Faith? Real or wishful thinking?

kevin221

A question for the masses.

Is pure faith real, or just a tool the human psyche uses to justify life patterns or actions? I'm having a hard time understanding how someone could have a secure belief system based 100 % on faith. Let me explain. I have a very strong, spiritual, but non religous belief system that I believe to be valid. However, I'm not egotistic enough to think that there is absolutely no chance that I may be wrong. An example, to be simplistic, for eons humans believed the world was flat, and there were many who would have staked their lives on it. We now know that was not correct, but it doesn't change the fact that there were millions of people who had total faith that they were 100% sure they were correct in believing something that turned out to be incorrect. I know some extremely religious people who absolutley believe that they know exactly what all people need to do to be saved by God, and they can't and or won't be dissuaded from their beliefs even when presented with hard scientific facts.

Mabey my life experience has left me unable to understand absolute faith, but I can't understand how and or why someone would be able to convince themselves they are 100% correct without even acknowledging that they just might by some fluke of chance, have it all wrong.

It may be a strange question, but I would like any input anyone here would care to share.

Take care,

Kevin

A Paduan

I believe that we should love our neighbour as our own self, and then some.

Could I be wrong?

But, in regard to

need to do to be saved by God. Your right, there's no correct answer - there's nothing that you can do - that's christianity.

paduan

Edited by - a paduan on 5 September 2002 0:44:49

Lost Diamond

I believe that faith is very real to some people...so real that they are willing to give their life for what they believe. But, I also believe that a traumatic experience in life can "kill" that faith. In other words, there would have to be some shocking occurance that one would have to experience to change this faith.

It could be faith in religion or faith in a loved one that you believe in with all your heart and soul. But if they do you wrong one too many times...you loose all faith. They prove themselves wrong.

I think faith is very real...but not 100% right.

Siddhashunyata

Faith based on concepts is subject to the limitations of the thought process itself. For example if I believe the concept that Christ walked on water and I put faith in it and I believe I can walk on water and I boast about it, everything is ok until I try to walk on water. My sinking is evidence that my faith , which was based on the thought process , was in fact misplaced. Is there another way to live that has the characteristics of faith but is not based on the thought process, a way that is free of concepts? For example, one sees only that which is immediate and acts spontaneously with out thought. In that circumstance, a simple act like picking an apple becomes an act of "faith".

A Paduan

Sounds good Sid,

Faith in the fact that you are - and here you are - a good starter for faith in the future - fact is, you're usually still around the next day as well.

What happens if you walk on water?

paduan

willy_think

kevin221
pure faith? Pure faith is a word game we play on each other.
people were once told the world was flat, so they believed.
People now are told the world is a sphere, so they believe.
I've never looked down upon it with my own eyes but I've seen pics and believe
I've seen the horizon from a plain and was told it looked like that because it's round even though I new it wasn't round I believed I know what she was saying.
I've never done the equations to prove the worlds shape but I believe the people who said they did.
Do you know the world is not flat or are you like me believing 100% the world is not flat.

To me it's the same/same we trust authority because we must trust someone to learn even the moist simple things. When we louse faith in the old authority we replace it with a new one. thinking of how silly the old-timers were for not believing as we do now is how we cope, I think, but I can only guess at how silly we will seem someday.

I believe 100% there is a God!!!! But I give me 50% chance of being correct I'm not sure what that makes me.

JosephMalik

Is pure faith real, or just a tool the human psyche uses to justify life patterns or actions? . . . I'm not egotistic enough to think that there is absolutely no chance that I may be wrong.

Kevev221,

Then you have no idea what the faith is. Egotism has nothing to do with it. Pure faith is real and error should it exist is easily corrected if one is faithful. Even the apostles made errors yet they had faith and this faith came to their assistance.

1 Timothy 5:20 Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear.

1 Peter 3:2 While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear.

1 Peter 3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:

Romans 2:8 But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath,

The faith takes care of itself if we are paying attention to it. It corrects, reproves, sharpens any that really care about it.

1 John 3:18 My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.

1 John 3:19 And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.

I would not call John or those to whom he wrote egotistical for knowing they are of the truth. So there are some out there somewhere with faith for it is a promise made long ago.

John 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

Joseph

Faith? Real or wishful thinking?

kevin221

A Paduan

Lost Diamond

Siddhashunyata

A Paduan

willy_think

JosephMalik

Satanus

A Paduan

Satanus

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