Being asked to have "faith in" without thinking troubles me.
2006-10-22 19:59:12 · 13 answers · asked by noel_1939 2 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Philosophy
Second officer Smock said "fascinating but illogical ".
2006-10-22 20:13:46 · answer #1 · answered by dogpatch USA 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Yes! Faith without understanding violates the hermeneutic circle and is not really faith. Faith is being in a trusting relationship with someone, which desires to know and understand about that relationship. A "blind faith" is a contradiction, just like someone being in love would of course want to know everything about the person who they are in love with. However, if you mean simply belief in the existence of God, that is presupposed, and cannot be either disproved or proved. It requires an act of the will, a qualitative leap (as Kierkegaard says). You cannot prove existence, existence is presupposed, I do not prove that a stone exists, but rather prove that this existing thing, is a stone.
But there is something to be said about believing as a cruch, for religion can be "the opiate for the masses"...Religion and faith as a refusal to accept reality is also VERY dangerous, anything against reality is always wrong. If there is a such thing as a "true or authentic faith" it must be informed and in connection with reality, this, I think involves truth thinking (as you say).
2006-10-22 20:09:22 · answer #2 · answered by Heidegger 11 30 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
When it comes right down to it, people believe because they WANT to believe. Let's face it, the great majority of believers simply inherited their religion from their parents. It's what they were raised in, and they feel no need to question it. In fact, they don't _want_ to question it. People believe for many reasons, but almost all these reasons are emotional rather than rational. Thus, belief is just a desire on the part of the believer for some form of wishful thinking to be true, irrespective of any evidence which may contradict it.
2006-10-22 20:18:06 · answer #3 · answered by R[̲̅ə̲̅٨̲̅٥̲̅٦̲̅]ution 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Most people go through life without giving their actions and beliefs a second thought, just going on what is said to them and taking it for granted as what is. Sad, but true. Religion is just one of many areas that this takes place. Thinking can be tiresome.
2006-10-22 20:03:19 · answer #4 · answered by funnyrob01 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I agree with you. To blindly follow a religion is juvenile. True faith only comes from initially asking questions.
2006-10-22 20:02:29 · answer #5 · answered by Walty 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Many people have a born in need to believe. I feel this belief relieves their subconscious self doubts and refocuses the spotlight on something other than their fears or inadequacies which can't be consciously dealt with.
2006-10-22 20:21:48 · answer #6 · answered by Ibeeware 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
True faith is not blind faith. The account of "doubting Thomas" is a good one to illustrate this. He doubted that Christ has risen from the dead after His crucifixion. And when he saw Jesus and then believed after seeing Him, Jesus said, "Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe." The reason, however Thomas was expected to believe, is because Christ had given him so much reason to trust in Him. Thomas had walked with Him, seen Him do miracles, listened to His great wisdom and Christ "opned his mind so he could understand the Scriptures" the Bible tells us. Then Christ told him ahead of time, "I am going to be crucified and on the third day rise again." ...After all that, Thomas still didn;t have faith!!
We who have faith in Jesus, have faith because He has given us so much reason to trust Him....so even that which we have not yet seen, we believe - because His word is trustworthy.
2006-10-22 20:07:09 · answer #7 · answered by whitehorse456 5 · 2⤊ 1⤋
It depends on what a person is looking for. Some people believe if you simply go to Church every Sunday, you will be saved,rich and maybe become famous.Religions were started by men not by God.
2006-10-22 20:44:39 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
You can think. If you haven't any faith, what do you think will happen tomorrow if the sun does not show itself. Just in you knowing this, and that it will, the sun will come out, is having faith...
2006-10-22 20:12:03 · answer #9 · answered by lee f 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
that is why there are all those crazy cults where people do things that don't make any sense...
or the people who send money to the preachers or women with giant, teased, white hair on TV so they can fly in their fancy airplanes & take lavish vacations....
THINKING is good... sometimes....
2006-10-22 20:38:59 · answer #10 · answered by christy 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋