Faith?

 Why are people so free to state things about the deceased to the grieving when they have no idea?

"He's in a better place":

"He'll be there for you one day like you were there for him"

These are all nice sentiments and it may make them feel better and they are trying to make me feel better but how did we get to a place where it is normal to just make things up? It's made up because no one really knows but people still say these things. Isn't this strange?  The silver bullet word to explain this behavior is faith. But faith is not knowing. Faith is hope... a belief based on hope not real perceivable things. So is it fair to say you are making it up? Is that too harsh? It seems accurate to me.

Faith:

strong belief in God or in the doctrines of a religion, based on spiritual apprehension rather than proof.

I also found this statement about what faith is:

"the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen"

I drove to Colorado from Wisconsin with my college roommate and friend Rob when we were in our early twenties. We wanted to see the mountains and bike in the mountains. It was to be an epic adventure. We bounced around from different spots in the mountains to see as much as we could.  At one point Rob and I were in Colorado Springs trying to figure out how to get on the interstate. In those days there were no smartphones so we were relying on map books. I remember coming to some fork in the highway in downtown Colorado Springs and my Spidey senses said I should turn left. Rob said at the last minute before the turn, "No! Go right!" He was sure of it and so I went right. Soon after turning we realized the right turn was wrong and the left turn was correct. 

I thought Rob had looked at the map and that he knew that turning right was the correct direction. We were both tired and probably hungry and I was annoyed. I exclaimed "Why did you tell me to go right?! What on the map told you this was the right way!?" He started laughing and said "I don't know. I just guessed" as he continued laughing. It makes me laugh to think of his response because he just panicked and chose a direction and thought it was funny. I didn't think it was funny until he started laughing. 

I guess my thought is that someone's "faith" can put them (or you) on the wrong path. This situation probably cost us 10 minutes of driving but "faith" in something not real could put you on a path where you waste years of your life. I can hear Christians crying their arguments because they assume if I'm talking about faith I'm only talking about them. Obviously there are many things one can put their faith in and they would agree that putting faith in something else is misguided and potentially a waste of years but many Christians won't consider that they may be making a mistake. If you won't consider your decisions could be wrong I don't know how I'm supposed to talk to you. That is the starting point of a conversation for me. You have to be able to admit you might be wrong or perhaps there's more to the mystery .