What's a legitimate faith?

[MdmSzdWhtGuy]

How could one "faith" be legitimate while another "faith" be illegitimate? As far as anyone can ever tell me, there is absolutely no "proof" in the scientific sense of the word on any one particular religion, or even proof for the existence of any religion. Each one has the same basis as all the others, and each has the same amount of evidence supporting their basis.

All faiths, by definition I think are based on faith, and therefore they are all just as legitimate or illegitimate as all others.

B.

 

[Bishka]

Please explain how you're using the word "legitimate" with definitions as these do make a difference.

'
I'm just using legitimate, it was brought up in another tread how this certain religion was 'legitmate' or not. My thoughts were, aren't they all legit and who is anyone to tell them they aren't?

 

[sojourner]

So, you're using "faith" as in "system of spiritual belief and practice" and not as in "depth of one's spirituality?"

If that's the context, then it would depend upon what we decide to be the standard of legitimacy. Proof? Majority agreement? Whatever "floats your boat?" Historical continuity? Do they or don't they consume alcohol? Are we going to use the same standard across the board, or does that standard change according to polytheistic/monotheistic, Abrahamic/Dharmic, etc?

 

[Hyperborean]

I'm not going to be politically correct here.

I believe only the Traditional faiths which practice monotheism, are considered legitimate.

Exceptions to this may be religions like certain monotheistic demoninations of Hinduism, Buddhism, Daoism, and Confucianism, which may be considered of a highly Traditional origin. Although they are not explicitly monotheistic, they do not preclude the idea of One God, and the latter three can be purely philosophical rather than religious.

 

[Pah]

I'm not going to be politically correct here.

I believe only the Traditional faiths which practice monotheism, are considered legitimate.

Exceptions to this may be religions like certain monotheistic demoninations of Hinduism, Buddhism, Daoism, and Confucianism, which may be considered of a highly Traditional origin. Although they are not explicitly monotheistic, they do not preclude the idea of One God, and the latter three can be purely philosophical rather than religious.

You are not only politically incorrect but are Constitutionally in error. The notion that only monotheism is legitimate is naive. condescending, and arrogant. Atheism, Native American theism, paganism, to name a few, are protected under the the First Amendment "practise" clause.