Faith

[Psalm23]

It's always difficult to have a discussion about a word, when we do not seem to agree on the usage of the word. Obviously, there are different ways to define the word "faith". I think the definition the OP is using is the common "firm belief in something which there is no conclusive evidence" use of the word, especially if we are talking about anything supernatural. Otherwise, it can be used to mean loyalty, sincere intentions, complete trust, etc. It sounds like you use the word to mean " trust", but not necessarily complete trust (since you just said you think nothing can be known for certain).
Let me see one of the ways you describe it:

Never mind, I didn't realize you thought faith is the result of evidence. This might be the first time I have ever heard anyone describe faith as a result based on evidence.

If we are using the word the way everyone else is using it, including the OP, then I definitely disagree. I don't think faith is required for "everything". In fact, I'm having a hard time thinking of anything here in the natural world that requires faith, outside of religion.

I don’t think faith has to be without evidence to be considered faith. I don’t consider it faith when there is camera footage of an event.

 

[stvdv]

Hello, I would like to gather some thoughts on faith. What do you think that faith is? How have you seen it in your own life? How have you seen faith in others lives?

I met (heard of) my Master in 1990 and visited Him a few month later. I had no faith when starting (first time seeing/meeting him). But being there for ca. 1 week it felt really good, He seemed selfless, just there to help others. Hence my faith in Him started to grow

Then He proved to be a little omniscient in my first interview I got, and my faith grew more

During the years he cured me many times in miraculous ways, which made my faith grew much more

He opened my third eye and granted quite a few Divine experiences, hence I know He is for real and faith is all about Grace

So, in a way, He made it quite easy for me to grow faith in Him. The only thing He asked of me was to be patient (but not many found this waiting as easy as I did, most gave up after a few weeks, and it was also tough for me, being most of the time quite sick, but His selfless Love pulled me through). So the above did not happen overnight to me. I stayed with Him for 10 years. Gradually He revealed His Divinity, thereby increasing my faith in Him and in Divinity and in my Self.

 

[Trailblazer]

Never mind, I didn't realize you thought faith is the result of evidence. This might be the first time I have ever heard anyone describe faith as a result based on evidence.

I would not believe in any religion unless I had good evidence, but I still have to have faith (trust) in that evidence.

If we are using the word the way everyone else is using it, including the OP, then I definitely disagree. I don't think faith is required for "everything". In fact, I'm having a hard time thinking of anything here in the natural world that requires faith, outside of religion.

I think we put faith in people every day, including faith in ourselves.

If you were married or in serious relationship, wouldn't you have to have faith that your partner would not cheat, ir that she would do her fair share in the relationship? How could you ever know absolutely? If you had a cat or dog going for surgery, wouldn't you have to have faith in the vet performing the surgery? If you quit a job and got a new job wouldn't you need faith in yourself, that the new job would work out? How could you know absolutely?

 

[Moonjuice]

What forms of evidence are credible in a court? I understand eyewitness account as one. What else would be seen as credible?

Be careful confusing "admissible" with "credible". Lots of evidence is admissible - meaning you can submit it as evidence to be considered, then jurors or a judge decides if they think the evidence is credible. Eyewitness testimony (for example) is admissible. We all know it can be credible, but it can also be completely unreliable. Therefore, you can't say eye witness testimony is credible, unless you examine the specific testimony and all the related factors surrounding the actual testimony, then you can decide if it is credible.

 

[Psalm23]

In my own life I have seen my faith in Jesus such as when I pray and sing. I noticed recently in singing about God’s holiness that it just put me in a better mood in that moment.

I have seen others faith when they tell me about their faith or encourage me to trust in God.

 

[QuestioningMind]

Hello, I would like to gather some thoughts on faith. What do you think that faith is? How have you seen it in your own life? How have you seen faith in others lives?

Faith is what people rely on when they don't have any verifiable evidence to back up their claims.

 

[Trailblazer]

In my own life I have seen my faith in Jesus such as when I pray and sing. I noticed recently in singing about God’s holiness that it just put me in a better mood in that moment.

I have seen others faith when they tell me about their faith or encourage me to trust in God.

The same thing happens to me when I listen to the Christian radio station. I listen to stories if faith and also the music and that gives me hope. Often a song will come on which is exactly what I need to hear and if I am in a difficult time I will start to cry.

 

[Psalm23]

The same thing happens to me when I listen to the Christian radio station. I listen to stories if faith and also the music and that gives me hope. Often a song will come on which is exactly what I need to hear and if I am in a difficult time I will start to cry.

I can definitely relate.

 

[infrabenji]

Hello, I would like to gather some thoughts on faith. What do you think that faith is? How have you seen it in your own life? How have you seen faith in others lives?

What do I think faith is? Faith is what you get when you forgo that which is known for that which is not known. Honestly, if you knew something was true and testable why would you need faith? You'd just state that which is provable. Definitionally, faith is belief without evidence. A better question is "Is believing something without evidence warranted or for that matter even a good idea"? Thanks for the interesting question.

 

[Psalm23]

What do I think faith is? Faith is what you get when you forgo that which is known for that which is not known. Honestly, if you knew something was true and testable why would you need faith? You'd just state that which is provable. Definitionally, faith is belief without evidence. A better question is "Is believing something without evidence warranted or for that matter even a good idea"? Thanks for the interesting question.

Faith as I understand often involves what is unseen. I cannot see God but I believe in him and I see creation as evidence to his existence. I understand trust to be a part of faith as well both in the religious context and in relationships.

 

[Jos]

nothing can ever be known for certain.

How can you know this to be true? Do you have faith that it's true?

 

[infrabenji]

Faith as I understand often involves what is unseen. I cannot see God but I believe in him and I see creation as evidence to his existence. I understand trust to be a part of faith as well both in the religious context and in relationships.

Thanks for your reply. Yes I think that's a common definition of faith by religious people mostly christians in my experience. If you see creation as evidence of god's existence please look at the argument from incredulity. It's a logical fallacy. Religious faith and relationship faith being the same is a false equivalency. Religious faith relies on believing in extraordinary claims with no evidence whilst relationship faith is based on knowledge, physical, testable, and ordinary experience. For example: I need faith to believe in god (an extraordinary claim). You don't need faith to probabilistically determine based on (ordinary) evidence e.g. text messages to other guys whether your girlfriend is cheating on you. This falls under abductive reasoning and is common amongst jury's. Doesn't mean you can't be wrong but if you have enough information you can make an informed decision. With faith in God how do you make an informed decision when none of those tools are available to you since we have no mechanism to test it?

 

[Trailblazer]

How can you know this to be true? Do you have faith that it's true?

That is just my personal opinion. Do you know anything that can be known for certain?
A person can be certain of a belief, but that is just an inner certitude, it cannot be known to be true.

 

[infrabenji]

That is just my personal opinion. Do you know anything that can be known for certain?
A person can be certain of a belief, but that is just an inner certitude, it cannot be known to be true.

Good question. I agree. I don't believe in absolute certainty. Maybe entropy is the only certain?

 

[firedragon]

I don’t think faith has to be without evidence to be considered faith. I don’t consider it faith when there is camera footage of an event.

Maybe because of the footage you build faith on the event.

Also you should consider, you have faith on the footage. I mean the actual video. If you took it yourself, that's a whole different ball game.

 

[Psalm23]

Maybe because of the footage you build faith on the event.

Also you should consider, you have faith on the footage. I mean the actual video. If you took it yourself, that's a whole different ball game.

Well you have a point there

 

[Aupmanyav]

or belief we trust because of the evidence.

There can be other reasons for pretending a belief.

 

[Trailblazer]

There can be other reasons for pretending a belief.

People do not pretend to believe, they either believe or they don't believe.

 

[Aupmanyav]

In that case Abrahamics would not have gone to hospitals. Many are pretenders with no faith.

 

[Valjean]

Does that statement work for faith “in self” too, or just for faith “in another”?

Not that you claim this to be an objective statement, but it brought into mind that an objective “truth” is only objective if it’s true regardless of what variables are used. Very few statements of “truth” are objective.
Humbly
Hermit

Different people mean different things by faith. Some just mean belief, or trust. "I have faith that the Sun will come up tomorrow."

That's fine in informal chat among like-minded friends, but in serious epistemic discussion, questioning how? or why,? faith -- in the sense of "I believe" or "I trust" -- answers neither of these, and doesn't really advance the discussion.

I understand that you believe, and what you believe, but I'm interested in why you believe; the evidence and reasoning underlying your "faith."
Without an evidentiary foundation, "faith" is unsupported belief.