Is faith what you have when there's no basis in truth?

Discussion in 'ten-forward' started by Galcoolest, Nov 25, 2004.

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  1. Galcoolest

    Galcoolest Registered Member

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    Our venerable Cochise in another thread posited the following inquiry, and it has kept me thinking about his take on it, why I disagree, how the heck to explain that properly, and see what others think.

    Personally, I choose to disagree with Nihilism and the sentiment that parallels Cochise's:

    Faith is not wanting to know what is true.
    Friedrich Nietzsche

    In a nutshell, faith to me means quite the opposite- it means profound reverence for the essence and bases of all truths, and a fundamental understanding that I can never hope as a mere human to but scratch the surface of many of them in any fashion.

    Faith in anything for me is to find peace with my natural ineptitudes, and comfortable acceptance with the (appropriately named) "truth" that my limitations don't affect the realities of the cosmos, but also don't prevent me from seeing them, or respecting them, as potentially revealed. Faith for me is the solace in believing reality and truth will become more knowable to the extent that I comprehend my basic ignorance.
    ****************************
    I found some cool quotes on this general theme, which I share fully encouraging comment by Cochise or any one of you fine folks:

    Science has sometimes been said to be opposed to faith, and inconsistent with it. But all science, in fact, rests on a basis of faith, for it assumes the permanence and uniformity of natural laws -- a thing which can never be demonstrated.
    Tryon Edwards

    The finest emotion of which we are capable is the mystic emotion. Herein lies the germ of all art and all true science. Anyone to whom this feeling is alien, who is no longer capable of wonderment and lives in a state of fear is a dead man. To know that what is impenatrable for us really exists and manifests itself as the highest wisdom and the most radiant beauty, whose gross forms alone are intelligible to our poor faculties - this knowledge, this feeling ... that is the core of the true religious sentiment. In this sense, and in this sense alone, I rank myself among profoundly religious men."
    Albert Einstein

    To one who has faith, no explanation is necessary. To one without faith, no explanation is possible.
    -St. Thomas Aquinas

    Faith... Must be enforced by reason...When faith becomes blind it dies.
    Mahatma Gandhi

    There are two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.
    Albert Einstein

    On life's journey faith is nourishment, virtuous deeds are a shelter, wisdom is the light by day and right mindfulness is the protection by night. If a man lives a pure life, nothing can destroy him.
    Buddha

    Sign hanging in Einstein's office at Princeton:
    Not everything that counts can be counted, and not everything that can be counted counts.

    Faith is permitting ourselves to be seized by the things we do not see.
    Martin Luther

    Faith is building on what you know is here, so you can reach what you know is there.
    Cullen Hightower

    As far as the laws of mathematics refer to reality, they are not certain; and as far as they are certain, they do not refer to reality
    Albert Einstein

    The greatest act of faith is when a man understands he is not God.
    Oliver Wendell Holmes

    *****************************************
    Just to be silly, using JBs Googlefight link it found the number of results on Google for the keywords faith and non-faith:

    faith
    (43 100 000 results)

    versus

    non-faith
    ( 8 800 results)
    The winner is: faith :D
     
    Last edited: Nov 25, 2004
  2. no13

    no13 Retired Major Resident Nutcase

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    Wouldn't YOU like to know?
    site gives a popup.
    And I get only 81,100 results (I believe even nasal "phlegm" beats me.... anyways, price to pay for anonymity is all the non-fame you accumulate, eh?)
     
  3. Galcoolest

    Galcoolest Registered Member

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    Hey Cochise, my friend-
    I see you've been around today- would love your commentary on this! It was your words that had me thinking hard about this in recent days.......
     
  4. greyfox

    greyfox Registered Member

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    One more quote from the source I use most on the subject.

    Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.
    Heb. 11:1
     
  5. Believer

    Believer Guest

    Well said. It's also required for those wishing to enter into life, ie (eternal life): Repent (change your mind) and believe the gospel. This is faith.
     
  6. Cochise

    Cochise A missed friend

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    No Religion involved here, not allowed.....My statement was..."Is Faith what one is asked to have when there is no basis in Truth"... the sentence applies to most things in life, from buying a car from a used car salesman to Religion if you like......How many times in your life have you heard or said it yourself, "Believe me", when in actual fact you know damn well it's a lie.

    From what I can see, all the examples put forward actually bear out my Statement.....Think about it.....

    My normal outlook on most things is either 'Get it' or 'Forget it'.....it ain't that important and lifes too short...."Believe me"..... :D :D


    Cochise, :cool:
     
  7. Primrose

    Primrose Registered Member

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    Faith comes from understanding. Understanding comes from Truth. I have Faith you know the truth. But you may disagree. ;)
     

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  8. big ed

    big ed Registered Member

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    Hey,

    I remember Faith. She and I had a thing going when we were in the third grade.

    Play on, big ed
     
  9. Cochise

    Cochise A missed friend

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    Yep!... Faith, a lovely girl indeed.....now ain't that the truth?..... :D :D :D



    Cochise, :cool:
     
  10. Terryala

    Terryala Rest in Peace

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    Faith is what you as a person make of it. Going to sleep at night with no thought about waking up in the morning. Driving your car with no thought about if someone will hit you. Oh the list could go on and on. But is it Faith that allows us to do those things with out fear of anything happening to stop us from say getting up or being hit by someoneo_O??

    As has been said Faith is an unknown. My grand mother always said it was Faith that was the cause of this or that. When I'd ask her what or who Faith was I would get a look. of well don't you know and off to the kitchen she would go.

    Another question that could be posed is what is Luck? Is it another word for Faith. Faith=Luck.

    Gee I was Lucky that truck didn't hit me Or as some would say it was Faith.

    Have fun.

    Grand Dad


    .
     
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