"Emunah"-- beyond faith...

[TreasonousBastard]

I saw the Hebrew term "emunah" in another discussion and, no idea what it was, looked it up.

Found a discussion of it here:

http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/1398519/jewish/Emunah.htm

Generally translated as faith.

We’re used to thinking of faith as a strategy for people who can’t think for themselves. "The fool believes everything," Solomon writes, "the wise man understands." Emunah, however, is an innate conviction, a perception of truth that transcends, rather than evades, reason. Quite the contrary, wisdom, understanding and knowledge can further enhance true emunah.

Nevertheless, emunah is not based on reason. Reason can never attain the certainty of emunah, since, reasonably speaking, a greater reasoning might always come along and prove your reasons wrong. In this way, emunah is similar to seeing first hand: Reason can help you better understand what you see, but it will have a hard time convincing you that you never saw it. So too, emunah endures even when reason can't catch up.

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Interesting concept, not entirely unknown outside of Judaism-- kinowledge and understanding come from many sources.

[Voltaire2]

1. Seems more like a special pleading.

My faith in irrational nonsense is transcendent, unlike those other idiots.

[spicysista]

2. This particular aspect of faith may be called other things......

For example, in my church this is similar to being " convicted". You don't have to be a person of faith to be convicted. However, once you are there is no turning back. You whole heartedly become faithful and filled with the holy ghost. It is an instance where a person is ....assailed?.....by the holy spirit. From that point on, nothing can be said or done that would turn this newly convicted person from their faith. This usually means that the person has an higher calling. A famous example is Saul becoming Paul on the road to Damascus (Acts 9).
Faith, in general, is belief beyond reason. That's why it's called faith. To believe in things without evidence is kinda "the thing". It is not a matter of forensics and data. Either you believe or you don't. Reason doesn't play a part in the heart of the faithful. Belief goes beyond what we see with our eyes, can touch with our hands, or hear with our ears. It's simply another matter all together. Peace and love to the OP.

[MineralMan]

3. When I leave my home, I go "beyond" its confines

and venture out into the world. However, I still have a home. When you say that "Faith...is belief beyond reason," you are substituting the word "beyond" for "without," it seems to me. Using "beyond" as a superlative indicates that you think faith is somehow "better" than reason. It's not. It is simply belief without reason.

That is my opinion, of course.

[spicysista]

4. I appreciate your opinion, MineralMan.

Indeed, that is how you see it. I, however, do not feel that "without" is an accurate description from my point of view. Let a man examine himself. For me, belief beyond reason is just that. What is reason? In a world of forensics it means one thing and in the world of law it means another. In faith, we look for the things beyond the confines of this world. It is, in my opinion, most definitely beyond. Thanks for posting, you are always interesting and polite. Have a great day, Mineralman. Peace and Love.

[guillaumeb]

5. An excellent answer.

If it were provable, faith would not be needed.

But because it is not provable, some will insist that it has no real validity.