Best way to find faith?

There is something about the nature of blindness (nature of blindness? Sorry. I sound like an English teacher) there's something about blindness and faith = seeing is believing. Just thought I would throw that out there. And instead of faith through death, you would have faith through cost (the cost being his sight) Does that make sense? He pays for his faith with something most of us wouldn't willingly part with.

Hope that made sense!

I'd have to agree with bettielee. As a reader, I would prefer the "finding faith through blindness" thing. Killing off too many characters can be frustrating to the reader, so I think the blindness route seems best. And there is something about the "seeing is believing" cliche that seems more appealing.

If your character doesn't believe what he preaches, he better believe it before he dies. Without real faith now, when he's alive, how will he find it when he dies, it'll be too late.

I agree with the faith through blindness option. Plus, seeing as how he's a priest, and it's a war going on and you've already killed off so many, the fact that an unbelieving, jaded priest can find faith in all of the mayhem speaks pretty powerfully.

The pastor at the church I attend said his brother is a sniper in Iraq. While he was in training he was told to randomly "attack" his fellow marines in camp, to keep them on their toes. They were never forewarned of when the attacks would happen (they were simulated--not real), but when the sniper struck, someone would "die." The point was to place the men and women in situations where they would have to deal with the harshest realities of war and have to push through their worst fears.

Guess who the sniper's favorite target was?

The chaplain.

The sniper knew that if he took out the guy who represented their faith, he could weaken their morale more than any other thing. I thought that was an interesting insight. Maybe you can work that in to your story.

Sounds like your story is ripe for a re-gaining faith in humanity type of faith rediscovery, and that can come from extreme injury, hardship, and handicap (like blindness), and from things that happen after that. A re-discovered faith in humanity could be the trigger for a return to spiritual faith, but something rather drastic would have to rekindle the latter in the rather dark setting you have described. Could there be some remarkable kindness in the throes of war that set in motion the ultimate return to spiritual faith. If so, the wheels for that motion would probably have to be set up before a final chapter or the return to faith would seem a bit too sudden (possibly not believable* enough).

*pardon the pun

As soon as I finished reading your post I thought of the scriptural reference about 'walk by faith not by sight' so I choose blindness for that connection. Hebrews 11:1 reads: "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."

That said, having your character discover the 'light' in the darkness offers more possibility than his death. Although I don't know the story I imagine that the reader take away might be picturing what this character's future may hold. An ending that holds more hope than a sense that this revelation comes a little too late.

Nadja

I also agree with blindness as the chosen option. As an idea, you could play on the irony of the situation: the fact that now, when he is blind, he is finally able to see.

Hard to tell without many more details, but the appeal of finding faith through blindness does strike a chord.

Have him go blind, lose faith, get healed by a faith healer, regain faith, then die.

He dies, but doesn't realize it because he's blind.


Hmmmm, wait a minute..

Kayley said:

I also agree with blindness as the chosen option. As an idea, you could play on the irony of the situation: the fact that now, when he is blind, he is finally able to see.

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This theme goes back to ancient Greek mythology and is frequent even in later and recent literature--meaning, of course, it's a great theme and there's tons to steal from if you want to use it.

One of the best examples is the beginning of Book III of Paradise Lost. Here's a link, the first 55 lines or so (and keep in mind that Milton was blind when he wrote this--or rather dictated it): http://www.dartmouth.edu/~milton/reading_room/pl/book_3/index.shtml