I was having a coffee at a sidewalk cafe on Granville Street one day, when I noticed a couple of girls a couple of tables over. I noticed one in particular, actually. A pretty, dark haired girl in one of those knitted jacket things. The attraction didn’t last long, though.
She may have noticed me noticing her. Maybe not. Anyway, she then said to her friend, loud enough for me to hear, “You know what I pray for? I pray that the creator gets my dad to buy me a condo.” Sigh… Suddenly, I didn’t feel like giving her a demonstration of just how charming I can be.
Disappointment aside, this merely demonstrated – again – that faith is often accompanied by ulterior motives. Praying for material gain and comfort. Nothing new there. Mundane. Common.
Her lack of sincerity also made me think that many of the people who had suddenly declared themselves believers after George Bush was elected weren’t genuine. They were just going with the flow. Taking the path of least resistance. Following the crowd, like sheep. You can see how they could blend in with the full-time believers so easily. Come join our flock…
Some people are followers and others identify with and emulate authority figures. They crave power and authority so they take on its look and stance. When Jimmy Carter was president of the U.S., my father wore cardigans. During Lee Iaccoca’s high profile reign at Chrysler, he wore similar glasses. If the current emperor talks of faith and god, many people will agree, to be like him.
I question the numbers of the truly faithful. I think a lot of people hold onto half-hearted belief because thinking for themselves and taking personal responsibility is too much effort. Either they already have enough on their plates with work and survival or they’re just too lazy. They’ll make do with a boxed solution, even if it’s imperfect. It’s convenience over quality. A replacement system will probably have to be neatly packaged and easily consumable for them to go along with it.
Then there is another kind of person who holds onto what they don’t truly believe – the bet hedger. I used to see a long-legged girl who confessed, “It doesn’t make sense to me, either, but I believe just in case I’m wrong.” I guess the fires of hell are a powerful enough image to intimidate even sound logic and common sense. Faith, it seems, is an investment.
Then again, maybe I’m just being stupid. Maybe I should have shown the pretty girl at the cafe just how charming I can be, and let her father buy us a condo. Sigh… I’m too good for my own good.
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