genuine faith to you? Does it involve following one of the Western organized religions? Or is it creating a spiritual path of your “own” design makes more sense? More and more people find that the most fruitful approach is beyond the confines of any religion. It’s a revelation people have known before the creation of Western theology.
We like to pose questions at the beginning of our meetings on spiritual exploration to make sure we are ready. The first question is, can you change your beliefs if what you believe is wrong? The second question is, what does authentic faith mean to me? What is the test of authentic faith in my life?
These two questions provide the foundation for open-minded, spiritual exploration. You are ready to change your beliefs based on new information and are willing to walk with authenticity and courage.
Ultimately, we recommend you create your own definition of authentic faith. Then look to see if it is genuine faith or a facsimile. Do you have a different point of view on this subject? Let us know; contact us; we are open to new ideas, opinions, and evidence.
References
(1) Limits of Religious Freedom.
(3) Michael Harner.
