by Fester 13 Replies latest jw friends
Hi Tec,
I'd like to publicly ask you about a few things. I notice in a lot of your posts you talk about your "faith".
Can you define exactly what "faith" is though? In my studies over the years, I came to the conclusion that "faith" is really another word for "belief in something that cannot be proved".
Would that also be your definition?
Just curious.
Andrew
Andrew,
I find it hard to narrow faith to a single sentence - but I suppose yours works. Belief in something/someone that has not been proven to exist. Faith for me includes belief, trust and hope in Jesus.
Welcome to the board,
Tammy
Faith can only be defined as a strong internal belief which requires no external explanation.
If someone feels the need to debate their faith, they don't actually have it.
-Sab
Tec, thanks for the warm welcome. While at times I feel compelled to exert what may seem anti-religious behavior in general, I want everyone here to know that I do have "faith" in God, because even with my new calling to Deism, which doesn't have a "Jesus" but rather just the belief in a creator that does have a positive or negative force in my life depending on how I treat others, I still have the utmost respect for people that remain comforted by the bible gospels and the real meat of the scriptures that can apply to people today, (i.e, the sermon on the mount, Galatians Chapter 5, Hebrews chapter 11, etc)....
Perhaps I am swayed more by the New Testament than anything else in the bible, that much is certain with the exception of proverbs. I still read the wise words of those ancient Israelite Kings who learned many lessons in life in those days.
If I were to describe my faith in God, it would be that of belief in a wise creator, without the need to back him with human books.
So sebastious, your definition of "faith" is an internal belief which doesn't require an explanation?
I'd like to attach an article from the Deist website on this matter....
Faith: This word has been so terribly abused by "revealed" religions that it has come to really mean the suspension of an individual’s God-given reason in order to accept, or at least to tolerate, an unreasonable claim made by a "revealed" religion. It is the only way "revealed" religions can get people to accept such insane and unreasonable claims and ideas as original sin, walking on water, healing the sick without medical care, splitting the Red Sea, etc. Deists prefer to use the word "trust" instead of faith due to the twisted meaning the word "faith" has acquired after centuries of abuse from the "revealed" religions.
Fester, thanks for clarifying your position on faith, and your respect for those who practice their faith. Though, if I understand correctly, it is organized religion that you have a problem with?
Perhaps I am swayed more by the New Testament than anything else in the bible, that much is certain with the exception of proverbs. I still read the wise words of those ancient Israelite Kings who learned many lessons in life in those days.
No doubt. Jesus message is one of love and hope, and made more clear in the NT. I like the proverbs too, though I find some kind of funny. Like the verses about how awful it is to have a shrew for a wife? I think that verse comes up quite a bit :)
Tammy
So sebastious, your definition of "faith" is an internal belief which doesn't require an explanation?
One's faith can be enlightening to talk about and disect, but the second one's faith requires external explanation it ceases to be Faith and becomes a Position.
-Sab
FAITH can be a secular thing. Many atheists are humanists. Some people believe in the Carl Rodgers approach, that humans are basically good.
That give time and the right environment they will be decent and kind. They have FAITH that things will work out and the world of mankind will gradually improve and prosper, living by higher and higher ideals.
In short they have FAITH in the human race. Unfortunately life has made me doubtful as to whether the majority of humans hold such noble intentions.
HI Tammy,
Yes, most of my resentment over the years has been towards religious establishments in general, especially those claiming to be "revealed" religion.
We have to remember that the bible is just a collection of various writings from different people at different times assembled by a group of men in the late 4th century. There were over 300 gospel stories written in the first three centuries A.D., and only 4 were chosen by this group to become part of the "bible". One of those stories (John) is mostly a copy of a copy of Greek mythology re-written to fit the "Jesus" figure.
Very little probably remains from the original historical Jesus (if there was such a person), and that is mostly found in the gospel of Mark.
One might add that the original gospel of Mark contains 666 verses, just food for thought.
Sebastious, without being vague, can you simply give me a dictionary definition of what "faith" is?
Without bringing the issue of upbringing, religious background, or personal bias into the definition, I'd like to just hear the long and short of your definition.
My definition is simply that people have to believe in something that cannot be seen or cannot be proved. From a logical stand, it lacks tack.
For instance, wouldn't it be much easier for the world today, with all the electronic forms of communication, if Jesus did exist, for him to drop in and give us an updated set of instructions?
