What is faith?

[AverageGuy]

Recently I had had troubles regarding my faith and what faith really was. A few weeks ago, I saw the poor sight of a dead white cat that someone must have recently hit with a car. Along with the motionless cat were two other white cats that were just lying with the dead cat as if mourning the loss or unaware of its fate. The sight deeply moved and disturbed me until I found myself mechanically asking God to watch over the cat as I had previously done for my whole life. That thought that the cat was going to be watched over immediately relaxed me and my somber mood was lessened. It was in this transition that I figured out what faith really is. People rely on faith for comfort. Comfort from the thought that they are being cared for and that everything will be all right. Without faith, humankind is very scared about the uncertain. With faith in a higher power, no matter what the higher power, people are able to get on with their lives. It is from this reasoning, that I believe that a person should have faith in something rather than nothing.

Please respond for I am still confused about my faith.

 

[ALifetimeToWaitFor....]

I believe that the word comfort is letting those with faith off the hook a little bit. It has been my experience, having fallen from my unwavering faith in Christ as the son of God and my savior, that fear is the most motivating characteristic in choosing to follow a certain god, godess, or religion. Now i'm not saying that you all lack the back bone to face this world on your own, but there are many out there that have this feeling of safety and security because they are so frightened of the future, of change, that they are grasping violently to something untangible to explain the unexplainable. This fear leads to faith and often times this fear leads to hatred, violence, and uncontrollable hate and anger, when this was the exact opposite of your prophet's teachings(obviously narrowly targeting certain faiths). There are certain individuals that can transcend this gap and become peaceful simply by not grasping or expecting anything from there god, but simply letting the warmth of this universal grace
envelop them and everything around them. Faith is the ability to believe in anything at all, when you there is a great possiblity that this thing with happen or ever exist. Searching deep and wide, finding nothing, and latching on to that rhythm that just happens to feel so right. Universal compassion and love is where I place my faith...

 

[michel]

Recently I had had troubles regarding my faith and what faith really was. A few weeks ago, I saw the poor sight of a dead white cat that someone must have recently hit with a car. Along with the motionless cat were two other white cats that were just lying with the dead cat as if mourning the loss or unaware of its fate. The sight deeply moved and disturbed me until I found myself mechanically asking God to watch over the cat as I had previously done for my whole life. That thought that the cat was going to be watched over immediately relaxed me and my somber mood was lessened. It was in this transition that I figured out what faith really is. People rely on faith for comfort. Comfort from the thought that they are being cared for and that everything will be all right. Without faith, humankind is very scared about the uncertain. With faith in a higher power, no matter what the higher power, people are able to get on with their lives. It is from this reasoning, that I believe that a person should have faith in something rather than nothing.

Please respond for I am still confused about my faith.

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Wow! what a first post. You do jump in with both feet!

I was going to say that I am a little concerned at the thought that people have faith in order to feel comfort, but that is judgemental an a very silly thing to say. Whatever makes people feel better is good. So I won't say it.

In what way are you confused about your faith ? You believe in God, because you mentioned him. The thought that the Dead will be looked after by God obviously comforts you; that in itself is good.

What is the problem then ?

 

[cardero]

What is faith?

Some of the best definitions that I have heard were:

“Faith is believing in things when common sense tells you not to.”
-- George Seaton

“A Great Escape into faith is no retreat to safety. It is nothing less than surrender.”
-- Dan Barker, Losing Faith in Faith: From Preacher to Atheist

"Faith is neither trust nor TRUTH. Faith is an excuse bestowed on people by themselves or another individual who is supposed to K(NOW), but doesn't."-GOD

 

[nutshell]

Well, turning to the Bible. Hebrews 11:1

"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." KJV

I think that's where the idea of comfort comes from, it's because we hope for good. I don't consider this faith in nothing, to me, at least, it is very real.

 

[BruceDLimber]

Greetings, Guy!

I'm a Baha'i, and the Baha'i scriptures explicitly state "Faith is conscious knowledge."

It's also related to the practice of good works....

Best,

Bruce

 

[Valjean]

Well, turning to the Bible. Hebrews 11:1

"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." KJV

I think that's where the idea of comfort comes from, it's because we hope for good. I don't consider this faith in nothing, to me, at least, it is very real.

How is faith "evidence?"

 

[nutshell]

How is faith "evidence?"

Because it teaches you truth. It lets you know something is real even if you can't see it. This happens when one has faith and the Spirit touches the spirit of the one. It is a very real experience.

 

[Valjean]

No it doesn't. That's total nonsense.

If I choose to have faith in Mother Goose or the tooth fairy what truth have I learned? What reality am I perceiving?

Faith is belief in something without adequate reason to believe.

 

[Quiddity]

Faith is belief in something without adequate reason to believe.

No. Faith builds upon reason. It does not eliminate it. Something adequate is subject to interpretation.

 

[ashai]

How is faith "evidence?"

Ushta Seyorni

From what I have seen taught by some Pentecoastal teachers they judge faith as evidence because it manifests what they believe and want, In other word s they believe that if you have true faith what they want, within the limits of doctrine, will come to them.

Now do not ask me why, I am just a messenger and I do not believe any such thing:seesaw:

Ushta te
Ashai

 

[ashai]

No it doesn't. That's total nonsense.

If I choose to have faith in Mother Goose or the tooth fairy what truth have I learned? What reality am I perceiving?

Faith is belief in something without adequate reason to believe.

Ushta Seyorni

No faith is a conviction, now, it could be blind or it could be based on experience or some other sort of evidence Its assurance in your belief. Theologically, in Zoroastrianism, is inferior to Gnosis but a necessary first step like an infant crawling before it can walk.

Ushta te
Ashai

 

[cardero]

*Moving to the General Religious Debate Forum*

 

[Smoke]

"Faith is something that you believe that nobody in his right mind would believe."

(Archie Bunker)

 

[kassi]

Because it teaches you truth. It lets you know something is real even if you can't see it. This happens when one has faith and the Spirit touches the spirit of the one. It is a very real experience.

Thank you. You speak the truth and I also know this from experiance. And comfort does come from faith.

 

[Ðanisty]

For me, faith is what I know to be true, but can't prove to anyone. Faith is not illogical. Faith makes perfect sense to the person who has faith.

 

[ch'ang]

Faith is belief without proof

 

[Squirt]

"Belief is what we really think; faith is what we are willing to accept in the absense of evidence." ~ D. Jeff Burton ~

 

[mehrosh]

Faith is that you know, you will not be betrayed

 

[scitsofreaky]

Whatever makes people feel better is good.

This seems like it could be potentially dangerous, if I'm understanding it fully. Sometimes what makes one person feel better is harmful to another, and I know that you don't think that is good (right?). Perhaps we should say, "whatever makes people feel better and causes no harm is good." Sound good?

There seems to be different kinds of faith. Blind faith is belief in things unseen (ie, unknown) because someone/thing says so. And there is what I might call inductive faith. This is faith that evidence can lead us to generalities about nature. This type of faith relies on evidence and repeateability, which is why it works so well for science.
It seems that it is in blind faith that people find comfort. In some instances, it is a total rejection of the real world just to make one feel better.
IMO, most "religious" people (can't think of a better word) tend to be in the middle, relying on blind faith as a sort of foundation for inductive faith. For example, The Bible is correct(blind), therefore everything in it is correct (inductive).
Just my humble thoughts put up to be picked apart.