The importance of questioning faith.

[Fluffy]

It depends what you mean by faith. Im probably referring to what you would call blind-faith..
To me I have no faith. I accept the most probable likelihoods and act on those if I have to - but im always open to alternative truths. If I cant find a 'probable' answer to a question.. then I accept no answer and leave it at that until some new information comes along.

My definition of faith is this: Anything which one acts on as if it were known when there is not 100% evidence behind that 'knowledge'. I also believe that nothing can be known beyond ones own existence, everything else requires faith.

By that logic why would I find it any more weird or illogical for a person to believe in the existence of a god than for myself to believe that the computer and keyboard I am using are actually real and not merely extensions of my mind? Neither has a scrap of proof going for them.

 

[Tawn]

Thats because there is no such thing as absolute proof. However, I can see the keyboard and computer in front of me.. so whilst I use it without 100% proof of its existence.. I dont need blind faith to know its probably there. God on the other hand I am much, much less certain about.

It isnt illogical for someone to believe in God if thats what their analysis of the world around them is telling them.. but if they havent really questioned things and considered the alternatives.. or they refuse to accept the small chance that they could be wrong.. then in my opinion they have based their belief on a foolish premise.
Likewise Atheists who refuse to consider that there could be a God... no matter how unlikely.. is just as foolish.

 

[Fluffy]

Thats because there is no such thing as absolute proof. However, I can see the keyboard and computer in front of me.. so whilst I use it without 100% proof of its existence.. I dont need blind faith to know its probably there. God on the other hand I am much, much less certain about.

You are basing your assertions about the existence or reality using elements of that reality. In others words you cannot say that you see the computer (an element of reality) therefore it is likely to be there (reality). It is a circular arguement. Much like I believe in God because I do.

Therefore the chances of God and your computer existing are actually identical since you have no evidence to suggest one over the other unless you accept the initial premise that WYSIWYG in which case your initial premise is based on blind faith .

I agree with you however that Atheism and Theism are just as illogical as each other even if we accept reality as being true.

 

[Tawn]

No.. I can observe and test the reality of my computer.. whereas I am unable to test and observe God.. this leads me to believe that there is a much greater chance of my computer existing than God existing.
Theres no 'proof' but at least there is some 'evidence'.

 

[Montalban]

What is worrying is that occasionally there are Christians who at the end of a debate turn to 'faith' as their basis for belief. THey have faith - thats what allows them to believe and talk to God and thats their final argument. They have faith so they dont question God.

Faith?

What are you absolutely 100% certain of?

 

[Tawn]

Faith?

What are you absolutely 100% certain of?

1. I exist.
2. Nothing except these two points can be known absolutely.

 

[EnhancedSpirit]

I'm with Melody on this one. There is a differnence between believing what someone says and searching and concluding for yourself. My faith in God was not secure until science showed me the Truth. Yes, science is what sealed my faith. I won't try to expain, for I would go off the topic.

Have you heard this quote "don't believe what you hear?" Well, there is more, "you can't believe what you hear and only half of what you see."

As for faith. You say you exist, but I have to have faith that it is true. Now faith, says that I will believe it to be true without proof. Without faith, I would have to say that you do not exist, unless you can prove it to me. And since I can only believe 0% of what I hear and 50% of what I see, it could be difficult to prove your existance to me.

 

[Montalban]

1. I exist.
2. Nothing except these two points can be known absolutely.

How do you know? You might just be part of my nightmare; a projection of my sub-conscious sent to plague me.