Can anyone prove that having faith is better than having facts?

Question

Can anyone give me a concrete example of a situation where having faith in the unknown is better than knowing facts with ABSOLUTE CERTAINTY?

(PLEASE NOTE, I said BETTER, not PREFERABLE. People often prefer to not know what is best for them.)

I submit that people fall into one of two camps. They either want to KNOW, or they want to BELIEVE, and that is what divides the theists from non-theists.

I further submit that the majority of ignorance is vincible ignorance, and people who don't "know" are like this because they don't "want to know", because ultimately they are afraid to know. "Faith" like "hope" is simply another way of staying blind to the reality of life.

I await your examples.

Answer 1

This is a good question. Take the account of "doubting" Thomas...As perhaps you know, Thomas refused to believe that Jesus had risen from the dead until he saw the physical proof, wheras others believed because Christ had said He would return and they trusted His word. When he finally saw Jesus, Jesus said to him, "You believe because you have seen. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe."

In this case, faith was better than having absolute certainty...and here is why. Faith, for those who had faith in this situation, was a reflection of something...it was a reflection of the trust these men had in Christ based upon the relationship that was established. And when Jesus was revealed, those who had faith, had something to feel good about (they were "blessed"), whereas Thomas on the other hand had something to be ashamed of. For Thomas was never asked to have blind faith. Thomas walked with Jesus, saw Him do miracles, listened to His great wisdom, and heard Him say He would return from the dead on the third day after being put to death at the hand of evildoers. Christ had proven Himself trustworthy, and yet after all of this Thomas still doubted the words of Jesus, and needed to see the physical proof.

God could come down right now and prove to everyone that He is God. And there will be a day when He does. But the important thing is, where will you stand in you faith when He does this? What kind of relationship have you established with Jesus? And so right now as we stand, faith is better than certain undeniable proof.....

Answer 2

I don't think any one should be without the other. If you know go on faith alone then you are proven wrong it hurts your faith. If you know only facts then you could still be wrong there are always exceptions to everything. I think it is best to learn the facts but realize it might not happen that way but have a little faith that it will.

For example if you are sick I think the best way to recover is to find out the facts, follow prcedures proven to work at least most of the time, then have faith your one of the lucky. There is evidence that a positive attitude can help a situation even if only a little.

By the way why does every person on this site deal aboslutes like the world is black and white?

Answer 3

Yesterday I gave this big long "answer" about the time that I was in an impossible traffic situation (bound to hit somebody, couldn't decide which one!) so "in faith" I took my hands off the wheel and feet off the pedals And Kept Them There No Matter What, and the car whipped into a different lane, straightened up, accelerated into some kind of altered state, returned to the original lane, And Then The Engine Started Up Again.

Reality itself is rather broad. Just in using words to talk about it, we have to limit our focus to some small portion, as we are able or as we choose. The dark side of the moon was always there, whether we'd seen it from earth or not. (How's zat?)

Answer 4

I would not be able to prove that having faith is better than having facts without having facts to back up my statement. Well, I think you can see the dilemma. So I will tell you this: I think a good mixture of the two is the best. Facts and faith should go hand in hand.

Answer 5

I won't touch you with a 10-foot pole, pardner!

Just for the record (and for those who may read this): the whole idea of "demanding a proof" obviates (makes void) your question, right out of the gate!

In short, you are asking "people of faith" to "prove" something, to you. This is exactly COUNTER TO (or, opposite of) what faith is all about, anyway. For, if faith could be "proved", then it would cease to be faith, at all!

Religion is largely "experiential", anyway. It is EXPERIENCED. (I would use italics, instead of "caps", but I do not know how to make the html markers work, at these pages).

The key word, then, is "experienced". Religion is not a 'Trivial Pursuit', where all you have is factoids floating around in your brain: it is not a 'brain game', pal.

People who "live in their own heads" don't experience life, at all. So, I feel sorry for you!

Answer 6

Do you have a good imaginative mind, then let's go,

Suppose that you are an astronaut and you are on a scientific trip to the moon, you went to the moon surface and the satellite has to come back to take you back home,
then if you believe only in facts then the satellite may break down and you done, on the contrary if you have faith that God won't give you up then the satellite will come and you're home.

Answer 7

My first reaction to your question is... do you understand what faith is by definition:

Hebrews 11;1, Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

This is the Biblical definition, therefore your question in this light is highly conciliatory at best.

I Cr 13;8a
10-24-6

Answer 8

You want facts, here is some, you live in A World that has A total death rate, fact your NOW walking in your own grave, like the thief on the cross your as good as dead right now, your problem is you can't feel those nails, but your as good as dead, but facts alone can not save you, this is where faith comes in, a saving relationship with Jesus "faith" in what He has and will do FOR YOU PERSONALY "will if you BE-LIVE in Him enough to keep His commandments [not suggestions] because you love Him [John 14:15] so my best example would be your own life, with out your faith in Jesus your as good as dead, how that as an example, hay free bible lessons www.itiswritten.com why not visit A Seventh Day Adventist Church in your area, EMAIL not messanger me also [e-mail]

Answer 9

fact people grow old and die and some don't even have the opportunity to grow old.

faith helps me to understand why this happens and gives me hope that after death life can go on, my life because i know that my family that i have lost are not lost forever but are sleeping and awaiting a ressurection.

Answer 10

Who told u "knowing" and "believing" are necesarily mutually exclusive? I dont see that. Islam calls upon people to contemplate their surroundings, and in doing that u'll definitely feel the power behind it. Besides, in the Holy Qur'an there are many scientific facts that have only been recently revealed by science.

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