Faith is a measure of irrationality

[Mudhammam]

You've heard people say it before, "I have faith" or so and so has a lot of faith. What does that mean really? What is having a lot of faith?

It would seem that having a lot of faith is the act of tenatiously rejecting reality. You walk out your house without an umbrella even though you've got big gray clouds in the sky. Is this faith?

If I keep telling myself that something unlikely to happen will, does that constitute faith?

When does faith become stupid? When do adults take responsibility for their own lives? Does someone who believes they can walk on water have more faith than somone who believes they will pass a test?

I remember being in a restuarant and a man came in and said he was a man of faith. He had an incredible sense of superiority. It's sad that a bold statement like that can be said with such gusto in 2014.

I think faith is directly proportional to irrationality.

Man is an irrational creature at heart.

[IAmTheeWallrus]

Hebrews 1;11 Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.

Isn't that very nearly the dictionary definition of self delusion?

[fr0d0]

Hebrews 1;11 Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.

Isn't that very nearly the dictionary definition of self delusion?

That's what a divorcee well tell you

[Knowledge of God]

Hebrews 1;11 Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.

Isn't that very nearly the dictionary definition of self delusion?

Why do you feply with what I say?

[Jenny A]

For me with a quarter of a century of faith in the bag it's not something based on past failure. Faith it's a virtue to those that adopt it. If you're without faith presumably that's for a reason, and you're not going to see the benefits.

You have faith in your husband and that's strengthened with time. It's an intellectual assent leading to trust, just like religious faith.

No, not like religious faith. Religious faith requires belief despite lack of evidence or even in the face of relentless evidence to the contrary. Faith in a person is quite different. For one thing the person has a real past in which they did real things. Faith in a person is based on those past actions.

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Hebrews 1;11 Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.

Isn't that very nearly the dictionary definition of self delusion?

No "nearly" about it. It is instructions for self delusion.

[Strongbad]

So, when applied to a different bit of “information” given in the bible, Christian faith sounds like this:

That's not a different piece of information, that's a tiny piece of the same information, taken out of context. Funny though

Taken out of context? As if stories about talking donkeys, when put into “proper context”, lend themselves better to “intellectual assent”. Yeah, funny. Lol.

Here’s something that’s funny: asserting that the stories in the bible convey “information”. It’s like saying that “Jack and the Beanstalk” provides “information” about magic beans, towering beanstalks, gold-producing geese, and giants.

[Mudhammam]

Faith may work for the self in the same way I might feel like a better and more inspired person if I begin every morning by jacking off or sacrificing a cat to an ancient Mesopotamian deity. If that's what gets your socks off, have at it (well, don't actually sacrifice any cats).

The moment you begin to tell others that your interpretations of said inspired experiences are correct for not only yourselves but that others ought to agree with your interpretations, you'd better provide some evidence or expect the most contemptuous of ridicule.

[fr0d0]

For me with a quarter of a century of faith in the bag it's not something based on past failure. Faith it's a virtue to those that adopt it. If you're without faith presumably that's for a reason, and you're not going to see the benefits.

You have faith in your husband and that's strengthened with time. It's an intellectual assent leading to trust, just like religious faith.

No, not like religious faith. Religious faith requires belief despite lack of evidence or even in the face of relentless evidence to the contrary. Faith in a person is quite different. For one thing the person has a real past in which they did real things. Faith in a person is based on those past actions.

No no no no

Faith builds upon results that are tangible. Your faith is rewarded so you continue to trust, just like with de husband! And you lose faith not because God lets you down, but because you stop trusting.

[Mudhammam]

No no no no

Coin-flipping builds upon results that are tangible. Your coin-flipping is rewarded so you continue to trust, just like with de husband! And you stop calling heads not because heads lets you down, but because you stop trusting in coin-flipping.

[Jenny A]

No no no no

Faith builds upon results that are tangible. Your faith is rewarded so you continue to trust, just like with de husband! And you lose faith not because God lets you down, but because you stop trusting.

*giggle* I know what the rewards of trusting the husband are. Just what past rewards have I received from god?