As a non-believer (especially in miracles) I disagree, though I can see why it's an inspirational quote for those with faith.

Or maybe I believe more in the power of enthusiasm than in the power of faith. Enthusiasm comes and goes, sure, and that's what makes it real and trustworthy; I mistrust anything as constant as faith.

It's a self-fulfilling prophecy, that miracles will occur for those who believe in them -- I think a postage-stamp mid-river jet ditch is a testament to skill and preparation rather than a miracle -- and I prefer to give credit where credit is due, to the training and quick thinking individual humans.

I feel the same way about art; the artist has inspirations, has muses, has skills and ability, but to ascribe the kernel of the creative process to the miraculous is to deny the lowercase-"c" creator, which takes credit from the artist and gives it to Mystery, which I think is a little hocus-pocussy for universal application.

That said, thanks for sharing this quote, and please don't take my disagreement as anything more than a statement of my thoughts on the matter; it's not my intention to disparage the validity of anyone else's beliefs.

No, thanks for the thoughts, Hugh. I'm not much of a believer myself -- I tend more toward the agnostic than the atheistic though. Fow what it's worth, I took Miller's use of "faith" as metaphorical, especially as contrasted with "enthusiasm."

To really see an artistic project through, especially a life-long one, it makes sense (to me) that you'd need more than enthusiasm. You may need something for which there isn't quite an appropriate word -- a "conviction" that you're bringing something real into being, and that doing so really does "matter." That's how the quote struck me.

Oh yeah, now "conviction," I can get behind. In that sense, I have no quibble with Miller's thoughts.

I kinda wonder if my reaction to the word "faith" isn't anachronistic. Have the forces of piety co-opted the idea of "faith" to the point where even a non-believer would automatically assume that it meant "religious conviction?"

I think people are way more amazing than any god could ever imagine.

I'd weight enthusiasm higher as well - then substitute discipline or conviction for faith in the quote. . .and something about luck instead of miracles, and then it makes sense.

Hugh, I'm a non-believer and I did take it metaphorically in this context, more or less.

Although once the product leaves the artist's hands, it has it's own life - so it's human nature to look for miracles - pray - for an artist. In his or her own way, believer or not. Magical thinking.

Looking it up, the original does seem to be mainly about "vision", understood as a creative endeavor, although he does invoke God. I do think that the word faith was understood in a more secular or ecumenical sense mid-last-century.

Thanks, treepour. I like that. If only I wasn't so blasted tired all the time. I guess the faith is still there. It just needs a double espresso.

I hear you Pips. I've got the same problem -- plenty of so-called "faith," very little time and energy.