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Blind Faith and Blind Skepticism

sun rise

The world is on fire
Premium Member
are blind faith and blind skepticism that much different in action?
Not really. The key word is "blind".

There have even been songs about this such as "Amazing Grace" from the believer perspective:

I once was lost but now am found
Was blind, but now I see
 

bobhikes

Nondetermined
Premium Member
are blind faith and blind skepticism that much different in action?

I don't understand how skepticism could be blind. Skepticism is a challenge to something so it must at least be able to see the thing it challenges.

Blind faith I get, You can have faith without seeing, hearing or knowing.
 

Fool

ALL in all
Premium Member
I don't understand how skepticism could be blind. Skepticism is a challenge to something so it must at least be able to see the thing it challenges.

Blind faith I get, You can have faith without seeing, hearing or knowing.


you can't prove some things to another; especially if they just blatantly, blindly reject it. some have to prove it for themselves and some choose to reject the proof of others.


don't believe me?


there are those who are skeptical about climate change. actual proof doesn't equate to acceptance, to having faith.


:p


it's a spectrum
 
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bobhikes

Nondetermined
Premium Member
you can't prove some things to another; especially if they just blatantly, blindly reject it. some have to prove it for themselves and some choose to reject the proof of others.


don't believe me?


there are those who are skeptical about climate change. actual proof doesn't equate to acceptance, to having faith.


:p


it's a spectrum

Typically I call them deniers, because skeptical requires some sort of proof and they are just denying proof. You never hear a person against climate change offer a proof for why they just deny what other people provide as proof. If they do offer proof it is not valid like a snow day in the summer in a certain area of Florida vs a year of above average temperatures for the world.
 

Fool

ALL in all
Premium Member
Typically I call them deniers, because skeptical requires some sort of proof and they are just denying proof. You never hear a person against climate change offer a proof for why they just deny what other people provide as proof. If they do offer proof it is not valid like a snow day in the summer in a certain area of Florida vs a year of above average temperatures for the world.


you can lead an *** to water but you can't make them drink, prove the water; whether they're a believer/disbeliever
 

sojourner

Annoyingly Progressive Since 2006
I don't understand how skepticism could be blind. Skepticism is a challenge to something so it must at least be able to see the thing it challenges.

Blind faith I get, You can have faith without seeing, hearing or knowing.
I don’t think that’s true. Faith is born of some experience. Not all skeptics get the theology on a deep enough level to really form an informed opinion.
 

bobhikes

Nondetermined
Premium Member
I don’t think that’s true. Faith is born of some experience. Not all skeptics get the theology on a deep enough level to really form an informed opinion.

I clearly stated what blind faith is. Faith is a requirement for all humans and a valuable asset to all humans
 

sojourner

Annoyingly Progressive Since 2006
Ok but don"t confuse the two.

Please define your version of what Blind Faith means as opposed to.faith.
Sure! I don’t think “blind faith” is really faith. I think faith is something more informed, that comes from somewhere deep inside us, and it is stirred by some significant experience we’ve had. I think “blind faith” is really “unfounded belief.” Sometimes, I think one’s “faith in Jesus” is unfounded belief. But, many times, I think it’s the result of having had some significant life experience or experiences for which one lacks sufficient language. The metaphoric language of religion is the only tool we have. I know that’s how it is for me and for others I know well.

It’s kind of like being a sports fan. Back in the day, I believed in the Boston Celtics. I had the paraphernalia and posters. Not because I gave two hoots about Boston, or particularly about basketball as some life-altering thing, but because I had grown up with Larry Bird. I knew him. His mother worked at a local diner and made the hamburgers I often ate for lunch. He was weaned as a basketball player at my school, and went on to become one of the really great professional players. I had faith in him as a successful and talented human being; he showed me that human beings could transcend, and so I believed in the team for which he played.

I think people don’t so much believe in the vehicle (the team, the religious avatar and symbols) as they do in the things those things symbolize. That’s faith. Blind faith believes in the symbols, themselves, as true bringers of transformation.
 

bobhikes

Nondetermined
Premium Member
I don’t think that’s true. Faith is born of some experience. Not all skeptics get the theology on a deep enough level to really form an informed opinion.

Sure! I don’t think “blind faith” is really faith. I think faith is something more informed, that comes from somewhere deep inside us, and it is stirred by some significant experience we’ve had. I think “blind faith” is really “unfounded belief.” Sometimes, I think one’s “faith in Jesus” is unfounded belief. But, many times, I think it’s the result of having had some significant life experience or experiences for which one lacks sufficient language. The metaphoric language of religion is the only tool we have. I know that’s how it is for me and for others I know well.

It’s kind of like being a sports fan. Back in the day, I believed in the Boston Celtics. I had the paraphernalia and posters. Not because I gave two hoots about Boston, or particularly about basketball as some life-altering thing, but because I had grown up with Larry Bird. I knew him. His mother worked at a local diner and made the hamburgers I often ate for lunch. He was weaned as a basketball player at my school, and went on to become one of the really great professional players. I had faith in him as a successful and talented human being; he showed me that human beings could transcend, and so I believed in the team for which he played.

I think people don’t so much believe in the vehicle (the team, the religious avatar and symbols) as they do in the things those things symbolize. That’s faith. Blind faith believes in the symbols, themselves, as true bringers of transformation.

I'm not understanding how these two quotes are related then. You said you disagree with what I said was blind fate, which is faith without hearing, seeing or knowing and You say Blind faith is believing only in symbols which aren't things at all but a symbol of a thing. This means you believe in something you can't hear, see or know because all you have is a symbol.

Yet your reply states you didn't think that's true because faith is born of experience and I said I was talking about blind faith you said that you were too, but on clarification your Blind Faith does not mention experience.

Why is my definition of Blind Faith wrong? Does Blind faith includes experience which means some way of Hearing, seeing or knowing the thing or is Blind Faith just based on a symbol without any understanding of the thing.
 

sojourner

Annoyingly Progressive Since 2006
I'm not understanding how these two quotes are related then. You said you disagree with what I said was blind fate, which is faith without hearing, seeing or knowing and You say Blind faith is believing only in symbols which aren't things at all but a symbol of a thing. This means you believe in something you can't hear, see or know because all you have is a symbol.

Yet your reply states you didn't think that's true because faith is born of experience and I said I was talking about blind faith you said that you were too, but on clarification your Blind Faith does not mention experience.

Why is my definition of Blind Faith wrong? Does Blind faith includes experience which means some way of Hearing, seeing or knowing the thing or is Blind Faith just based on a symbol without any understanding of the thing.
Sorry, I thought I had explained it adequately. I don’t think blind faith is faith at all, because it’s not based in something experiential. I think blind faith is a misnomer.
 

Mudramoksha

Member
are blind faith and blind skepticism that much different in action?

The word 'faith' is as abused as the word 'skeptic'. Most people that call themselves "skeptics" are in fact not skeptics at all and are actually strict dogmatists that lie about themselves. Many people that claim to have "faith" don't even know what faith means.
 
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