Terry, I enjoyed your thoughts on faith.
Is Faith Immoral?
by Coded Logic 82 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
-
-
Band on the Run
Yes, it is nice to hear from a nonZealot. Of course, you write to visiting Witness at least once a day. I admire the focus and discipline. We attack each other so much strangers must run away.
-
Coded Logic
I've noticed that there are a number of people on this post playing a shell game with the word "faith". When I started this thread I was very specific in my definition: Believing something without evidence or contrary to evidence.
I will ask that any further post keep this in mind and not put forth alternate definitions of the word as it only muddies the water. I believe that hope, trust, conviction, etc. are all good things. HOWEVER, I do not believe that one should blieve things without evidence or contrary to evidence.
I believe this because our beliefs are the gate keepers of our actions. What we believe directly informs how we behave. And if we want to know whats out on the horizon we don't use a kaleidoscope but, rather, we use a telescope. Likewise, when we want to make determinations about reality we don't use faith but, rather, we use reason. Because good intentions are only as good as the information upon which they are based. If I see a man about to chop off a childs arm and I stop him from doing so - I MIGHT be committing a moral action. However, if it turns out the man was a doctor and the childs arm had gangreen - then I would, in fact, be committing an immoral action. Because what is morally true is ENTIRELY DEPENDENT upon what is actually true. And faith is the worst possible system for figuring out what is true. It can only ever be moral by accident.
-
cofty
Coded Logic - Believers frequently resort to semantics to avoid difficult questions.
-
Twitch
Interesting thoughts Terry
-
Terry
I've thought about this subject for many years.
-
EndofMysteries
Whether faith is immoral is sujective to the results of that faith.
A person who has faith that putting others needs ahead of their own and sacrificing some opportunities in their life for helping others will result in a better future or afterlife for them, that isn't immoral. (immoral is also subjective though to each individuals viewpoints).
Now take ISIS, they have 'faith' (if they really believe) or just using it as an excuse, that murdering non believers of their cult will give them a good afterlife is immoral.
-
Band on the Run
I see no correlation between faith and morality. Anthropologists don't talk about morality. The Existentialists were moral. Our culture is too diverse to impose morality standards on anyone. It sounds like one of those Christian network broadcasts. Discussing ethics makes more sense. During WWII some people who never had any philosophy suddenly acted. I used to believe that alcoholics and drug addicts were immoral. Now we know there are chemical imbalances in the brain. No, being gay was considered very immoral.
I've read several books concerning faith and Americans. America has always been a haven for people on the fringe. We have more fundamentalists than comparable countries.
-
cofty
Faith as a synonym for optimism is a good thing but it is completely unrelated to religious faith.
-
abbasgreta
Something I read:
In a German prisoner of war camp in WW2, undiscovered by the guards, some Americans built a home made radio.
One day news cane the German High Command had surrendered, ending the war.
Because of a communications breakdown, however, the guards did not know this.
As word spread among the prisoners, a loud celebration broke out.
For 3 days, they sang, waved at guards and shared jokes over meals.
On the fourth day they awoke to find all the Germans had fled.
Their waiting had come to an end.
Jesus' final words, 'I am coming quickly', are followed by an urgent prayer' Amen, even so, come Lord Jesus!'
For this we (Christians) still wait. We can, like the Allied prisoners act on the good news we say we believe. Faith looks
beyond the shadow of dread, doubt and fear.
What is faith in God, after all, but believing in advance what will only make sense in reverse?
I could not put it any better.