by jwfacts 30 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
Is Faith a Virtue?
That depends on who you ask. To the christian beleif structure faith is essential, for without it they can not please God.
To the critical thinking person with no personal bias or previous indoctrination in the teachings of the bible, they would see the call for faith as not virtuous, but rather as a impliment of mind control, used to suspend critical thinking when it comes to questioning God or the bible.
Faith to me is a "virtue" in a very basic sense (an essential feature of man's life). You can't make a single step without it.
You don't actually know that the building you're in is not going to tumble down the next minute; that the food you are offered is not poisoned; that the money you receive in payment will be accepted for payment (think that the word fiduciary also comes from fides = faith).
All "knowledge" about such things is statistical. But there is a bottomless gap between the individual you are and statistics. From the individual perspective nothing is sure and everything can happen. Paranoia as a limit case shows how important this ability to believe is, and what results when it is damaged.
This is not religious in essence, yet it is not something else altogether. Theologian Eberhard Jüngel defined faith as an "interruption of guarantee" (I'm not sure about the translation): what substitutes knowledge when you give up checking and backing up -- which you have to do sooner or later (and often sooner than you think). Gods were just the figures who were supposed to take care of the things that we couldn't take care of. If we can no longer believe in them we still have to believe somehow, and that is a manner of "religious faith" if you think of it.
Applying the word merely to christian theology is severely limiting the word, imo. For instance, a nonbeliever could see the positive side in other people. This is a form of faith, and it often brings out the best in people. I see/have seen this in action in businessmen who head up large corps or businesses. They continuously motivate and lead their people, having faith that their wishes will be carried out. Another example is military leaders, such as alexander the great. He led his men in victory against the persians, then against the egyptians, and finally, against the indians. After he defeated the indian army, he gave them back their domain, because he respected them. Because of their faith, people like him refuse to see they could lose. That's faith, not just in other people, but in oneself (i'm working on that).
S
Interesting topic jwfacts.
I'm seeing faith as an interior thing promoting unity within and love and compassion as an internal as well as external expression.
It seems to me that when faith becomes an external expression in itself that it becomes fanaticism. So it should only ever be expressed as love promoting unity and acceptance. So it gives rise to virtue
faith:
1. Confident belief in the truth, value, or trustworthiness of a person, an idea, or a thing.
2. Belief that does not rest on logical proof or material evidence.
delusion:
A false belief strongly held in spite of invalidating evidence
Religious "faith" is little more than the ability to dispense with disbelief. I hope my medical doctor does not have religious "faith" in the medical treatment he is about to give me.
For me, I wouldn't want a doctor who has faith in his medical procedure because he has a belief, and that belief does not rest on logical proof or material evidence.
I have two friends who have such faith in herbal medicine and massage therapy treatments instead of pragmatic medical treatment, that one takes such treatment for high levels of LDL Cholesterol in preference to medical treatment and sees herbal treatment as an equivalent to medical treatment even though his cholesterol level remains high . . . because he has "faith" in that treatment.
I watched one woman die because she had faith in herbal medicine and massage therapy treatments as a preferred treatment for cancer because she had a distrust of all medical doctors and because she had faith in the herbal remedy.
So, I see blind faith as just a hook on which to hang an opinion. I see rational faith as based on evidence and it's reasonable and valuable.
Religious Faith is NOT a virtue.
It makes people into crazed, evil freaks that blow themselves up, killing scores or even thousands of people in the stupid blind faith that they will be rewarded.
Maybe it makes people in to 'nice individuals' but i'd rather be 'nice' from my own steam.
'I have faith' = 'I am weak'.
It is NOT based in reality but on fairies and Chinese Whispers. Anything having such a foundation is far from virtuous.
Peace
Lowden
As Gill highlights, faith based morals as not as virtuous as morals based on an inner goodness. Morals that stem from faith is little different than morals that are the result of having police nearby. Once the fear of getting caught is absent than so are the morals. A good person will do good whether they know God or the police are watching or not.
Nark, excellent point. The brain needs "faith" in everything we do, otherwise a person tends to become obsessive compulsive. But as Garrybuss points out, if faith is held in the light of evidence to the contrary that it is simply delusion. As always, the need for balance.
Perhaps people who take advantage of others and mislead others have faith they will not be held accountable for these things...they are forgiven?
Is that what they believe..are they right?
The Dragon - Are we accountable? You can believe that you are 'forgiven' for whatever reason you choose but, I think we are accountable and that Karma, or 'what goes around comes around' is a fact of life.
Whether this is a 'divine justice' or 'just the way it is' I haven't a clue BUT I can't help noticing that everything you do and don't do seems to come back and bite you in the butt one way or another.
As for 'misleading' people, even if you feel you are right, yes, I think you are accountable.
One way, or another, it's going to find you, it's gonna get ya, get ya, get ya....!
It is perhaps time that 'Faith is a Virute' was understood to be not the case.
Religions stand aloof to the harms that they can do their 'faithful' because we believe that people should have whatever faith or belief structure they want....and fair enough....to a certain degree. But, the minute a 'Faith' causes any harm then it should be questioned.....whether it be the blood policy of one religion, or the Jihad or crusade of another.
'Faith' should be accountable and needs solid and provable foundations which is something that no religion has.
we believe that people should have whatever faith or belief structure they want
I asked a question on yahoo.answers whether it should be illegal for religion to enforce shunning of members. It surprised me that without exception all the Americans said I should read the 1st??? Amendment about freedom of religion. I thought that was insane. To promote absolute freedom of religion is illogical, regardless of the American constitution. If a religion tells its people to murder people in the name of God, or sacrifice virgins, it should be illegal. So why not ban other vile practices such as enforced shunning of children etc, even if it is in the name of faith.
