How important is faith to your hapiness?

[UnTheist]

Faith in the benevolence of existence. Faith in values, like humility and honesty. Faith in the brotherhood of man. Faith in the power of love to heal us and save us from ourselves.

Sure, but why put faith in them? Maybe I'm not understanding your concept of faith, but isn't faith in something which we have no evidence of? All those things can happen, and they always do. Maybe I just don't like the term faith.

 

[PureX]

Sure, but why put faith in them? Maybe I'm not understanding your concept of faith, but isn't faith in something which we have no evidence of? All those things can happen, and they always do. Maybe I just don't like the term faith.

I had lived for many years without having faith in the things I mentioned. Believe it or not, when we live in a paradigm in which we think these things are "false", that really is how we experience the world. At least it was that way for me. Once life became so unbearable that I could not longer live that way, I had to finally make up my mind to place my faith in those things, and then I had to learn from others how to live by that faith, until the "evidence" that you mentioned began to become evident to me in my life.

Now days, for me, it is as you say: I can see and feel and participate in the benevolence of existence, in values, like humility and honesty, and in the brotherhood of man. But it was not always like this. When I didn't believe in these things, I couldn't experience them in my life as anything but a "sham" of some kind. They weren't real to me. It was a horrible way to live.

 

[Gentoo]

To waht extent does your theism/non theism play a part in your day to day hapiness?

It actually plays quite a big role in my happiness. I have a bad day at work (which will probably becoming more frequent, I fear) usually feeling the sun's rays on my face and/or shoulders will brighten my day, pun intented.

 

[UnTheist]

I had lived for many years without having faith in the things I mentioned. Believe it or not, when we live in a paradigm in which we think these things are "false", that really is how we experience the world. At least it was that way for me. Once life became so unbearable that I could not longer live that way, I had to finally make up my mind to place my faith in those things, and then I had to learn from others how to live by that faith, until the "evidence" that you mentioned began to become evident to me in my life.

Now days, for me, it is as you say: I can see and feel and participate in the benevolence of existence, in values, like humility and honesty, and in the brotherhood of man. But it was not always like this. When I didn't believe in these things, I couldn't experience them in my life as anything but a "sham" of some kind. They weren't real to me. It was a horrible way to live.

I guess you're being optimistic about them happening. I see myself as a realist. If something good happens, I accept it. If something bad happens, I accept it. I never really have 'faith' in those things, because they will or will not happen whether I do or don't want them to. And I try to stay optimistic no matter what happens.

 

[Willamena]

Sure, but why put faith in them? Maybe I'm not understanding your concept of faith, but isn't faith in something which we have no evidence of? All those things can happen, and they always do. Maybe I just don't like the term faith.

Some of them "have no evidence" because they are future-tense, they haven't happened yet. They are not "here and now." Others, because they are abstract. Science tells us that just because something happened in the past doesn't mean it is some sort of sure thing that will happen every time; and just because we have ideals doesn't mean everyone will hold to them. Science requires constant testing.

 

[UnTheist]

Some of them "have no evidence" because they are future-tense, they haven't happened yet. They are not "here and now." Others, because they are abstract. Science tells us that just because something happened in the past doesn't mean it is some sort of sure thing that will happen every time; and just because we have ideals doesn't mean everyone will hold to them. Science requires constant testing.

Hence faith. But I don't put faith in those things. It either happens or it doesn't. If human compassion suddenly stops and everybody starts killing each other, I can't control that.

 

[Willamena]

Hence faith. But I don't put faith in those things. It either happens or it doesn't.

Then faith is found in those instances when you believe it will happen.

If human compassion suddenly stops and everybody starts killing each other, I can't control that.

Control is not a requirement of faith.

 

[love]

What type of 'faith' are you referring to? I don't consider thinking my car will start a type of faith.

It's nice to have some help when your car wont start.

 

[PureX]

I guess you're being optimistic about them happening. I see myself as a realist. If something good happens, I accept it. If something bad happens, I accept it. I never really have 'faith' in those things, because they will or will not happen whether I do or don't want them to. And I try to stay optimistic no matter what happens.

And that's the faith I was referring to. I didn't used to live that way. And as a result, I didn't recognize anything positive going on around me. I only saw the negative.

 

[UnTheist]

Then faith is found in those instances when you believe it will happen.

For some reason I don't understand this

Control is not a requirement of faith.

Yes, but I was thinking of faith as 'hoping something good will happen.'

 

[PureX]

I see faith as more than just hope. It's 'hope in action'. Faith is living as if what we hope to be true, is true, even though we don't know that it's true.

 

[michel]

I'm not sure what you mean by "religiously satisfied" ...existence is religously satifsying. I'm pretty sure I won't feel happiness when I'm dead, so I guess the answer to your question is: yes.

By "Religiously Satisfied" I suppose I am trying (badly) to describe that time when I know that I am happy in my faith - when I feel Joyous and see God in everything. As opposed to when I find my mind filled with the "toil" of practical life.

When I am what I call "Religiously happy" or "At one with God", what goes on around me affects me far less - I suppose because I can put everything into perspective.

 

[Peace]

How important is faith to your hapiness?

My Faith is my happiness, my hope, my prosperity, my guidanc and my savior. My faith is my life.

Peace

 

[michel]

My Faith is my happiness, my hope, my prosperity, my guidanc and my savior. My faith is my life.

Peace

And it shows, here, on the forum.

 

[Willamena]

Yes, but I was thinking of faith as 'hoping something good will happen.'

No; that would be "hope".

 

[Willamena]

By "Religiously Satisfied" I suppose I am trying (badly) to describe that time when I know that I am happy in my faith - when I feel Joyous and see God in everything. As opposed to when I find my mind filled with the "toil" of practical life.

Okay; that's what I'd call "awareness" of god brought on by thought. I can't honestly say that "tuning god out" brings on unhappiness, no.

When I am what I call "Religiously happy" or "At one with God", what goes on around me affects me far less - I suppose because I can put everything into perspective.

Cool attitude. I have a similar attitude whereby I can look at things from a "perspectivism" standard and say, "Yes, I'm right."

 

[UnTheist]

No; that would be "hope".

Ah, of course :yes:

 

[kaysquared89]

My faith is my life.When I have the feeling that God is with me I just get that feeling that all is well and nothing can harm me. That care-free attitude is definately happiness.

 

[charles brough]

My happiness has nothing to do with my Philosophical stance.
Happiness should exist whether you are religious or not

:clap

I might also add that we all have beliefs and they serve us even when they are not organized into a general belief system or religion. Those beliefs do not have to be ancient and now obsolete in order to enable us to function well in society!

In my case, since my wife died, I have adjusted far better to my grief than had I been a Christian---or a member of any other old religion. I do not wonder what she is doing in Heaven while I am still plugging along down here trying to escape crime! I do not have to worry that she might be watching me---even when I sit on the toilet! I do not have to wonder if I will see her in Heaven or if she will have changed there. Should I hurry up death to be with her? It would be easy to neglect my health, but I won't do it.

Instead, I adjust to her absense and do my best to move on. I do not have to go to church and hear all the sermons in order to keep fortifying my faith so I don't slip back to scientific reality. I don't have to take Christian therapy. Instead, I travel by myself in my motor home meeting poor people and getting involved in their lives. I learn. I observe, I continue to have curiosity and to look forward in life.

People who go backwards and center their lives around the dead seem to me to more often be the more religious people.

charles, http://humanpurpose.simplenet.com

 

[SoulSearcher]

Not having any faith in a higher power makes me unhappy. I'm trying though.