"Sometimes the things you believe in become more real than the things you can explain away or understand." -- From "Brigadoon," by Lerner & Loewe.
"May the Force be with you." -- From "Star Wars," by George Lucas, director.
Some believe so strongly in the righteousness of their cause that they lose sight of fact, reality and fairness.
Faith is a good thing, whether it be a firm belief in yourself and your own abilities, in the principles of a good society, or in a Higher Power, personified or otherwise, that can intervene in human affairs.
Whether that Power can or should intervene is another issue. Some maintain that this Force is always in control of everything we do. Others, known as Deists, say this Entity cannot and should not intervene. Still others claim there is no such thing as a higher power, by any name. Even so, that is not the issue for today. Many people believe there is a Power that is higher than humans, yet takes an interest in human affairs. However, the point here is the extent of faith -- its value, its use, and its misuse by those who blindly follow their preset notions and beliefs, even as they ignore observable reality and the rights of others to follow their beliefs.
Consider the conflict arising whenever religion or faith mixes with politics. Or when political beliefs are held with a religious-like zeal. This leads to an attitude that says, "Our way is the right way and the only way, and we will not listen to any who disagree, because obviously they are wrong. They are wrong because they disagree with us."
That may sound like a simplistic way of putting it, but it accurately describes the behavior of the Radical Righteous conservatives and Tea Party activists who have become so firmly locked into their beliefs that compromise is impossible.
Yet compromise is the oil that enables the machinery of a democratic society to function. Without compromise, the machine seizes and stops.
In short, blind faith can be a trap.
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