Theists, what does faith mean to you?

[Kingpin]

I'm starting to wonder if I'm the only theist on here willing to respond to these posts.  

 I find it quite interesting how the word "faith" has evolved over the last few hundred years and even more so in the last 20 years.  In the world’s eyes, to say "I have faith" means: I believe something but I’m not sure if it’s true or real, but I need it to be and I want it to be, so I have faith. You make that big leap into the dark. Strong faith, therefore, would be when you suspect what you believe isn’t true, and you are still able to believe it. That’s strong faith. The strongest possible kind of faith you could have would be when you know it’s not true and you’re still able to believe it. I mean, how much faith do you need then?

The word faith comes from the Latin 'fides' from which we get the word "fidelity".  Simlarly in Greek, The word faith comes from the Greek word 'pistis'.  This word, pistis, ultimately comes from the verb "peitho", which means "to be persuaded". ‘Pistis’, therefore, the noun, carries the same kind of connotation. It means that you are persuaded as to something’s truth and reality, therefore you can trust it.

I have faith in God as the creator of this universe, author of life as I can see His workings in reality, history, morality, in my own life and others lives that I am persuaded to have faith in Him.

If we go with your definition of "faith," it does not explain why someone is persuaded.  So when a Christian is asked why he believes in God, and he says "I have faith," he has not answered the question at all.  He would just be saying he is persuaded, but that does not say anything about why he is persuaded.

So, whenever a Christian does respond to the question that way, the Christian is giving absolutely no reason whatsoever to believe in God.

Pyrrho, I agree with that, but don't generalize that to all Christians.  You can ask a Muslim the same thing and they might give the same answer, likewise with Hindus and Buddhists.  If someone answers "I have faith" that is not an argument, but a personal sentiment.  I personally am a Christian because I find the evidence for there being a God very persuasive in the design of the Universe, in morality and further in the historical person of Jesus Christ and the evidence for his resurrection.