Foundations of Faith

It is only when you are asked to believe in reason coming from non-reason that you must cry Halt. Human minds. They do not come from nowhere. C.S.Lewis

The letter of the law versus the spirit of the law is an idiomatic antithesis. If people interpret laws and regulations strictly, ignoring the ideas behind them, they follow the letter of the law. When one obeys the letter of the law but not the spirit, he is obeying the literal interpretation of the words, but not the intent of those who wrote it. The spirit of the law is the idea or ideas that the people who made the law wanted to have effect. So, conversely, when one obeys the spirit but not the letter, he is doing what the authors of the law intended, though not adhering to the literal wording. "Law" originally referred to a legislative statute, but in the idiom may refer to any kind of rule. Intentionally following the letter of the law but not the spirit may be accomplished through exploiting technicalities, loopholes, and ambiguous language. Following the letter of the law but not the spirit is also a tactic used by those whom feel they are being persecuted. Following the spirit of the law but not the letter is generally viewed more favorably by some than following the letter but not the spirit. Authoritarians tend to view "following the spirit" negatively as disobedience of the law itself. The reason is that the actual intent of the law may be ambiguous, and allowing anyone to follow his own interpretation of the law may result in anarchy.

You might ask which laws? The laws of nature, the laws of man, the laws of tribe, of friendship, love, loyalty ... what law does the letter and the spirit not pertain to? Between the letter and the spirit is the heart of the matter, sometimes far more literally than is given credit. It would be all of these that would unfold in the next few hands. Much of the events have already been told by some, by all and to delve into the details does not allow the heart of it all to have its say.

I am a prospect to the first fires stepping forward to seek acceptance from those at the heart of the Tuchuk as to whether I will stand beside them, fight with them and for them against any and all that threaten the future existence of the people it is comprised of. It is a test of valor, of courage, of loyalty. It is faith and a sharing of beliefs. No Tuchuk stands to say ... I am Tuchuk of the First Fires that has not stepped through the same initiation and passed their own set of trials. It is not the same for everyone. Just as one person's tolerance for pain is not the same as another's, what is deepest within them as strengths and weaknesses will vary as well. It will be ongoing for a lifetime, to face adversities and pitfalls each and every day and a will to stand strong regardless if it is for our fellow Tribe. An old saying applies well ... The Needs of the Many Must Outweigh the Needs of the Few or the One.

This soliloquy is not as you might expect, about myself personally and my venture to prove myself among the Tribe. It is more about what I learned from those around me on my journey. It is what they themselves faced in the continuance of their own tests and what I took with me of those around me ... to give me strength, courage and all of those same virtues that make the Tuchuk the fierce nation that it is.

Together the Tribe would face more than the letter or the spirit, but the heart, the point where both meet as one and prove themselves.