Wiara i przemoc

Abstract

The author undertakes phenomenological deliberations referring
to the relationship between faith and violence and
attempts to reveal the „mechanism” which makes that power and
faith change into a „believing power”. Power may yield to temptation
of ruling, abusing itself in the act of being exhilarated by
itself. The power of some people may also delude with the
prospect of unlimited ability to rule over the autonomy of others.
Since it is not possible to rule over another person fully, due to
the sphere of freedom present in this person, violence must make
use of fear. Such processes of delusion and intimidation are
realized in ideologies, reaching even metaphysical justifications
of fear: up till the argument of God of violence.
The source of experience of faith is pre-trust, the affirmative
clinging on to the truth, opening a kind of pre-hope. Faith refers
to a kind of reality, but it is given through intentional thought
constructs, through content: religious and cultural specifications,
through gnosis which provides certainty. These are its external
truths. Their contents state personalities. They attract emotionally,
as embodiments of hope and truth of faith which is to order
life according to the expected sense, which will allow to control
its meaninglessness. This is delusion, which still does not eliminate
falsehood or violence ... Therefore man has to protect his
faith by thinking towards the ethos of internal truth of faith.
Towards the affirmation of existence as such, which feeds on
thinking faith and as a result caring about man’s dignity.