Is faith a good thing to have or is it just bogus?

[coloradodem2005]

In a follow-up to my last thread, I ask is it good to have some faith and I mean some, or is it indicative of being intellectually lazy?

On a Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Episode, Worf said "What I believe in, is faith. Without it there can be no victory." What are your thoughts?

[lazarus]

1. faith in what?

I have faith that the laws of physics will continue to operate for the foreseeable future.

That's a good thing to have, or else I'd be scared to get out of bed.

If you mean faith as an unjustified belief, then I'd say no, it's not good.

[Wonk]

5. I believe in earthquakes, fwiw.

Don't ask me to predict the next one, though, please.

[sandnsea]

8. laws of the spiritual?

Karma? People are basically decent? A belief in an afterlife based on personal experiences or study? Unexplained healings?

I suppose people could come up with a rational basis for spiritual faith.

I suppose it would be a good thing to have a basic belief in the spiritual nature of humans, or I guess I'd be scared to get out of bed.

Rambling thoughts. I haven't been too thrilled with "god" lately.

[coloradodem2005]

9. I can agree with you some times.

When I talk to some of my Christian friends about my job problems, or being upset because I have never had a girlfriend, and they say that "God does not want that for me." I think, "well then, what the hell does God want?"


On another note, one thing I will say about faith is that I think that it is a journey. I think that the faith that is a journey. The kind of faith that is a journey is not the blind faith. It is the reasoned one. THat is the conclusion I am coming to.

"The Point of a Journey is not to arrive." Rush, Hold Your Fire, 1987.

[sandnsea]

12. I agree

The reasoned part especially. Probably ten years ago I started really studying Catholicism. Not the rules & regulations you learn as a kid, but the philosophy of it I guess. I read alot about using reason as a basis for faith. Also said faith is a decision, not an emotional reaction. Once you come to that reasoned decision, then what is happening externally isn't really relevant to your faith. It's no longer a thing that's supposed to make you eternally joyful. Some things happen to help you grow, even if its just growing in learning to offer forgiveness to somebody who wronged you. Some things happen because you did something to cause them. Some things just happen because that's life. That's all intellectual, because like I said, after all this Catholic Church stuff and wars and terrorism, I'm not so hepped up on "god" these days.

I don't know what "god" wants for me either and I'm 46. Was having a family what I was really supposed to do on the planet? Who knows. It's what I did. I can't even say I do my best, because I usually don't! lol. All I know for sure is if you can do good, you should. And work your tail off for whatever it is you think you might want in this life because it goes by in a flash!

[qazplm]

2. I think the word that makes a difference

is not faith, but the modifier of faith.

Is it reasoned?
or
Is it blind?

I think the latter is a negative, while the former can be a positive.

I suppose we all have faith in something, otherwise we would never leave the house. I mean I dont check that my car was put together properly every time I leave, dont inspect the plane everytime before I am a passenger in a commercial flight, etc.

My faith in others is well reasoned in those cases...and it serves me well.

As for Worf, I think what he means is that you have to believe you will win, e.g. have faith, to have any real chance of winning. The best basketball players think every shot is going to go in. They dont all go in of course, but on average they get a lot more in then the guy who is just hopin it goes in.

[coloradodem2005]

4. That makes sense.

I am not talking about blind faith.

[Syrinx]

3. faith is believing without evidence

Doesn't sound rational to me. But I'm a damn liberal. :)

[porphyrian]

6. That depends on what you mean by "faith"...

The problem with faith is that most people don't really understand what faith means. I certainly didn't, so I just looked it up. Like any other annoying word, faith has a number of different and barely-associated definitions, so my answer to your query depends entirely on which particular definition you are referring to.

From Merriam-Webster:

"1 a : allegiance to duty or a person : LOYALTY b (1) : fidelity to one's promises (2) : sincerity of intentions"

1a. Yes, not bogus
1b(1). Yes, not bogus, excepting certain like-minded assholes
(2). Yes, as (1)

"2 a (1) : belief and trust in and loyalty to God (2) : belief in the traditional doctrines of a religion b (1) : firm belief in something for which there is no proof (2) : complete trust"

2a(1). Sometimes, not bogus (though God may be, I don't know)
(2). Less often than not, somewhat unfortunately not bogus
2b(1). No, not bogus
(2). No, not bogus

"3 : something that is believed especially with strong conviction; especially : a system of religious beliefs"

3. Yes, not bogus

On Edit: I forgot 3, but I've added it now.

[Toucano]

7. There are some people who seem to benefit

from religious faith. There are some people who abuse it.

There are some people who benefit from psychotropic drugs. There are some people who abuse them.

[pauliedangerously]

10. "Faith" is for the uninformed

As a lifelong generalist and rationalist, I have found that the people with the most faith know the least.

Worf is a warrior, and warriors have been motivated and emboldened with religious horseshit throughout human history.

You've got the people who REALLY REALLY believe...they are the fools, and the people who say they believe but don't...they lead the fools.

Faith in WHAT?? It's just a cryptic, meaningless word people use to assuage their fears. Fear arises when someone is unsure of future events. To better predict the future, one must understand reality. To understand reality, one must acquire and apply a broad range of knowledge.

I have no faith, but I am filled with wonder and I stand before the universe in absolute awe.

[WindRavenX]

11. There are no certain things in this world...

Faith, to me, is a rare thing; I rarely have "faith" in someone or something. But what is faith? To me, faith, when applied to a person, means that you have total confidence in a person that he or she will do the right thing. This is totally dependent on the situation, individual, and context.
I have total unwaivering faith in Derek Jeter (laugh/flame away!). Why? I can't explain it really, it's just this feeling I have when he's at bat in a crucial situation that he will, against all odds, deliever what must be done (i.e, a hit, moving the runner over, etc..). I have faith in Derek Jeter that he will do the right thing.
I have faith in my boyfriend- faith in him that no matter how hard it is on the both of us being apart for the summer that he DOES still love me.
I have faith in science- not in the "truth" of science, but the process of science.
Faith, when applied "rightly", is a good thing. Poor faith (misguided), can be dangerous.
But overall, I think faith is a powerful, beautiful thing.

[pauliedangerously]

14. Here are some certain things for you

1. The production of energy in the world is not going to increase at a rate of 2% indefinitely.

2. Nobody is ever going to put a kilogram of liquid water into a 100 cubic inch beaker.

3. Nobaody is ever going to express pi by a number that has a finite number of decimal places.

4. Nobody is ever going to build a machine that puts out more energy than is put into it.

5. Nobody is ever going to build a spaceship that can travel to the nearest star in less than a year's time.

6. Nobody is ever going to send telepathic messages to the moon.


from "The Science Gap," dispelling the myths and understanding the reality of science

Milton A. Rothman

[OneBlueSky]

13. it's a good thing . . .

in this vast Universe, what humankind "knows" from empirical evidence is infinitesimal, and dwarfed by what we don't know . . . if all you believe in is what you can "prove," seems to me you're missing most of what is . . .

I have faith that we live in a benevolent and abundant Universe, and that Creation provides enough for all of our needs . . . as such, I tend to support actions aimed at sharing this abundance with all rather than accumulating for one's self (either individually or nationally) . . . my faith tells me that's the way it's s'posed to be . . . :)