0 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:01.575 But from the scientific perspective 1 00:00:01.575 --> 00:00:04.175 It's like consciousness is not something we understand of 2 00:00:04.175 --> 00:00:05.975 I don't think we understand it at all 3 00:00:05.975 --> 00:00:10.725 With something we can't get a handle on with our fundamental materialistic philosophy 4 00:00:13.975 --> 00:00:17.125 Today, I want to talk a little bit about faith 5 00:00:17.125 --> 00:00:20.125 But before that, in this video 6 00:00:20.125 --> 00:00:22.925 I'm thinking of speaking casually this time 7 00:00:22.925 --> 00:00:24.375 I feel like I spoke quite 8 00:00:24.375 --> 00:00:26.275 cold in the previous videos 9 00:00:26.275 --> 00:00:27.775 I was able to realize 10 00:00:27.775 --> 00:00:30.375 So, it seems like it was like that 11 00:00:30.375 --> 00:00:32.725 But I felt like, why bother doing that? 12 00:00:32.725 --> 00:00:34.725 It's not like this is public broadcasting or anything 13 00:00:34.725 --> 00:00:37.975 This is just my personal YouTube channel, and for those who will watch this video 14 00:00:37.975 --> 00:00:41.325 I thought I could let my guard down and establish a closer bond 15 00:00:41.325 --> 00:00:43.125 I was thinking of talking just like that 16 00:00:43.125 --> 00:00:45.625 So in this content, I'm trying to speak informally for once 17 00:00:45.625 --> 00:00:46.825 Speaking this way 18 00:00:46.825 --> 00:00:48.725 Allows me to be more genuine in my stories 19 00:00:48.725 --> 00:00:50.275 And express myself more freely 20 00:00:50.275 --> 00:00:51.875 Today's topic 21 00:00:51.875 --> 00:00:54.825 So today, we're going to talk about faith 22 00:00:54.825 --> 00:00:56.825 What I mean to say is 23 00:00:56.825 --> 00:00:58.225 How I came to have 24 00:00:58.225 --> 00:01:01.075 faith and why 25 00:01:01.075 --> 00:01:01.776 is what I want to talk about 26 00:01:01.776 --> 00:01:06.576 I want to talk about this because it has always been a big question for me 27 00:01:06.576 --> 00:01:11.726 How can someone sincerely believe in the existence 28 00:01:11.726 --> 00:01:12.526 of God? 29 00:01:12.526 --> 00:01:14.976 Without lying 30 00:01:14.976 --> 00:01:18.526 How can someone truly believe in the existence of God? 31 00:01:18.526 --> 00:01:20.176 That has always been a big question for me 32 00:01:20.176 --> 00:01:24.226 But through some experiences in my late twenties 33 00:01:24.226 --> 00:01:26.426 I ultimately came to have faith 34 00:01:26.426 --> 00:01:29.326 And since I wasn't born into the faith or anything like that 35 00:01:29.326 --> 00:01:31.826 I can explain the process into words 36 00:01:31.826 --> 00:01:34.426 In the past, I was interested in faith, but 37 00:01:34.426 --> 00:01:37.276 I didn't know how to have it 38 00:01:37.276 --> 00:01:38.976 I was really curious about this explanation 39 00:01:38.976 --> 00:01:41.376 So I also asked friends who had faiths 40 00:01:41.376 --> 00:01:43.576 How can one have faith? 41 00:01:43.576 --> 00:01:45.976 I even asked one to evangelize me 42 00:01:45.976 --> 00:01:47.276 To the friend with deep faith 43 00:01:47.276 --> 00:01:50.276 Because it was a matter that made me very curious 44 00:01:50.276 --> 00:01:53.126 Now that I've reached a point where I can explain it 45 00:01:53.126 --> 00:01:55.226 I thought I'd share my story so for people 46 00:01:55.226 --> 00:01:58.226 who could also be curious like me 47 00:01:58.226 --> 00:02:01.826 First: Pain 48 00:02:01.826 --> 00:02:06.576 From what I've experienced, the process of coming to believe in God can be divided into 49 00:02:06.576 --> 00:02:08.026 two main parts 50 00:02:08.026 --> 00:02:11.176 Firstly, if there's an experience 51 00:02:11.176 --> 00:02:13.276 that's painfully hard to endure 52 00:02:13.276 --> 00:02:15.776 it seems like the first condition is met 53 00:02:15.776 --> 00:02:16.876 It was like that for me 54 00:02:16.876 --> 00:02:19.126 It plays several roles 55 00:02:19.126 --> 00:02:23.476 Firstly, it seems to serves as a foundation for letting go of 56 00:02:23.476 --> 00:02:26.526 my belief in my own rationality and reason 57 00:02:26.526 --> 00:02:29.476 Because it's bearable before experiencing intense pain 58 00:02:29.476 --> 00:02:31.126 My problem-solving ability 59 00:02:31.126 --> 00:02:33.026 I can overcome this with such abilities 60 00:02:33.026 --> 00:02:34.376 I had this belief 61 00:02:34.376 --> 00:02:36.326 When I approach them that way, they tend to get resolved 62 00:02:36.326 --> 00:02:40.976 and life proceeds smoothly that it didn't really gave me a reason 63 00:02:40.976 --> 00:02:43.576 to step outside my comfort zone 64 00:02:50.276 --> 00:02:53.176 But when a person is in too much pain 65 00:03:08.977 --> 00:03:10.327 they tend to ask questions 66 00:03:10.327 --> 00:03:11.627 like 'can it truely be this agonizing?' 67 00:03:11.627 --> 00:03:13.977 In doing so, I feel like I start searching for the real meaning behind that pain 68 00:03:13.977 --> 00:03:16.177 Or maybe looking for a way to endure it 69 00:03:16.177 --> 00:03:19.977 At that moment, I step beyond what I comfortably believe 70 00:03:19.977 --> 00:03:22.827 I put down my pride and stubbornness 71 00:03:22.827 --> 00:03:26.977 And I started to think that maybe there's something beyond my wildest imagination 72 00:03:26.977 --> 00:03:28.527 That causes such pain to occur 73 00:03:28.527 --> 00:03:31.127 is one of the realization I came to 74 00:03:31.127 --> 00:03:34.627 A political scientist I know once mentioned 75 00:03:34.627 --> 00:03:37.227 during conversation 76 00:03:37.227 --> 00:03:40.127 That even though you don't follow a religion 77 00:03:40.127 --> 00:03:41.927 you understand why people do 78 00:03:41.927 --> 00:03:43.227 And also said 79 00:03:43.227 --> 00:03:46.777 it's an acknowledgment of the limitations 80 00:03:46.777 --> 00:03:47.927 humans possess 81 00:03:47.927 --> 00:03:49.277 That expression really resonated with me 82 00:03:49.277 --> 00:03:53.477 I think I was ready to humbly acknowledge the limitations I possess 83 00:03:53.477 --> 00:03:55.127 through enduring unbearable pain 84 00:03:55.127 --> 00:03:58.577 Second: Explanation 85 00:03:58.827 --> 00:04:01.777 The second thing that helped me 86 00:04:01.777 --> 00:04:02.877 So, it was finally up to the point 87 00:04:02.877 --> 00:04:04.477 I realized it's painful 88 00:04:04.477 --> 00:04:06.427 But even in the next step 89 00:04:06.427 --> 00:04:08.427 I think having an explanation was crucial for me 90 00:04:08.427 --> 00:04:11.377 An explanation on how faith is possible 91 00:04:11.377 --> 00:04:14.527 Before this, I had always thought of it as irrational 92 00:04:14.527 --> 00:04:17.927 I needed something to bridge that gap 93 00:04:17.927 --> 00:04:19.627 But that explanation 94 00:04:19.627 --> 00:04:23.477 I was able to get it from watching a lecture on YouTube 95 00:04:23.477 --> 00:04:25.377 Want to watch it together? 96 00:04:27.027 --> 00:04:30.777 Then from the neurobiological perspective 97 00:04:30.777 --> 00:04:32.277 Or from a scientific perspective 98 00:04:32.277 --> 00:04:34.927 It's like consciousness is not something we understand 99 00:04:34.927 --> 00:04:36.677 I don't think we understand it at all 100 00:04:36.677 --> 00:04:41.477 With something we can't get a handle on with our fundamental materialistic philosophy 101 00:04:41.477 --> 00:04:42.827 I don't know why that is 102 00:04:42.827 --> 00:04:44.927 It's quite frustrating if you are a scientist 103 00:04:44.927 --> 00:04:49.627 But it isn't clear to mean that we meet any progress what so ever in understanding conciousness 104 00:04:49.627 --> 00:04:53.077 Even though what we've been trying to understand it for hundreds of years 105 00:04:53.077 --> 00:04:57.277 and even though psychologists and neurobiologists and so forth have really 106 00:04:57.277 --> 00:04:59.527 Put a lot of efforts in to understand in conciousness 107 00:04:59.527 --> 00:05:00.777 From a scientific perspective 108 00:05:00.777 --> 00:05:01.877 In the last 50 years 109 00:05:02.327 --> 00:05:04.577 What says in the Old Testament somewhere that 110 00:05:04.577 --> 00:05:06.327 Fear of God is the beginning of wisdom 111 00:05:06.327 --> 00:05:07.778 But I think this is a keen to that 112 00:05:07.778 --> 00:05:11.628 If you know that you are not in control of yourself thoroughly 113 00:05:11.628 --> 00:05:14.178 And that there are other factors behind the scene 114 00:05:14.178 --> 00:05:15.328 Like the Greeks thought 115 00:05:15.328 --> 00:05:18.978 Human beings were the playthings of the God 116 00:05:18.978 --> 00:05:21.128 That's the way that they conceptualize the world 117 00:05:21.128 --> 00:05:22.578 They sort of meant the same thing 118 00:05:22.578 --> 00:05:26.928 They meant that there are these great forces that move us 119 00:05:26.928 --> 00:05:31.178 That we don't create, that we're subordinate to in some sense 120 00:05:31.178 --> 00:05:32.028 Not entirely 121 00:05:32.028 --> 00:05:35.078 But we can be subordinated and they move our destinies 122 00:05:35.078 --> 00:05:36.228 That was the Greek view 123 00:05:36.228 --> 00:05:41.678 It teaches you humility to understand that 124 00:05:41.678 --> 00:05:44.278 There's hell of lot more going on behind the scene 125 00:05:44.278 --> 00:05:47.278 (Metaphorically speaking) you are the driver of the very complex vehicle 126 00:05:47.278 --> 00:05:49.578 But you don't understand the vehicle very well 127 00:05:49.578 --> 00:05:52.128 And it's got its own motivations and methods 128 00:05:52.128 --> 00:05:56.928 Something you think it's doing something, and it's doing something completely different 129 00:05:57.228 --> 00:06:03.128 In this lecture, it seems to explain how the religious and spiritual concept of the existence of God 130 00:06:03.128 --> 00:06:08.978 With our scientific worldview, our materialistic explanations, and so one 131 00:06:08.978 --> 00:06:12.328 how can it be coexist with these 132 00:06:12.328 --> 00:06:15.028 So, within the current knowledge disclosed by science 133 00:06:15.028 --> 00:06:17.878 It points out the empty spaces, where those spaces are 134 00:06:17.878 --> 00:06:20.928 Thereby showing that these spiritual and religious domains 135 00:06:20.928 --> 00:06:24.378 Actually can coexist with our scientific worldview 136 00:06:24.378 --> 00:06:26.228 It made me realize that 137 00:06:26.228 --> 00:06:27.278 After watching it 138 00:06:27.278 --> 00:06:27.928 Oh 139 00:06:27.928 --> 00:06:32.128 It's not that science has proven religion 140 00:06:32.128 --> 00:06:33.928 to be logically flawed 141 00:06:33.928 --> 00:06:36.478 Rather, as science advances 142 00:06:36.478 --> 00:06:39.528 It provides an explanation of where religious belief can be situated 143 00:06:39.528 --> 00:06:43.078 This made me see that with this lecture 144 00:06:43.078 --> 00:06:45.078 Prayer now makes more sense to me 145 00:06:45.078 --> 00:06:48.528 If we see it as a conversation between God and me 146 00:06:48.528 --> 00:06:49.628 When I truly pray 147 00:06:49.628 --> 00:06:52.428 It feels like I can receive a response 148 00:06:52.428 --> 00:06:53.928 From somewhere deep within my heart 149 00:06:53.928 --> 00:06:56.128 When it comes to conciousness, it is not scientifically understood 150 00:06:56.128 --> 00:06:58.378 Since it couldn't be precisely identified 151 00:06:58.378 --> 00:07:01.378 In fact, no matter what name you give to it 152 00:07:01.378 --> 00:07:04.128 You can't really prove that it's wrong, can you? 153 00:07:04.128 --> 00:07:08.728 Because it could be considered as the guidance of fate or the voice from a God 154 00:07:08.728 --> 00:07:13.179 So, after these two conditions are met, to summarize, these two conditions are 155 00:07:13.179 --> 00:07:15.979 so painful that I can let go of myself 156 00:07:15.979 --> 00:07:18.429 able to let go of my ego, stubbornness, and such 157 00:07:18.429 --> 00:07:20.279 It is to develop a humble attitude 158 00:07:20.279 --> 00:07:20.979 The second condition is 159 00:07:20.979 --> 00:07:23.679 There are some areas that we haven't scientifically uncovered yet 160 00:07:23.679 --> 00:07:25.879 And it is to find out what they are 161 00:07:25.879 --> 00:07:27.479 Once those two conditions are in place 162 00:07:27.479 --> 00:07:30.329 I felt like I could have a belief in religion 163 00:07:30.329 --> 00:07:32.429 The thought and feeling just came to my mind 164 00:07:32.429 --> 00:07:35.829 Third: Deciding to believe 165 00:07:35.829 --> 00:07:40.479 From the next stage onwards, that's when miraculous things start happening 166 00:07:40.479 --> 00:07:44.979 When I was an undergraduate student, I took a course on Modern Culture and Christianity 167 00:07:44.979 --> 00:07:46.929 In that class, our professor talked about something 168 00:07:46.929 --> 00:07:48.829 that left a really strong impression on me 169 00:07:48.829 --> 00:07:50.129 What that was 170 00:07:50.129 --> 00:07:54.479 The professor said that humans are inherently religious beings 171 00:07:54.479 --> 00:07:55.879 What it means is that 172 00:07:55.879 --> 00:07:57.579 All humans, 173 00:07:57.579 --> 00:08:00.029 regardless of who they are 174 00:08:00.029 --> 00:08:02.329 have the ability to think in a religious 175 00:08:02.329 --> 00:08:03.629 manner 176 00:08:03.629 --> 00:08:05.979 If I were to explain this in the way I understood it 177 00:08:05.979 --> 00:08:08.079 So, we don't 178 00:08:08.079 --> 00:08:11.129 always just accept something as truth or facts 179 00:08:11.129 --> 00:08:12.129 based solely on logical 180 00:08:12.129 --> 00:08:13.579 connections or reasoning 181 00:08:13.579 --> 00:08:16.679 But instead, we have the ability to believe 182 00:08:16.679 --> 00:08:20.679 that something is true even if there are logical gaps 183 00:08:20.679 --> 00:08:23.679 What the professor gave as an example was related to jinxes 184 00:08:23.979 --> 00:08:25.179 When ever we board a flight 185 00:08:25.179 --> 00:08:26.879 You lick the plane! 186 00:08:26.879 --> 00:08:28.129 Have we crashed even once? 187 00:08:28.879 --> 00:08:32.579 So, whether someone has a religion or not 188 00:08:32.579 --> 00:08:35.379 We tend to find patterns or connections in life 189 00:08:35.379 --> 00:08:36.379 We find that and we believe it 190 00:08:36.379 --> 00:08:38.329 For example, when we are taking a test 191 00:08:38.329 --> 00:08:41.279 Some might have a routine of bringing a certain pencil case 192 00:08:41.279 --> 00:08:44.329 If one starts to think that he did well on exams because of that 193 00:08:44.329 --> 00:08:47.129 He might have a belief that he would do well on exams 194 00:08:47.129 --> 00:08:48.879 as long as he took that pencil case with him every time 195 00:08:48.879 --> 00:08:50.879 Or an athlete might often 196 00:08:50.879 --> 00:08:52.529 create routines or patterns to prepare beforehand 197 00:08:56.629 --> 00:08:58.329 People need to do what makes them feel comfortable 198 00:08:58.329 --> 00:08:59.879 By doing this, they believe they could do well 199 00:08:59.879 --> 00:09:01.979 The formation of these things 200 00:09:01.979 --> 00:09:03.979 If you think about jinx 201 00:09:03.979 --> 00:09:05.979 It has no logical basis 202 00:09:05.979 --> 00:09:08.829 We just have the ability to believe in it 203 00:09:08.829 --> 00:09:11.979 So now after you have prepared yourself to have religious faith 204 00:09:11.979 --> 00:09:15.830 Try participating in a religious ceremony 205 00:09:15.830 --> 00:09:18.830 Whether it be a cathedral or a church. When I experienced that was 206 00:09:18.830 --> 00:09:22.030 I went to a cathedral after I was ready with the two things I mentioned earlier 207 00:09:22.030 --> 00:09:23.880 I attended a Mass 208 00:09:23.880 --> 00:09:26.680 And I went to a youth Bible study group at school 209 00:09:26.680 --> 00:09:29.630 Where I tried praying in a prayer meeting they held 210 00:09:29.630 --> 00:09:33.880 While doing that, there was one very memorable moment 211 00:09:33.880 --> 00:09:38.030 During the prayer meeting, we each had to take turns praying out loud 212 00:09:38.030 --> 00:09:39.180 Everyone else did it 213 00:09:39.180 --> 00:09:42.930 They put their hands together and called out to God 214 00:09:42.930 --> 00:09:43.980 They all closed their eyes and did it 215 00:09:43.980 --> 00:09:45.780 There I was supposed to say 'God' 216 00:09:45.780 --> 00:09:47.030 But I just couldn't say it 217 00:09:47.030 --> 00:09:48.480 Because I didn't have faith 218 00:09:48.480 --> 00:09:52.480 Saying it without actually believing it felt fake 219 00:09:52.480 --> 00:09:54.030 So when it was my turn to pray 220 00:09:54.030 --> 00:09:57.480 I couldn't say for a while 221 00:09:57.480 --> 00:10:00.680 But everyone else waited patiently without saying anything 222 00:10:00.680 --> 00:10:01.780 They just kept waiting for me 223 00:10:01.780 --> 00:10:03.930 I couldn't say I can't do it 224 00:10:03.930 --> 00:10:04.880 I didn't want to do that either 225 00:10:04.880 --> 00:10:09.030 So barely managed to find courage to open my tight lips 226 00:10:09.030 --> 00:10:11.130 I called out God and prayed 227 00:10:11.130 --> 00:10:12.530 You know what I prayed for? 228 00:10:12.530 --> 00:10:15.030 I said God I don't know much about you yet 229 00:10:15.030 --> 00:10:16.330 I don't even know how to pray 230 00:10:16.330 --> 00:10:19.680 So I prayed, asking Him to please teach me 231 00:10:19.680 --> 00:10:21.330 That was my first 232 00:10:21.330 --> 00:10:26.230 Experience of praying to the God 233 00:10:26.230 --> 00:10:31.030 As in the divine existence presented in Christianity 234 00:10:31.030 --> 00:10:32.380 But after doing that, 235 00:10:32.380 --> 00:10:35.680 I felt like I had taken a step forward 236 00:10:35.680 --> 00:10:37.330 It felt like faith was starting to grow in me 237 00:10:37.330 --> 00:10:39.080 This was a truly astonishing experience for me 238 00:10:39.080 --> 00:10:42.880 Because I'm a very rational person 239 00:10:42.880 --> 00:10:46.480 I am a person who has a strong belief in rationality about myself 240 00:10:46.480 --> 00:10:47.380 Well I used to be 241 00:10:47.380 --> 00:10:50.280 But seeing how I was starting to believe such things 242 00:10:50.280 --> 00:10:52.530 Was surprising 243 00:10:52.530 --> 00:10:57.330 After that, I became interested in explaining about the world 244 00:10:57.330 --> 00:10:58.530 With a view of a religious person 245 00:10:58.530 --> 00:11:01.630 I was drawn to those explanations and started reading books 246 00:11:01.630 --> 00:11:04.330 also attending lectures and gatherings 247 00:11:04.330 --> 00:11:07.030 I think that is what I did 248 00:11:07.030 --> 00:11:09.930 So that's what I wanted to talk about today 249 00:11:09.930 --> 00:11:12.030 How I came about to have faith 250 00:11:12.030 --> 00:11:14.780 I'm thinking about making this into a series in the future 251 00:11:14.780 --> 00:11:16.081 What kind of series? 252 00:11:16.081 --> 00:11:17.481 Actually, I'm not really a person 253 00:11:17.481 --> 00:11:21.031 Who would be considered a holy religious person 254 00:11:21.031 --> 00:11:22.681 not at all 255 00:11:22.681 --> 00:11:24.831 But still, I think 256 00:11:24.831 --> 00:11:27.431 Having faith and living a life of faith seem amazing 257 00:11:27.431 --> 00:11:32.631 But for someone like me who has never been deeply religious 258 00:11:32.631 --> 00:11:34.331 from the beginning 259 00:11:34.331 --> 00:11:35.931 to develop faith like this 260 00:11:35.931 --> 00:11:39.431 And to be able to put my experiences into words 261 00:11:39.431 --> 00:11:42.881 I thought it'd be good to share that with people 262 00:11:42.881 --> 00:11:44.481 And it made me think I'm sure there are people out there 263 00:11:44.481 --> 00:11:46.081 who are curious about this 264 00:11:46.081 --> 00:11:49.781 So I want to talk about religion in a slightly non-religious way 265 00:11:49.781 --> 00:11:51.081 to help people who are not faithful 266 00:11:51.081 --> 00:11:55.181 but are interested in religion to satisfy their curiosity 267 00:11:55.181 --> 00:11:57.231 I want to try making contents 268 00:11:57.231 --> 00:11:59.581 Where I explain that kind of stuff as far as I know 269 00:11:59.581 --> 00:12:01.431 I hope many people will be interested 270 00:12:01.431 --> 00:12:04.031 It would be great if you could leave some comments if you have any questions 271 00:12:04.031 --> 00:12:10.131 Then I'll see you in the next video