Is there any kind of faith other than blind faith? (Jesus, crucified)

[Jaymes]

Is there? For example, I have never seen the Grand Canyon, but I have faith that it exists. I have nothing to base this off of but second-hand tales and pictures which could have been manipulated. The Grand Canyon could very well not exist, since I've never seen it and can't say for sure that it does.

Now, I'm not suggesting that the Grand Canyon doesn't exist. Rather, is my faith that the Grand Canyon exists blind faith, since I've never seen it?

[skills101]

You bring up an interesting point. I wouldn't call it blind faith when you are able to see. You can go to the Grand Canyon today, you can smell it, see it, touch it, hear it, and, if you so chose, taste it... I really can't say the same about religion. Many claim they have, which is where, I think, believers and non-believers are separated.

[cardero]

Jensa writes: Now, I'm not suggesting that the Grand Canyon doesn't exist. Rather, is my faith that the Grand Canyon exists blind faith, since I've never seen it?

You can believe that the Grand Canyon exists or does not exist but the fact of the matter is if it does exist and you do not believe in it, it it will exist without your belief. I believe that the Grand Canyon exists but I do not have to apply faith to feed off this or any belief. Why would I want or hope for the Grand Canyon to exist, it doesn't matter to my PURPOSE or my existence if if does. Beside it would just be easier for me to hop a plane (if I desired) and go PROVE or disPROVE this belief for myself. If there comes a time that something happens to the Grand Canyon that the hole becomes filled then I just discard the belief that that the Grand Canyon existed knowing full well that I haven't invested any faith into it. Though I cannot speak for other people who have actually been impressed with the Grand Canyon's beauty and majesty and flatly refuse to believe that the Grand Canyon does not exist anymore.

[robtex]

The grand canyon is verifable. Meaning if it meant a lot to you ..you could jump in your car drive out there and view it..to prove your theory. Other componets of our reality are more difficult as they are intangable. If we, as a species only made deduction on and let our total reality be composed of what could be immediatly verfied we would be a crippled race. I have never seen the grand canyon either but I am going to forgo jumping in my car to verify it becasue it is a reasonable thing to believe in and exerting effort into validifing it or denying its existance until such verifcation is completed is an unprgamatic way to live ones life.

What is reasonable to believe is subjective which to me explains the variety in beliefs that are presented but without setting parameters for oneself we would be constricting the scope of what I could say is our valid reality.

[cardero]

I agree with Robtex that the existence of the Grand Canyon is PROVABLE. But Jensa’s example is a valid one in the capacity to PROVE many of our beliefs to TRUTHs (if we desire). Robtex mentioned that it would take a great deal of planning to PROVE that the Grand Canyon exists but that is what is expected of us if we want to fulfill all our beliefs to TRUTHs. I can look at other people’s pictures of the Grand Canyon or listen to their travel tales of what it was like or read books on the Grand Canyon but that actual TRUTH is that I could not feel the actual experience of the splendor that the Grand Canyon demands. This is a TRUTH that I would have to discover for myself (if I desire). Faith is the translation of someone who is describing the spectacle of the Grand Canyon to me and then me deciding “well I guess I do not have to see it now, it just has been described to me by a poet.” This is faith and it probably does not do me any service if I was to just leave it at that.

[HelpMe]

faith is a believe in the future right?

or things of the past which we did not experience first hand...

so yea

[Fluffy]

Everything comes down to faith at some level. For example, you are assuming that the visual images recieved by your eyes that "verify" somethings existence are not false or distorted in anyway. We have faith in anything and everything which we hold to be correct or incorrect.

[HelpMe]

nihilism(however logical) is not considered realistic for this discussion.

[roli]

Faith is what we as a humans live out our day to day lives on, regardless of what the rationale and relative mind can conjur up.
From the moment we are born ,reality is that our day to day functions consist mostly of excercising blind faith, trusting in and relying on non factual evidence to make or act out rational decision making.
Sometimes logic does'nt even come into play in decision making and if so, only when supersedded by that eventual and natural operation of blind faith in all of us.
There is no way someone can possibly possess and or have all the factual knowledge when making the most logical decisions, from the scientists to Doctors ,, TO BUYING A CAR OR EVEN FOOD,think about that for a moment.

Who knows for sure that the sun will , shine tommorrow, or air will be available to breathe, or food will be available for our next meal, tell me, who knows these mysteries.
are your brakes ok or do we just assume all these things are ok, this is faith.

On what premise do we make the most basic to the most fundamental decisions?
If you say logic and rationale, then we must conclude that is therefore based on limited knowledge , no one person or collective group possess all knowledge and with that in mind what is the deciding factor, Faithfirst ,trust and then it comes down ultimately to Hope.
Aternative words come to mind and into play and are synonomos to faith, that being chance, assumption, guess ( hypothesis) speculation etc.

Not one person , can professs that they have the ability to control their own heart beat, future etc, We plan and decide to a degree of accuracy with the limited knowledge we have but guess the rest of the decision process, as sad as that may sound

As this topic of Faith may appear taboo and hard to swallow for some mind sets, it is not because of it's inaccurate usage in our lives, definition and illustrations, but that the word faith that is being discussed in this forum and most others becomes offensive ,arguementitive and creates skepticism atheistic views and stirs up debates due to it's immediate association with the Christian Faith.
That does not sit well with many , because many other religions including those who crucified Jesus operate in a justification by works , efforts or good deeds
Jesus says without FAITH it is impossible to please God ,for he will reward those who seek Him. By faith in God will you be justified.
The way to find God is to use what we already operate in day in and day out, FAITH

Faith is the belief (trustworthiness, reliance) in something without thorough proof and or actual factual evidence to support and back up the claim.
Blind Faith is blind to the naked eye but visible by it's evidence when acted upon.

[Fluffy]

Nihilism not realistic? Now thats something I have never heard said before