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Atheists and Theists are both people of faith.

2006-09-12 20:11:30 · 18 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture Religion & Spirituality

Maybe I should have clarified:

People who believe in God do so based on faith (i.e. they cannot prove his existence).

People who don't believe in God do so on faith (i.e. they cannot prove he doesn't exist).

i.e. they are both people of faith correct?

2006-09-12 20:21:21 · update #1

18 answers

The answer is true, everyone possesses faith, faith is a constant existential component, it is what you believe that is the variant.

Faith is also applicable to the atheist class, because, unless an individual is omniscient, it is impossible to prove empirically or otherwise that there is no God.

2006-09-12 20:21:27 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0 0

My husband used to know a man who refused to have a television in his home because he believed that the evil box contained really tiny people.

Is faith to be defined as a firm belief? If so, then yes, theists and atheists can be said to posses faith.

Here is how faith is defined:

1. Confident belief in the truth, value, or trustworthiness of a person, idea, or thing.

2. Belief that does not rest on logical proof or material evidence. See Synonyms at belief, trust.

3. Loyalty to a person or thing; allegiance: keeping faith with one's supporters.

4. often Faith Christianity The theological virtue defined as secure belief in God and a trusting acceptance of God's will.

5. The body of dogma of a religion: the Muslim faith.

6. A set of principles or beliefs.

Some people just have faith (a set of principles or beliefs) that are opposed to ours. That doesn't mean they don't have faith.

2006-09-14 03:45:36 · answer #2 · answered by sendmedaisies 3 · 0 0

Hebrews 11:1 says "Faith is the substance hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Faith is believing in somthing without evidence. This is the only way we can be saved (eph 2:8-9). Not believing because there is no evidence isnt faith at all. Atheists have a belief in something (there is no God) but it isnt faith, its just a belief.

2006-09-13 03:35:51 · answer #3 · answered by Airman_P 2 · 0 1

False. Atheism is lack of belief in deities and that is it. It takes exactly no faith to believe that something doesn't exist when that something has no evidence supporting it at all. If you call it faith then you must say that everything that someone thinks doesn't exist, that has not a bit of evidence for it, is also faith. It would be faith to believe that invisible blue trolls didn't run around.

There are three types of faith.

1.) Faith in something that has evidence supporting it. Like i have faith that my chair will hold me up when i sit in it. This is more of a reasonable trust based on every time i have set in it so far it has held me up. (this is more like trust, i don't even call it faith..some do though)

2.) Faith in something with no evidence at all. Like faith that the god of Deism exists.

3.) Faith in something that contradicts evidence. Like the god of the Bible or the god of Islam. A god who can change the laws of nature and answer prayers.

It is philosophical blasphemy to lump them all in one category. And that is exactly what apologists try to do.

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It is not up to the person disbelieving something exists to prove that it doesn't exist. The burden of proof is on the person claiming that something does exist.

You can not prove to me that invisible leprechauns didn't create the world. Is it faith that you don't believe that? If i told you i am talking to you from the planet Venus right now..is it a matter of faith that you don't believe me?

2006-09-13 03:33:00 · answer #4 · answered by AiW 5 · 1 1

False. Who would be the recipient of their faith? The weather man?

[Heb 11:1] Faith is the realization of what is hoped for and evidence of things not seen.

2006-09-13 03:26:05 · answer #5 · answered by Robert L 4 · 0 1

Atheists are only "people of faith" if your definition of faith is so broad that you could say that one has "faith" that the sun rises every day. The whole concept of faith is pretty worthless at that point, Don't you think?

2006-09-13 03:17:20 · answer #6 · answered by The Resurrectionist 6 · 1 1

False.

Non-existence cannot be and need not be proven.

Those claiming existence have the burden to prove existence.

It requires no faith whatsoever to ignore things that do not exist.

Based on your illogical assertion, it requires faith to believe Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny do not exist since no one has ever proven they do not exist.

2006-09-13 03:24:31 · answer #7 · answered by Left the building 7 · 2 2

True but athiests have faith that thier life is meaningless because they cannot feel a connectivness to the source...they are trying to solve this puzzle by using the mind alone....thests on the otherhand ( and I am not saying all of them ) believe in something that they havent experienced because they need to feel loved or important....and then there are the few who experience GOD (the source) directly..

2006-09-13 03:18:22 · answer #8 · answered by dharmabear 3 · 1 3

False. Atheists have no faith.

2006-09-13 03:17:35 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 2 1

Everybody has faith in something, whether it be themselves or a higher power. Sad is a man who has no faith.

2006-09-13 03:24:05 · answer #10 · answered by amish_renegade 4 · 1 1

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