Faith Vs Good Deeds
Year Delivered or Published: 2007
Author: Peter Jackson
Author's Faith: Christianity
Date Submitted to Inspiration and Issues: June 14, 2007
Topic: Spirituality
Citation: Romans:1-2
Faith Vs Good Deeds
(This is a joint project involving science, reason and religion)
The result may not be what you expect and so I have to start with a fair amount of background.
Let’s talk about a main division of the human brain. First there is a reptilian, behavioral brain. Secondly add a limbic, mammalian, emotional brain. Thirdly add a cerebral cortex, an intellect type brain. For thousands of years, mankind has described his makeup with words like (1) body - action, behavior, (2) heart – emotion, feelings, and (3) head – mind, intellect.
These three brains are in a way separate and independent (although tremendously interconnected).
Each can communicate with another person, the body by action or behavior, the heart by emotion or feelings, the head by words or thoughts.
Each can remember: the body by experiences or physical events, the heart by feelings or emotional events, the head by facts or factual thoughts.
Each can reason: the body by experience, imaging, trial and error, the heart by emotional experiences, imaging, trial and error, the head by words, diagrams, analysis, logic, experience, trial and error, imaging.
These three brain areas are CONSTANTLY WORKING TOGETHER and can create joint entities. They work together to form an experience, to form thoughts and words. A word is a factual label allotted to a certain thought, experience, or feeling, and sometimes to more than one of these. For example the word democracy includes a way of behaving in, and feeling certain relationships, and thinking in certain ways. All have to be learned and experienced. That is why it takes so much time to learn to live democratically.
These three brains, drives or abilities are also CONSTANTLY INTERACTING AS ENTITIES PRACTICALLY ALL WAKING HOURS either with word or reaction or internally in the mind. The famous Harvard professor William James called these streams of inner feelings, thoughts, and behavior (body language), “streams of consciousness”.
Here are examples of streams of consciousness:
You wake up in the morning (action). You feel lousy (emotion). You get that new medicine (action). You read the instructions (intellect). You take the medicine (action). You feel better (emotion). You get the newspaper (action). You read the paper (intellect). You read some bad news and feel sad (emotion). Then you read (intellect) some good news and feel better (emotion). You think about your investments (intellect). You write a note to your broker (action). Your sore thumb is still hurting (emotion).You pour a cup of coffee (action).It tastes good (emotion). You calculate you are going to need a new tin of coffee soon (intellect).
And so it goes. Even if you are just sitting there having a cup of coffee, YOUR MIND IS STILL ACTIVE AND SWITCHING BETWEEN FEELINGS, INTELLECT, ACTION, AND THOUGHTS. EVEN IN YOUR DREAMS IT DOES NOT STOP.
Now we notice people vary greatly in their nature of using these three brains or abilities or drives. Some people are very emotional, others are very intellectual, and others are very physical, in their thinking and behavior. It is said that a good salesperson will immediately size up a new client to see how he should be appealed to, i.e. intellectually, emotionally or physically. Because this affects the way a person commonly thinks and makes decisions. Some people weigh the pros and cons etc, and use their intellect in making decisions. Business people make a lot of decisions based on experience and habit and can not tell you precisely why or how they made the decision. Einstein often thought in terms of diagrams and intuition. Many Americans are idealists – what should be? Many English use tradition, experience – what’s done in these circumstances? Their so-called constitution has been a behavioral, traditional one in contrast to the American intellectual, legal one. A religious person, in effect, tries to follow the interpretation the mystic gives of his experiences of meditation with God. Polls show that people are seldom fired for lack of intellectual skills but for behavioral or relationship reasons. Many companies with a high hiring turnover are now also checking applicants for emotional development and relationship skills.
Some people’s intellect is not highly developed or used but their emotions and behavior are well developed and used. Others are well developed in their behavior and not in the intellect and emotions. And so on with various combinations and degrees of development.
Now that we have an outline of the workings of a human being in this area i.e. what is available for them to work with and how it usually operates, then we are ready to see the possibilities that each person has available to use for religion and worship.
In regard to a person’s religious development and use of these three brains it often follows their life-long natural development Some are great Christians due to their great love (God is love), others have a great faith due to their intellectual development and still others are great Christians because of their great works.
To be a Christian all three areas, emotion, intellect and behavior must be dedicated to follow Christ no matter how much or how little each is developed and used. All abilities are essential. Any combination is important. As the nature of our decision-making and the nature of our ‘streams of consciousness show – no one ability is in charge universally.
So faith (intellect), love (emotions), and works (behavior) are all essential and the use and importance of each will vary with each person in religion and in daily life.
To express it one way: As St. Paul, Martin Luther, and others have indicated, the important key to being a Christian is to have Jesus Christ live in you (and you in him) and have Christ be your guide. This daily guiding of course involves every thought, feeling, and behavior.
Quote: King James version, ROMANS Chapter 8, verse 1 and 2.
“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
I speak from a Christian point of view because it is the only one I know well enough.
Peter Jackson June 14, 2007
I am a retired Chartered Accountant who has taken quite an interest in consciousness, religion and spirituality.
If you wish to ask questions or discuss this paper please contact me at
<peter@peterj.info>
