Lorgar-Aurelian
Active Member
I am a man interested in faith but I find I have none. So I am curious, how is someone without faith supposed to go about obtaining faith?
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How does one go about obtaining faith?
- Thread starter Lorgar-Aurelian
- Start date
The Emperor of Mankind
Currently the galaxy's spookiest paraplegic
All people have faith for example you had faith that someone would answer your question or you wouldn't post it. You can get through life without faith. If you had to logically decide every action every day you would never get anything done.
You may be talking about a specific kind of faith perhaps you can enlighten us as to what kind of faith you need to find.
everyone has a belief system, or system of faith.
you OP states one of your beliefs, although negative. beliefs/faiths can be negative/positive.
a person's actions are a very good indicator of a person's faith.
wolves in sheep's clothing, putting lipstick on a pig, et al.
What is "faith" to you? That's a polysemic word, so what do you mean by it?
Perhaps by attempting to do good deeds you will reveal faith.
James 2:18 Now someone may argue, "Some people have faith; others have good deeds." But I say, "How can you show me your faith if you don't have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds."
James 2:18 Now someone may argue, "Some people have faith; others have good deeds." But I say, "How can you show me your faith if you don't have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds."
MonkeyFire
Well-Known Member
You cant aquire it its a human nature.
YmirGF
Bodhisattva in Recovery
You may be like me, a leap of faith without evidence or experience doesn't make sense. I prefer to call my religious thinking 'beliefs' and not 'faith'. I have been a student of the paranormal and spiritual subjects for decades and my beliefs were formed by what my logical reasoning concluded was most likely to be true.
Lorgar-Aurelian
Active Member
Go to the store and buy some. Just make sure it's marked
Give me money and I'll get you some. I know a guy
I meant faith in God or gods you ninnies. Or well the spiritual in general.
With God I've found it must be a faith based on scripture. If you have a problem with scripture or seek a rational view you are going to have problems. Try different holy books.
Spiritual is not hard to find one only needs to view natures beauty not natures science. See the images in the clouds or the stars. Enjoy the colors of the leaves and the flowers. Climb to the top of a mountain and enjoy the view. Find a swiming hole in the woods, spiritual faith will soon follow.
Thehoodedmonk
Member
Dear Mr. Lorgar-Aurelian,
I realize that you are not getting the answer you are looking for from those that have tried to answer your question: ".....how is someone without faith suppose to go about obtaining faith?" Obtaining true faith is very difficult. Now the preachers, who never tell the truth, and never understand anything say that in order to believe in God one must have blind faith. Blind faith is nothing. I have seen many people over my life time who were so dedicated to religion, then all of a sudden drop it like a hot potato and turn to atheism. The reason they turned from religion is because their blind faith offered no real substance that would give them a reason to believe in God. The only real faith is what I call "supported faith", supported faith is supported by the truth, for the truth reveals God. The next question is: how does one find the truth? Well, the answer is probably you don't, because probably the truth has to be revealed by God, and if God does not want to reveal the "Great Truths of the Bible", then one does not get it. Now I am not one of those who say God is riding on my shoulders guiding my every step, I don't know that, I just say what I say and that is it. The preachers say one must have blind faith because they know no great truths of the Bible, if they did they would never say have "blind faith". The key to "supported faith" is when one reads something in the Bible and understands what is said one relates what is said to what one has witnessed in his own time, and says "why yes, that is exactly what the Bible is talking about." There are many many examples of this which one can see happening. The key is understanding what the Bible is saying. Then you might say: well then tell us the great truths of the Bible so we can have true faith. No, I am sorry, that will not work, for if God does not reveal unto one the understanding of a saying, then it will fall on deaf ears. The beginning of understanding of the great truths of the Bible begin with believing what it says, which the vast majority of people will never do.
I realize that you are not getting the answer you are looking for from those that have tried to answer your question: ".....how is someone without faith suppose to go about obtaining faith?" Obtaining true faith is very difficult. Now the preachers, who never tell the truth, and never understand anything say that in order to believe in God one must have blind faith. Blind faith is nothing. I have seen many people over my life time who were so dedicated to religion, then all of a sudden drop it like a hot potato and turn to atheism. The reason they turned from religion is because their blind faith offered no real substance that would give them a reason to believe in God. The only real faith is what I call "supported faith", supported faith is supported by the truth, for the truth reveals God. The next question is: how does one find the truth? Well, the answer is probably you don't, because probably the truth has to be revealed by God, and if God does not want to reveal the "Great Truths of the Bible", then one does not get it. Now I am not one of those who say God is riding on my shoulders guiding my every step, I don't know that, I just say what I say and that is it. The preachers say one must have blind faith because they know no great truths of the Bible, if they did they would never say have "blind faith". The key to "supported faith" is when one reads something in the Bible and understands what is said one relates what is said to what one has witnessed in his own time, and says "why yes, that is exactly what the Bible is talking about." There are many many examples of this which one can see happening. The key is understanding what the Bible is saying. Then you might say: well then tell us the great truths of the Bible so we can have true faith. No, I am sorry, that will not work, for if God does not reveal unto one the understanding of a saying, then it will fall on deaf ears. The beginning of understanding of the great truths of the Bible begin with believing what it says, which the vast majority of people will never do.
lostwanderingsoul
Well-Known Member
God does NOT call everyone. Those He calls He gives the faith they need. There is no way to approach God unless He calls you so it is useless to try to get faith on your own. God will give it to you if He wants you to have it.
First accept the faith you do have: whether it's philosophical faith in an external world, or emotional faith in a friend coming through in time of need. Also remember that faith is not fideism, it can be reasonable and supported, not something blind and mindless. So is there any faith you find reasonable and/or supported? I know you were interested in Setianism for example, did you read and find the comprehensive argument for Set convincing on any level?
Curious George
Veteran Member
First start by understanding faith. Faith as noted by some other posters faith brings different meaning to different people. If we were to describe what all of these people mean by faith, I would suggest that we would get to the dictionary definition of complete confidence. So, ask yourself- in what do I have complete confidence. Moreover, what does complete confidence look like. I would suggest that complete confidence looks no different from assumptions based on a person's current experience and knowledge that a person cannot help but make because the alternative is nonsensical.
I assume you are particularly looking for faith in some religious beliefs. It is however quite possible that you have experience and knowledge which make the falsity of the beliefs for which you are aware a real possibility, instead of nonsensical. So, if you wish to remedy this character trait of yours, you will have to do so through assimilation and accommodation. Meaning you will have to change your awareness of the beliefs of which you are aware so that they falsity is again an impossibility in your mind, or you will have to learn new beliefs which have better explanations as to make the alternatives nonsensical.
You can protect your "faith" by sheltering yourself from knowledge and experience or you can sharpen your "faith" by exposing yourself to knowledge and experience. The only question is do you want to have faith in that which is true or that which you have as soon as you possess it?
Fire_Monkey
Member
I don't think that somebody so much "attains faith" as does Faith attain them. That is to say, I don't believe you can simply decide to have faith in something. Like, say, deciding to major in philosophy. Or...deciding to begin attending church.
Rather, having faith in something or even somebody just comes to you depending on your inherent feelings regarding that person, or thing. And I think perhaps you have to maybe love that thing--at least a little--before you can have true Faith in it.
I mean, sure, you can SAY "I have Faith that God will..."
But, this is not always really true. Sometimes people tell themselves what they want to hear, as a sort of emotional placebo. And with God, and Faith, one cannot simply decide, like my earlier college major decision. This is why, btw, "Pascal's Wager" never made sense to me. His postulation that you're better off believing in God, so you might was well do so. LOL. TO this I say "bollocks." Pascal is simply proposing a sort of "hedge your bets" dynamic. But I don't think it can work that way in matters of Faith and God.
The philosopher Immanuel Kant spoke of the necessity of making "a leap of Faith." And I am guessing that's along the line of what you want to do. I would ask, why? Usually people who want to believe in God want to do so because they feel their present lives or unfulfilled to some degree.
I would suggest trying to get more out of your life. Begin some enjoyable pursuits, hobbies. Become a Pantheist, who reveres Nature and finds their "god" in that. Or meditation, Zen, is a totally enlightening and enriching endeavor. It changed my life in many great ways.
But to me, wishing to believe in God, like joining a club, is more an act of desperation than anything else.
FM