Faith, Power and What Constitutes Culture

by anahita sharma

Some would say they live for faith. That their faith in God is the only thing that keeps them going. Because what is life if you have no one to believe in? What is life without believing in superstitions that keep you on your toes, or crystals and stones that keep your skin glowing? 

They say blind faith in the higher power gives people a reason to be good, a reason to live, to find a purpose. Because what is the point of life if you are meant to struggle for every second of it? Why do a good deed when it is so much easier to commit a crime? Who is watching and what control do they have over me? 

Blind faith in the higher power, or, some would call it their conscience, gives most a reason to continue in their ventures. Why help the homeless if I can just walk past them and go about my day? Why take the extra step or walk the extra mile, all if no one’s watching? Why respect my elders if I can just behave the way I feel? They have control and power. People believe in power, the power has control over our every action. Faith is power and we lose it to people above us. 

Some would say God loses his power to no one. He is the start, the middle, the end. Why have faith in one god when you can have faith in many? Why have faith at all? If God has power, why does he watch the world struggle beneath him, doing nothing at all to help us as we beg for him on our knees? If there is a higher power, why do they turn a blind eye to our suffering? Power brings control. It chooses the consequence, so we pay it our respect. 

How does faith in power constitute culture? What role does it play in creating cultural boundaries and traditions, particularly of worship? Faith gives us a framework for understanding the world, the meaning of life, and the moral values that guide a society. Shared beliefs, cultural values and faith in power create domes of safety among like minded people. They come together because they believe together. Their faith is their reason for community. Faith creates culture, it creates boundaries. When you believe in something, you find people who believe in it too, and you tend to either stay away from non-believers or try to bring them on your side. 

Faith is the fabric that weaves together the tapestry of human society. It binds human grace, feelings, thoughts, emotions and brings forward cultural understanding, tradition and festivals we love and enjoy today. 

But this also brings its downsides. Non believers. Believers of a different faith, a different power, a stronger one even. Why does it matter? Well, power is key. You want to be the strongest, the best, the most modest. How do you accomplish that without putting others down? You don’t. ‘Isn’t God watching?’, you ask. Well, I can try and answer. For many faith is a reason, for some it is nothing at all and for others, it’s an excuse. An excuse to get away with cruelty. Our inherent competitive nature makes it so that we each strive to establish ourselves as the best. Why have multiple winners, when one person can rule and dominate the world? Therefore we fight. We create barricades and reasons to evict, overthrow and kill. We’re our own worst enemies, and somewhere, maybe, faith is responsible for that.