If faith was blind belief, why would it be of such importance?

originally posted by: Out6of9Balance

originally posted by: Woodcarver
a reply to: Out6of9Balance

Faith is what they tell you you need when they want you to believe something that makes no sense and cannot be demonstrated. Or can otherwise be demonstrated to be wrong.

There is no other reason to use faith as an argument for the existence of anything.

No, faith is the certainty of the existence of God.

Faith has several meanings. One of which is the belief in gods. Certainty is reserved for demonstrable claims. No matter how certain you are in your faith. If it cannot be demonstrated, it is not certain.

If you could be certain, you would not need faith. You cannot have both.

originally posted by: new_here

originally posted by: Woodcarver

originally posted by: new_here
a reply to: Mach2

While i realize "faith" and religion are not the same thing, they are inseparable.

To you, perhaps. To many others as well. And horrid things have been done in the name of religion, yes.
But faith in God is a stand-alone concept. No 'religion' required. You could grow up on an island away from civilization and still commune with the Higher Power, without anyone saying a word about It. Religion is man's bastardization of faith, as a means of controlling the masses. Jesus didn't come to start Christianity. At all.

You are still relying on faith that you are not just talking to yourself. And as soon as someone else shows up, they will disagree on some point of your claim.

If I am just talking to myself... who is this wise Self who advises me? How do YOU know that what you call your Conscience is not the Holy Spirit. Does the name really matter that much, if the result is the same? Why reject the concept of a Higher Consciousness in the universe so vehemently? Is it fear? I'm asking seriously, not combatively.

You realize you are describing what many medical professionals would call schizophrenia, or bipolar disorder right?

a reply to: Woodcarver

You misunderstand. Faith is the certainty of the existence of God.

a reply to: Mach2

No, she's not.

originally posted by: Out6of9Balance
a reply to: Woodcarver

You misunderstand. Faith is the certainty of the existence of God.

By definition, you cannot have faith and certainty about the same thing. They are oxymorons.

I am certain that the sun will come up tommorrow

I am certain that there is a god.

The first statement is one based on observable and expected outcomes. It is not a faith claim.

The second is a faith based claim with no demonstrable value. It is used to show your conviction or the value that you place on the claim.

originally posted by: Out6of9Balance
a reply to: Mach2

No, she's not.

Yes, she is.

a reply to: Woodcarver

Let's agree to disagree.

originally posted by: Woodcarver

originally posted by: Out6of9Balance

originally posted by: Woodcarver
a reply to: Out6of9Balance

Faith is what they tell you you need when they want you to believe something that makes no sense and cannot be demonstrated. Or can otherwise be demonstrated to be wrong.

There is no other reason to use faith as an argument for the existence of anything.

No, faith is the certainty of the existence of God.

Faith has several meanings. One of which is the belief in gods. Certainty is reserved for demonstrable claims. No matter how certain you are in your faith. If it cannot be demonstrated, it is not certain.

If you could be certain, you would not need faith. You cannot have both.

It is an exercise in futility to use common sense, and factual word definition when arguing with closed minds.

Faith is a very strong influence on the human mind. It is usually benign, and can comfort an individual in times of stress and unhappiness. It isn't, however, rational.

a reply to: Mach2

What you imply is that faith is imagination. What does that have to do with blind belief?

originally posted by: Out6of9Balance
a reply to: Woodcarver

Let's agree to disagree.

My other personality disagrees to agree.....wait.....what?

originally posted by: Out6of9Balance
a reply to: Woodcarver

Let's agree to disagree.

I will never agree to disagree. That is only used by people who know that their claims are wrong or unprovable.

a reply to: Woodcarver

What?

originally posted by: Out6of9Balance
a reply to: Mach2

What you imply is that faith is imagination. What does that have to do with blind belief?

Imagination definition:

the faculty or action of forming new ideas, or images or concepts of external objects not present to the senses.


Is that not the case with faith?

There is no objective proof that god, or any other supreme being exists. I'm not saying it's impossible. It's also "possible" that we are part of a simulation, it's also possible that we are just one ofmany dimensions of existence.


All of those "possibilities" are, by definition, imagination, until proven.

a reply to: Mach2

All of creation is proof of a creator.

a reply to: new_here

That is not what religion means or is though.

a reply to: Woodcarver

Sorry, faith does do good. You are clearly not in the medical field, if you were you would know how foolish your statement is. In fact faith is part of assessment because of how valuable it is to long and short-term outcomes. No offense meant by this, but it is always better to comment on things you know.

originally posted by: Mach2
You realize you are describing what many medical professionals would call schizophrenia, or bipolar disorder right?

I worked in Psychiatry for 10 years and have degrees in Psych and Social Work ... you realize you are completely wrong, right? Literally no medical professional (of which I am one) would consider that schizophrenia or bipolar.

originally posted by: Woodcarver
Yes, she is.

Like I said, you are clearly not a medical professional. I am a medical professional with degrees in Social Work and Psychology and I worked in the field of Psychiatry at an acute inpatient Psych hospital for 10 years, you are wrong, Mach2 is wrong.

originally posted by: Out6of9Balance
a reply to: Mach2

All of creation is proof of a creator.

Perhaps, but it isn't proof of a "God", nor does it justify religion.

a reply to: Sookiechacha

And that is the beauty of it, you can believe whatever you want. Believe or do not believe, it's your choice.

a reply to: Sookiechacha