Christians, please give your interpretation of scriptures. I have read the scriptures and know the references already. Please give your personal thoughts with limited quotes for brevity.
Other religions, same as above but be more clear if you make reference from texts other than the Bible. I have little to no exposure to other texts. Thank you.
If you are Atheist please answer as above and provide your logic/reasoning and references. Please be direct and to the point..
2006-12-17 01:34:50 · 13 answers · asked by TheNewCreationist 5 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Myaloo - I don't know. Can you use logic? Do you have an answer for this question? Is there a logical quandry you would like to explore?
2006-12-17 06:41:49 · update #1
Nondescript - As a follower of Christ myself, your definition of faith is alien to me, "Faith is belief without evidence". To me, 'Faith is defined in the Bible in several contexts but boils down to 'the power to build, make or create something or make things happen by use of imagination, dreams(vision) and creativity' and is used in practical life such as building relationships, building bridges, building dog houses, building organizations, etc. It is used in the context of creation of the universe in that God had faith and thereby created. Before something is built, made or created there is no proof that it exists because it does not yet exist. A doghouse for example might be designed, drawn and eventually built but till it is built, there is no proof of a doghouse. What is your reference for this definition? Is it your opinion or is it defined in some other context?
2006-12-18 03:20:44 · update #2
Fez - very interesting idea. My idea is different but in some ways very similar. I was trying to get others views and opinions as opposed to giving my own. I gave my idea of faith above just as an example to the skeptical answerer.
2006-12-18 03:33:14 · update #3
Cancer
2006-12-17 01:54:32 · answer #1 · answered by acgsk 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I'm not sure but i guess in any kind of relationship those three should exist or else it won't work out. To love means to be able to to give one's self without restrictions, putting others first before the self. If one loves, one will have hope that in case and during times of trials and hardships, everything will turn out okay. One will take those trials as learning tools and stepping stone to and for a great plan. Faith, is simple. It is to believe in that love and in that hope and in that relationship.
Relationship here includes our relationship with God and with others.
added: 12/19/2006
If anyone can explain or come up with a theory of how the universe and everything in it came to be from NOTHING (meaning no gas, atmosphere or energy, nada, nil, zilch), then perhaps you can ask for a logic in the Christian's Faith.
Ever wonder, if you were taught that (the letter) A is actually a (letter) Z, how would you write, say or think of APPLE (ZPPLE), ADAM (ZDZM), MARK (MZRK)?
The human intellect is a complex thing, ever wonder how it came to be? Yes, science explains the process. But can science prove the start of its existence (from NOTHING)? Science would use what already existed and/or create from the existence of another. If anybody can explain how it came to be,... Don't get me wrong, i like science, it saves lives, that's why i'm in the medical field. But is science enough?
In philosophy,
if one would say God is Love, Jesus is our Hope, ergo,
God is Hope,
Jesus is Love, and
God and Jesus is one and the same;
God/Jesus is Hope/Love; Believing in God and Jesus is our Faith, ergo,
Believing in God/Jesus is our Faith,
Believing in Love/Hope is Faith, and
Believing (in God/Jesus/Love/Hope) is Faith.
2006-12-17 01:55:07 · answer #2 · answered by coco_loco 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Humans are born with the knowledge of Love, Faith & hope but they must be taught about God or Jesus or any other religion, why is that.
Do you not see that religion is not the answer with there offers of Gods and claims that are empty. Sure the bible Claims will come because the gentile believers allow it, for the redeemptsion Do you not see, you owe a bill and god and money work in the same way, I just can not say enough, people will not open their eyes and look
2006-12-17 01:59:31 · answer #3 · answered by man of ape 6 · 0⤊ 2⤋
There is an excellent recipe in 2 Peter 1:5 you might be familiar with:
5 "Yes, for this very reason, by YOUR contributing in response all earnest effort, supply to YOUR faith virtue, to [YOUR] virtue knowledge, 6 to [YOUR] knowledge self-control, to [YOUR] self-control endurance, to [YOUR] endurance godly devotion, 7 to [YOUR] godly devotion brotherly affection, to [YOUR] brotherly affection love. 8 For if these things exist in YOU and overflow, they will prevent YOU from being either inactive or unfruitful regarding the accurate knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ"
The connection with Godly qualities to one another, in my opinion, is synergistic or enhancing. In nutrition iron is more palatable to the human body when combined with vitamin C , Selenium is synergistic to vitamin E. etc.
The text you are referrencing is at 1 Cor. 13, where the emphasis is on what love is and what love is not. And the combo at the chapters end involves the 3 you speak about.
I think that the connection is that True love(agape' or principled love) is lasting just as true hope and true faith are. In Heb. 11:1 hope is involved with true faith. If one has true love, faith & hope and they are maintained, nothing will ever shake them to loose ones spirituality.
They are like the major ingredients in the recipe, I first mentioned. It is stated in text that (true)hope never leads to disappointment, most likely that is true with faith & love.
Love of God, first and love of neighbor second just makes every good quality amazingly durable.
I do not think you will find any better reference to these three qualities, as you have found already.
2006-12-17 02:10:07 · answer #4 · answered by THA 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Love is an emotion. Hope is wanting something to be true. Faith is believing something is true because of a strong hope (or fear) that it is true.
Religions like to use emotional manipulation of human insecurities to sway converts. That's why they try to use love and hope to get faith. People tend to love the victim, so the Christians like to use him to spur the "love". For example, "Jesus died for you, because he loved you. Won't you love him back?"
And they play up the unknown of death to spur fear, then play on people's hope that there is some reward after death. It's like telling a kid, "She's not dead, she's just resting". People fear death, so they hope there's something after.
And faith is the goal of religions. Faith is belief without evidence. Religions have no real evidence, so they play up the emotional arguments to get people to have the faith. It is effective because humans have been emotional animals for far longer than rational ones.
2006-12-17 01:39:24 · answer #5 · answered by nondescript 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
It is part of a viscous cycle which goes like this : Love - Faith - Hope - Love - Faith - Hope and so on. When you lose one you go on to the next one and inbetween you'll find sadness, grief and deceit. The cycle keeps us afloat and alive. If it werent for them, we would wanna die!
It starts with Love, be it material, physical or spiritual. It grows stronger and becomes faith but when you lose it, you live on hope till you find love again. I am currently on hope!
Where you at?
2006-12-17 01:43:49 · answer #6 · answered by Fez 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Well.. "Love" provides hope and faith coz you will never have faith and hope on somebody if you don't love that person. While "Hope" give you the chance to love and to put faith for the person you love. And "Faith" give you the courage for the love to last longer and in order for you to be hopeful.
2006-12-17 01:40:02 · answer #7 · answered by xArz 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Different expressions of the same emotion. Kinda like the Trinity.
2006-12-17 01:37:51 · answer #8 · answered by jonathan x 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Hope comes first. Faith is the belief your hopes will become manifest.
Love is the fruit of hope and faith.
2006-12-17 01:39:57 · answer #9 · answered by Rev. Two Bears 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
it all part of fundamental of life. you need this stuffs in order to stay or be alive. its not neccessarily true or correct choices you make. (you love this or you love that. you hope this, you hoped that), others might disagree-because its not actually true but it shouldn't matter as long as you are lviing. that is what really matters
2006-12-17 01:45:41 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
Lol,do not fear I have not been offended.
I think that all of the answers below apply.Yes,I know you wanted me to give an original answer,but after reading all of them I have nothing left to say.They all are so true.
Thanks for the question!
2006-12-17 01:37:26 · answer #11 · answered by Myaloo 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋