OK lets look at it, I am saying that faith (which admittedly represents a void of facts/information/knowledge/truth) allows Babby to control folks.

Now even if we go back to the ancients...let me use an eclipse. The masses thought (through ignorance and fear) that solar eclipses were evil omens. The leaders in cahoots with the high priests (scientists/spiritualist) were informed of the celestial/natural TRUTH of when eclipses would occur. This "hidden" (occult) information could be used to control them. Such as "tomorrow a great sign from the Sun God will be bestowed upon us. We are to sacrifice a bull to please this god so that it will continue to shine light upon our lives".

The faith of the masses rests entirely upon the credibility AND morality of the leaders. If the leadership is corrupt (as is Babbylon), then the masses are in deep doodoo as we are in today. If we were to have knowledge of the truth of celestial movement, then the "mystery" of natural occurences would no longer scare us.

That brings me to the "devil" and "hell" mysteries. Babby has tied in the concept of condemnation with the defiance or rejection of their contrived belief/faith system...which is so psychologically impactful that ones dare not open a book other than a Bible or Qu'ran or Torah.

In other words, we have been instilled with faith only or faith first...which discourages bold individual knowledge seeking.

So it is not faith that is criticized, it is the exploitation that resting on faith allows.

On a personal note for I, studying the celestial movements in school AND on an individual research/observation, I KNOW that the story of Y'shua as presented in texts represents/copies the Sun. Does that mean my faith is damaged, no it means that my faith has matured into knowing/encompassing Natural Truths into divine overstandings.

And if that is "New Age", so be it...I'll just be a new age/pagan/heathen Afrikan. But labelling is for one-tracked Minds (and Hearts)

Belief in Santa Claus, tooth-fairies, Easter-bunnies and faith are the same thing...many good things and good feelings result from their acceptances...but many exploitations/deceptions occur as well.