Theology =/= faith

Theology =/= faith.

Theology is intellectual, a belief system you hold for reasons. It serves the questions our minds ask. We crave Answers, need answers, even if it's "turtles all the way down.x

Faith would be something other than just intellectual. It's not unreasonable, but it's not Reasoned. True faith may even defy your theology, which can cause personal spiritual conflict. Which is why Right Belief (as the Buddhists put it) matters.

I have a great theology; works for me. And since, like every believer, I wouldn't believe what I believe if I didn't think it was true, I truly want to help others to "upgrade" their theology. But like the classic XKCD cartoon about the guy who can't go to bed because "someone is still wrong on the internet," if you want to help others get past confused religious beliefs, you've got a lifetime career.

Some truth-seekers are open to improvement of understanding, but True Believers cannot be corrected. And I wouldn't want to. If the story of Jonah motivates you to duty, why would I want to argue about its historicity vs legend status? Meaning yields to value.

The most faithful people I know have a slew of what I consider confused beliefs. I would give all my intellectualizing and philosophizing for one mustard seed's worth of the faith I see in them.

Ok. Wonder what a 2nd cup of coffee will do....