A person's faith should be of practical benefit to others

[sun rise]

Should we believe the theory of evolution because it is true, or should we believe it because believing it helps others?

Um, that's conflating factual knowledge with living one's beliefs.

Suppose someone is very sick, and can only lay down in bed. And he is praying. So "his faith is of no benefit to others (in deeds)"; just a burden (money wise).

Money is only a very very tiny thing here. Deeds are not big things. They can be very apparently tiny things like saying "thank you" to people when they've done something pleasant or helpful for you.

If someone is earnest about one's beliefs, people can find endless opportunities to try to live one's ideals.

'Always preach the Gospel, when necessary use words.'

Saint Francis of Assisi. While his life and deeds were of his time and place, the essence of the life he lived still inspires people today.

 

[stvdv]

Money is only a very very tiny thing here. Deeds are not big things. They can be very apparently tiny things like saying "thank you" to people when they've done something pleasant or helpful for you.

If someone is earnest about one's beliefs, people can find endless opportunities to try to live one's ideals.

Very true. I remember my Master saying, that if a person lives just for 1 sec his full potential, his life is successfull. Deeds indeed seem rather relative.
I was glad to hear this. Of course 1 sec full potential is not easy, but at least there won't be a God judging you for all the other seconds.

 

[BilliardsBall]

The people of faith for whom I have great respect are those whose faith is of practical benefit to others. Faith should make you a better person, otherwise there is no point to it. Those who merely preach, but do nothing useful, should save their breath to cool their porridge, deeds being much more important than words.

One example of practical help is offered by the church of which my daughter is the Anglican Priest. During the school holidays children who get free school meals, as their parents are very poor, get one meal a day prepared by our girl and other helpers. My husband and I are more than happy to donate a substantial sum of money towards these meals.

I know of many other Christians, who let their deeds, not words do the talking.

Are you advocating deeds and not words in what you "spoke" (wrote)? Didn't you just prove that words must be accompanied by deeds to resonate further?

 

[IndigoChild5559]

I'm not sure how one can reason that other people have a moral obligation to adopt beliefs on the basis of whether those beliefs benefit others. I think you can reason that we have a moral obligation to discard beliefs that unnecessarily or unfairly harm others, but not that we have a moral obligation to adopt beliefs that benefit others.

It's called, where is my belief when the rubber meets the road? Is there action or is it all just words? Every major religious teacher has taught the Golden Rule. If your faith doesn't pan out, then it is impotent. Fix it.

 

[IndigoChild5559]

Good point. However, would not requiring people to adopt beliefs on the grounds that they benefit others open up a huge can of worms? For instance, I can see such an obligation infringing on freedom of conscience. Moreover, it could make truth secondary to usefulness. Should we believe the theory of evolution because it is true, or should we believe it because believing it helps others? And so forth.

Evolution is a scientific theory, not a religion. Science is neat, but it does nothing for a person's morals or ethics, so you can't hold science as your religion.

 

[Dawnofhope]

The people of faith for whom I have great respect are those whose faith is of practical benefit to others. Faith should make you a better person, otherwise there is no point to it. Those who merely preach, but do nothing useful, should save their breath to cool their porridge, deeds being much more important than words.

One example of practical help is offered by the church of which my daughter is the Anglican Priest. During the school holidays children who get free school meals, as their parents are very poor, get one meal a day prepared by our girl and other helpers. My husband and I are more than happy to donate a substantial sum of money towards these meals.

I know of many other Christians, who let their deeds, not words do the talking.

“Let deeds, not words be your adorning” is a teaching of my faith. However it’s a personal matter between the individual and God. I’m involved in charity work and donate money for that purpose. It’s excellent the Christians in my town are promoters of charity but they are not the only faith in town leading the way.

 

[A Vestigial Mote]

I'm not sure how one can reason that other people have a moral obligation to adopt beliefs on the basis of whether those beliefs benefit others. I think you can reason that we have a moral obligation to discard beliefs that unnecessarily or unfairly harm others, but not that we have a moral obligation to adopt beliefs that benefit others.

Based on the relevance of pure "faith", and given no outward sign of that faith making one a better person, while I wouldn't say there is necessarily "moral obligation"... I would say there is an intellectual obligation, certainly. In other words - if it isn't doing anybody any good, making crap up and pawning it off as reality is intellectually bankrupt and, honestly, detrimental to anyone else who might buy-in to said crap. Even if you sincerely believe you are telling the truth, if you have no good evidence, no way to demonstrate the truth of your claims, no way to share any experiences or "truths" with anyone else without simply getting them to also start spouting unprovable, anecdotal shenanigans, then you are being intellectually irresponsible.

 

[dianaiad]

Faith is belief or opinion, not deeds or behavior.

Actually...belief is belief or opinion. Faith is belief plus those deeds or behavior. Faith is...when you behave as if what you believe to be true is true. Faith is trust in those beliefs.

The Bible says that 'faith without works is dead faith, being alone,' and something about even the devils believe, and tremble. The thing that makes 'faith,' 'faith..." is what one does about it.

Without those 'works,' or deeds, 'faith' is nothing more than a passing opinion that might be true. Or might not,,,but not worth testing out, either way.