In the context of religion, faith is believing things without proper evidence. If one uses proper evidence, there is no need for the word "faith" at all. This is somewhat obscured by the fact that, like many words in English, it has multiple definitions:
http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/defini...ctCode=all
Notice, none of the definitions is 'believing something based on evidence.' The relevant sense of the term for the opening post is definition 2.
For some interesting essays on the subject of faith:
http://ajburger.homestead.com/files/book.htm
Believing things without proper evidence is judging things before one has proper evidence; it is pre-judging before one gets evidence, which is prejudice. Faith is prejudice, but by another name, to attempt to hide the fact that it is a vice and not a virtue at all.
Quote:Definition of faith in English:
noun
[MASS NOUN]
1Complete trust or confidence in someone or something:this restores one’s faith in politicians
2Strong belief in the doctrines of a religion, based on spiritual conviction rather than proof:bereaved people who have shown supreme faith
2.1[COUNT NOUN] A particular religion:the Christian faith
2.2[COUNT NOUN] A strongly held belief:men with strong political faiths
http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/defini...ctCode=all
Notice, none of the definitions is 'believing something based on evidence.' The relevant sense of the term for the opening post is definition 2.
For some interesting essays on the subject of faith:
http://ajburger.homestead.com/files/book.htm
Believing things without proper evidence is judging things before one has proper evidence; it is pre-judging before one gets evidence, which is prejudice. Faith is prejudice, but by another name, to attempt to hide the fact that it is a vice and not a virtue at all.
"A wise man ... proportions his belief to the evidence."
— David Hume, An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding, Section X, Part I.
