Theists, what does faith mean to you?

[Tartarus Sauce]

But why must there be a god, and if there must be a god why must it be more vast than everything and eternal? We know of nothing else like that, why suppose a god is all that?

I guess I'm wondering where you get the idea that there must be gods of the sort you already happen to believe in?

I'm inclined to echo kingpin's sentiment and reserve that question for a different discussion, perhaps you could PM him about it. While it is a valid inquiry, it will result in a conversation only tangentially linked to the question I asked and bring the peanut gallery in during the process.

Oh, and thank you for the excellent responses kingpin.

[Kingpin]

Faith is the acceptance of something in the absence of evidence, in my mind.  In regards to religious belief, I go a step further to regard faith as belief in spite of evidence that points to the contrary.

And this is precisely my point about the redefining of the word over the last 20 years.  That is not the original meaning of the word and not the definition I hold.

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But why must there be a god, and if there must be a god why must it be more vast than everything and eternal?  We know of nothing else like that, why suppose a god is all that?

I guess I'm wondering where you get the idea that there must be gods of the sort you already happen to believe in?

I'm inclined to echo kingpin's sentiment and reserve that question for a different discussion, perhaps you could PM him about it. While it is a valid inquiry, it will result in a conversation only tangentially linked to the question I asked and bring the peanut gallery in during the process.

Oh, and thank you for the excellent responses kingpin.

Thank you tartarus.  I am certainly open to having discussions via PM (I've had a few already).  Whateverist, if you would like to have that discussion, the invitation is open.

[Pyrrho]

It is of course a rather commonly held notion by atheists that faith is an excuse theists hide behind to justify what they view as an irrational mode of thinking, a flag to be waved to elevate bad forms of thinking to the status of a virtue. As a result most debates between atheists and theists reach an impasse due to this central contention; theists tend to justify their beliefs through faith while atheists contend that faith is a bad means of justifying any belief.

I know how atheists feel about faith, that's not what this thread is for. Instead I inquire the forum theists to share what faith means to them. What do you think faith is and how would you define it? Do you consider your beliefs to be faith-based? How does faith affect your life? Do you think you'd be a different person if faith was no longer an integral component of identity? And so on.

I look forward to your answers.

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.

[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.

[Pyrrho]

The problem with what you are now saying is that the universe does not show design, that morality does not depend on a god, and there is no historical evidence sufficient to show that Jesus was resurrected.

I recommend that you start three separate threads (or, better, do some searching for old threads on these topics and simply read them).  But if you want to discuss these three separate issues, it would be best to do so in three separate threads.

[Whateverist]

Whateverist, if you would like to have that discussion, the invitation is open.

http://atheistforums.org/thread-35071.html

Here you go.

[ignoramus]

I just wonder why you presume to know so much about god and what it wants from you.  If you're careful enough in your reasoning to acknowledge that gnostic theism is disingenuous, why assume that the god you suppose exists is either the Christian one as revealed by the bible, or else nothing at all?  I find that troubling.

Whateverist, that is a different discussion entirely and one that I would be happy to have but is a pointless discussion to have if you do not first agree there must indeed be A God.  Once you accept the premise that there must be a God only then can you ask the question, which God?  But if you are coming from the premise that there is no God it is pointless to have that discussion.

We hear you matey, and this is why most of us are agnostics.
But what we cannot swollow is the concept of God as described by the popular institutions which we find outrageously unfathomable.
Why must an intelligent person as yourself pidgeon hole themselves into said " religion"?
Peer pressure? Socially acceptable? Parents belief?

Believe what YOU want, not the fast food packaged God which happens to be the flavour of the month.

[Simon Moon]

The idea that faith, the non-evidence faith, is somehow a good thing in any sense of the word, should certainly die. It's absolutely bat shit insane.

It is zonked. It is kerplunk to the dunk.

Who are you to tell Christians that they can't live a life they chose, I do not tell you how to believe or not to believe. I might suggest things but I certainly do not tell you.

GC

Where did Rob tell Christians that they aren't free to live the life they choose? Or believe what they want?

It has been my observation, that discussing the sort of subjects brought up on this forum with you is  somewhat of a waste of time. Your reading comprehension is questionable, at best.

[robvalue]

Thank you Simon.

In case I wasn't clear, I was addressing the concept of faith itself, and my hope that it will die out as a "method". I am not, and never would tell people what to do or what to believe. I was being dramatic saying it "has to die", again as a concept, because it is in opposition to rational thought. I wasn't literally saying people need to be forced to stop using faith, that would be ridiculous. I never advocate any kind of enforcement, only to try and get people to think.

Sorry for any misunderstandings.

[Catholic_Lady]

I don't see having faith as some sort of "blind" thing, if you will. Where you just believe in something for absolutely no reason other than because you want to or just because, or whatever.  

At least it isn't for me. In the same way that I have faith that God is real, I have faith that my husband loves me. I can't show you any sort of concrete "proof" that my husband loves me, but I conclude that he does based on many aspects of our life together. Because of those things, it makes sense to me that he does.

Likewise, I conclude that God is real based on several aspects. Including a personal experience I have had, those that other people have had, based on the miracles that have been accounted for, the saints, the life of Jesus, etc... It makes sense to me. If I use the definition of faith as being a blind thing, it would take more of that type of "faith" for me not to believe in God. 

I honestly don't know what I'd be like if I wasn't a woman of faith. It's such a fundamental part of me and who I am, it's impossible to tell what I'd be like without it.