Faith is a belief in something w/o proof. Period.
You can dress it up any way you want, make polite poetic prose about it, it's still a belief in something w/o proof. If you have proof, it's not faith. By definition.

I have no understanding why anyone would have faith in anything. It seems so completely intellectually lazy, I just cannot comprehend why any self-aware entity would indulge in this.

You can believe in something without proof without it being faith. I believe that if I do not commit a crime then I will not go to jail. Even though there is ample evidence against this, I still believe it.

However, to believe in something that cannot be proven -- that seems to be the place where faith resides. Maybe I am just splitting hairs but it works for me.

The big one of course is God. God is supposed to be beyond human comprehension and transcends the physical cosmos. Since It is outside our realm of perception the rules of evidence and proof fall away. Since there is no way to prove that God exists and no way to prove that God does not exist, you must rely on faith.

But you ask why any self-aware entity would indulge in this... it is because we are self-aware. We are aware of who we are, our impending deaths and we try to make sense of our place in the universe. Faith offers comfort, perspective and a measure of control.

I think it is a bit disingenuous to characterize faith as being intellectually lazy. Some of the greatest intellects the world has ever known have had a strong sense of faith.

Think about it this way: where is your mind? For centuries that question has caused philosophers to develop all sorts of strange answers. But in some way, shape or form the organic part of you fashions a self-aware sentience that is part of you. But is it indivisible? Can a sentience exist outside of its organic framework?

I don't know. I don't know how to prove it or disprove it. In essence, the answer of that question is beyond my ability to "know". In fact, I have resigned myself that I will never know, so instead... I believe.

I have faith that no matter what the energy is within me that classifies me as being alive, when I die that energy will dissipate. Maybe quickly, maybe slowly. But regardless, the separation of material corpus and energy destroys my sentience. That separation ends my identity.

That is the best I can do with what I have. I have no proof. I doubt I will ever have proof. But I need an answer so that I may choose how to live my life, so I give myself an answer.

(wow, that was a bit of a ramble... my apologies)

You can believe in something without proof without it being faith.

uh...no you can't. I think you're confusing "hope" and "wish" with reality.




I believe that if I do not commit a crime then I will not go to jail. Even though there is ample evidence against this, I still believe it.


So.....you believe there is ample evidence that you will go to jail w/o commiting a crime and yet you believe that you won't?
Anybody get this???? Perhaps in your haste to respond you left a few words out 'cause what you wrote makes no sense...






However, to believe in something that cannot be proven -- that seems to be the place where faith resides. Maybe I am just splitting hairs but it works for me.



uh....that IS what I wrote...




The big one of course is God. God is supposed to be beyond human comprehension and transcends the physical cosmos. Since It is outside our realm of perception the rules of evidence and proof fall away. Since there is no way to prove that God exists and no way to prove that God does not exist, you must rely on faith.



"You must rely on faith" to believe in God. You forgot those last 4 words.






But you ask why any self-aware entity would indulge in this... it is because we are self-aware. We are aware of who we are, our impending deaths and we try to make sense of our place in the universe. Faith offers comfort, perspective and a measure of control.


All of which are illusions and fantasies. I prefer reality. Actually, that's not true. I love sci-fi and fantasy. BUT I live in reality. And fear is a really bad reason to believe in ANYTHING.





I think it is a bit disingenuous to characterize faith as being intellectually lazy. Some of the greatest intellects the world has ever known have had a strong sense of faith.


Did they now. And exactly who would you classify as some of the greatest intellects?






Think about it this way: where is your mind? For centuries that question has caused philosophers to develop all sorts of strange answers. But in some way, shape or form the organic part of you fashions a self-aware sentience that is part of you. But is it indivisible? Can a sentience exist outside of its organic framework?


My mind? You gotta be kidding me. My mind is in my brain. This is pretty much established by scientists, philosophers be damned. And no, a sentience cannot exist outside it's "framework".







I don't know. I don't know how to prove it or disprove it. In essence, the answer of that question is beyond my ability to "know". In fact, I have resigned myself that I will never know, so instead... I believe.

Whatever works for you... Personally, I like...oh nevermind...

I have faith that no matter what the energy is within me that classifies me as being alive, when I die that energy will dissipate. Maybe quickly, maybe slowly. But regardless, the separation of material corpus and energy destroys my sentience. That separation ends my identity.

That is the best I can do with what I have. I have no proof. I doubt I will ever have proof. But I need an answer so that I may choose how to live my life, so I give myself an answer.

so....why not believe in unicorns? I like unicorns....
Just giving yourself an answer, as it were, IS intellectually lazy.
It has the tendency to keep one from seeing the truth, uncomfortable though it may be.


(wow, that was a bit of a ramble... my apologies)