Did he have Faith?!!?

[Heyzay]

Hey everyone,
I'm actually watching 'Into the wild' as I type this, I'm a newbie with "super-tramp" but I find his story an intriguing one.
But what I wanted to know is if he had Faith...Faith in God?!?... Did he want to be one with nature.. one with God?!
Or Did he just want to be by himself away from civilization AND God?!?!

[kfuge10]

That thought came to me as well at some point while reading the book and I think it's interesting that you brought it up... It's hard to say. I would have to find some quotes from the book, and maybe you've already done this, but my assumption just from choosing the lifestyle he did would be that Chris saw, life, God, a spirit, whatever you want to call it, in everything and everyone he encountered. Just an assumption and probably a lot of my own projections but i would see this sort of experience as an attempt to connect first with oneself and then to connect with the world, most notably people and nature, maybe in an attempt to understand or just accept it... I don't know, tell me what you think! :

[naturelover24]

WOW RIGHT ON!! JAH BLESS!! why are you so awesome??!? hahaha jk great question!

umm i dont know, if you remember in the movie it talks about how Ron Franz knew that Chris had problems with the church. But I love Jesus and think todays church is wacko! all the hypocrites and routine of it, has no impact at all. It has potential to be amazing, but theres so many phonies in the church today.. or at least the ones i've been to haha! but i think, as far as the movie and book tell the story, that chris just wanted to be free from society and family, and follow is true, adventurous soul!

[naturelover24]

but ya never know, he could've been following Gods will for his life. he DID in fact go to Salvation Mountain, which had the Jesus lover there, who was so full of life. maybe it changed chris, but if it did, i think he would have valued people more, because he kind of shied away from people, but maybe he needed space to grow and just be with nature and God.... we'll never know! haha

[legend237]

He had faith in himself and his vision, his desire to be unfettered by anything other than nature. Beyond physical existence.

[shiva2009]

Faith, Spirituality & The Church, & Structured Religious Organizations are two totaly different things in my my own personal thoughts.. For me,perhaps a little like Chris I found my Faith & Spirituality in the everyday things around me. Be that within the Spirit of Human Nature or that Of the Amazing Wonders of Nature itself...
Faith & Spirituality is about going out and actively finding that personal connection to the source, in whatever form you wish to perceive this - God, Allah, Buddah, Shiva, Krishna, Jesus, Hiking, Art, Music, Painting, Writing etc etc... Names are folk eyes to focus that Love & Intent to establish & nuture that personal faith & spiritual connection that seems to settle and fill our souls thus creating fullfillment, a sense of belonging, and contentment within ourselve's...
I understand why others feel the need to gather in a place of worship, I understand why others feel they need to be preached to, to be guided along the way on their spiritual journey - There is no wrong or rights, it is us, as unique individuals to decide what is we need in this life to believe in..
For me, I truly believe - "We Are All Spiritual Beings Having a Human Experience"..... I don't subscribe to anyone religion, I dont believe in any one theological belief system - but I have a lot of good ideas! I know that my spirituality is around me all the time, in everything that I do, and it is in the active connection I have with it on a daily basis that sustains me. I believe in Universal Law that whatever you put out there comes back to you threefold, so it is within my best spritual interest to only project positive energy, love, deeds & thoughts .... I also believe in Karma.
Perhaps this is why Chris started his journey, to actively pursue & search for the truth about himself, society, his relationship to nature, & his own personal connection to his own spirituality??
Perhaps Chris's problems with the Church was more to do with the structure, obiediance, rules,money, lack of individuality, lack of the active discovery & connection to God, the passive exceptance of anothers Theology that he had a problem with?

[naturelover24]

yeah we can only speculate at this point! but i bet he was agnostic!

[andyhe]

Christ must have had faith.

I have read Into the Wild and watched the movie a number of times. I have also read numerous books from authors that inspired Chris:

Henry Thoreau (and his close friend Ralph Waldo Emerson, who insprired Tolstoy)
Leo Tolstoy (who inspired Gandi)
Jack London
WH Davies

The first 3 authors were christians but were not at ease with the church for a number of reasons: opposing views on non-violent resistance, the idolatry nature of the church, and its 'straight jacket' histrocial doctrine. Thoreau and Tolstoy favoured the country and spells of solitude and exposed to nature.

Thoreau, Tolstoy and Gandi were united in their distain for material excess and found by removing themselves from a materialistic lifestyle came closer to truth (God). The last 2 authors wrote about adventure and hardship, which supports my proposal!

Chris McCandless was a Christian, but with his own version of a 'Tolstoyan' style of theology, one without church hierachical authority, without chanting, idolatry, miracles and mystery. In summary it was the raw TRUTH he sought.

Andy

[bobenns]

yeah we can only speculate at this point! but i bet he was agnostic!

" I have had a happy life and thank the Lord. Goodbye and may God bless all!"

Those were his very last words. He had faith. He had spirituality in the way he lived. He didn't fear death. He didn't preach either.

Its not so much what he said, but how he lived that really tells it. Faith is a wonderful thing if you don't go knocking on peoples doors and shootin your mouth off about it.

If you live it you have inner strength that others can see and that makes you a role model.

If I see you doing good deeds I'm impressed. If you come to my door with pamphlets I'm not.

[GoNorth]

@bobenns: Very well written!
McCandless used the word "God" several times, so he must have had some faith of that kind.
Personally, I don't believe in any God(s) at all, but I respect people being religious or superstitious or whatever they want, as long as they don't bother me or cause any kind of damage to their environment.
(I however believe in some kind of natural forces, but that's another topic)