Do atheists 'take things on faith'?

Question

If they do, do they exercise 'less' faith than theists? Is that good or bad? Why or why not?

In my opinion, in both camps trusting reason is a 'step of faith' in the sense that no one can prove the universe is 'rational' or 'reasonable', or that God does or doesn't exist.

Any help thinking through this appreciated.

Answer 1

Rationalism is as much a self built prison as blind theism. Both serve to build churches of different kinds, but they are churches all the same., with their own unwritten Codes of Conduct, unseen hierarchy etc. Faith in the infallibility of Rationalism is as much a blind faith as the theist's blind faith. Each has a utility upto a point and is futile beyond that.For example, the person with blind theistic faith is shattered to the core when charlatans working on the blind faith of the innocent are exposed.They lose faith not only in whatever they believed earlier.They behave like cats whose tongue got burnt by boiled milk at high temperature. and refuse t9o have faith in anything any more... a very unfortunate outcome. Similarly, rationalists are shocked to the core when incidents happen in their life that do not have rationalisticexplanation, but are true all the same.

Answer 2

No. I'm not referring to the ordinary kind of faith by which we have faith in another person's honesty, or that taking an aspirin will reduce our headache. I am talking about religious faith and in this context faith means believing without reason "firm belief in something for which there is no proof" Does this make faith inconsistent with reason? I would say yes. Reason demands that you look for evidence and believe accordingly - which is exactly what we do when we trust a friend because they've been reliable in the past, or doubt a rumour until we've checked on the facts.

Answer 3

For one, and that i've got mentioned this many situations, you do no longer ought to be an atheist to settle for evolution! Evolution disproves youthful earth creationism and not particularly theism. Secondly, those scientists do no longer in basic terms 'make issues up'. They persist with a strict peer-evaluate equipment wherein scientists from around the globe critically examine a definite persons findings. in addition they following the medical approach, making confident all hypotheses are examined wisely. Scientists are continually super-serious of even their very own paintings, they actually attempt to discover blunders. even with each and every little thing their study can influence worldwide society. THIRDLY, i unquestionably have seen such cells in a microscope. and studied biology, the cellular and DNA in super component. I unquestionably have examine many medical papers and made a properly-suggested opinion on the project. Evolution is a reality. it incredibly is physically powerful technological know-how. It does not require faith. there is evidence and help everywhere. i wish this solutions your question.

Answer 4

I continue to say that the atheist does have faith, and does practice "religion". Their faith may lie in themselves, their reason and intellect, their friends and family, but...they have faith. This seems to be a point I often make that really makes atheists angry, and I agree that it doesn't meet the dictionary definition of atheist, but i believe it meets a philosophical definition. If you worship something, you practice religion. They worship reason,logic,intellect. Therefore they are religious.

Answer 5

All that we know we take by faith. We trust those who tell us things and believe what they say is true. We choose to believe in evolution or creation.
How many kids believe in Santa Claus or the Tooth Fairie?
All we are taught we accept by faith.

Answer 6

I am an athiest and have gone out with a few religious girls - one that I remember is that she couldn't understand how I could be moral not beleiving in religion (is this why she went out with me...lol)
I sort of found that hard to deal with that she could feel and beleive she was above me becasue she beleived...
I didn't want to go out with her initially as she being religios I thought - well there isn't going to be much of a physical side to this relationship but she pursued me [ why I am still not entirely sire of to this day...] and I eventually weakened and boy was i wrong as it was a quite physical realtionship but her religion didn;t beleive in any of that before marriage {we weren't married... just living in sin} but she could quite happily say she beleived in her religion and thought her self very religious as she beleived all the other points just chose not to beleive that one....

wow how is that for a story..... and I thought I had forgotten this one....

people use their beliefs to back up whatever they think they want to ....

I don't beleive in faith - I do believe god doens't exist and i do beleive in choice and we do whatever we beleive in the right thing to do in our own personal set of beleifs

Answer 7

Faith is just a lack of understanding. Once you understand, faith is no longer necessary.

Answer 8

Based on evidence actually. Our lack of faith is due to lack of evidence.

Do you have faith that tooth fairy does not exist?

It's called "Disbelief".

Answer 9

We don't take things on faith.
Faith is intellectual cowardice. You don't need faith to know that the sun will rise in the morning, that's a scientific fact.

Answer 10

You're wrong. We need facts, proven by repeated processes.