What Is Good about Faith?

[Magic Man]

I ask this of anyone who believes that religious faith is a good thing. If you don't already believe that, then please leave it for those who do to respond.

So, what is it about religious faith that's good? Basically, why do you feel it's a good thing to believe something with no evidence at all (and, yes, for these purposes, that leaves out personal experience as evidence)?

 

[Cordoba]

From a Muslim point of view, the evidence is The Qur'an itself, as it is impossible for Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, to have "invented" it, and can only be from The All-Knowing, Wise God

There are many benefits to living our lives according to the Guidance of our Creator

These benefits include:

1- Living a happy life in this world, and an eternal happy life in the Hereafter

2- Living in peace: the peace of mind and the inner peace which faith brings to the soul

3- An organized life as individuals and as a community which strives to spread justice through compassion and care for others

4- A life seeking knowledge for the benefit of humanity

5- Preparing for the trip to the Hereafter and preparing for our meeting with God

There are many more .......

 

[TheKnight]

I ask this of anyone who believes that religious faith is a good thing. If you don't already believe that, then please leave it for those who do to respond.

So, what is it about religious faith that's good? Basically, why do you feel it's a good thing to believe something with no evidence at all (and, yes, for these purposes, that leaves out personal experience as evidence)?

Assuming there is no evidence, the reason would be preference.

I look at it like this. If there is no evidence for any religion. And no negative evidence against all religion, then whether or not one believes in a religion is a choice. After all, by what standard can we judge peoples' beliefs if we can't all agree on the standard? None.

One could tell me I'm wrong to believe what I believe, but that means nothing to me because I believe differently. Who is going to say that either of us is correct? Evidence? In the case of religion there isn't any.

That being said, any person is free to choose what they want to believe. It's good because the person who chooses it likes it.

 

[Magic Man]

From a Muslim point of view, the evidence is The Qur'an itself, as it is impossible for Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, to have "invented" it, and can only be from The All-Knowing, Wise God

There are many benefits to living our lives according to the Guidance of our Creator

These benefits include:

1- Living a happy life in this world, and an eternal happy life in the Hereafter

2- Living in peace: the peace of mind and the inner peace which faith brings to the soul

3- An organized life as individuals and as a community which strives to spread justice through compassion and care for others

4- A life seeking knowledge for the benefit of humanity

5- Preparing for the trip to the Hereafter and preparing for our meeting with God

There are many more .......

Thank you for the response. My question was more about why faith was the way to go. You can do all of those things without faith, especially seek knowledge. Why would you deem it particularly good to have faith?

 

[Magic Man]

I'm really just asking because I always hear references to faith as being a good virtue to have, and I don't know why. What is it about religion that makes people actually want to accept things without evidence where in any other part of their life they wouldn't?

 

[sojourner]

I ask this of anyone who believes that religious faith is a good thing. If you don't already believe that, then please leave it for those who do to respond.

So, what is it about religious faith that's good? Basically, why do you feel it's a good thing to believe something with no evidence at all (and, yes, for these purposes, that leaves out personal experience as evidence)?

Our bodies hunger; we feed them nutrients, and exercise and sunshine. Our minds hunger; we feed them information, philosophical construct and exercises in creative thought. Our spirits hunger; what shall we feed them? Faith is a spiritual construct that makes sense out of spiritual need, just as philosophy is an intellectual construct that makes sense out of intellectual need, and just as exercise is a construct that makes sense out of physical need.

 

[cottage]

Our bodies hunger; we feed them nutrients, and exercise and sunshine. Our minds hunger; we feed them information, philosophical construct and exercises in creative thought. Our spirits hunger; what shall we feed them? Faith is a spiritual construct that makes sense out of spiritual need, just as philosophy is an intellectual construct that makes sense out of intellectual need, and just as exercise is a construct that makes sense out of physical need.

Yes, I agree. Faith is good for the believer because it answers a need. Interestingly, I've noted quite a few instances where the inclination to faith is prior to any affilliation to a particular belief system, for example in cases where people are looking for a religion or have changed their religion. But for all that it still remains the case that if folk find comfort and satisfaction in their faith, of whatever ilk, then it can only be a positive thing. I certainly don't think believers suffer because of their faith.

 

[Magic Man]

Our bodies hunger; we feed them nutrients, and exercise and sunshine. Our minds hunger; we feed them information, philosophical construct and exercises in creative thought. Our spirits hunger; what shall we feed them? Faith is a spiritual construct that makes sense out of spiritual need, just as philosophy is an intellectual construct that makes sense out of intellectual need, and just as exercise is a construct that makes sense out of physical need.

I'm not sure I understand. Why does faith make sense to feed spiritual hunger?

I don't quite get the comparisons with all of those other hungers.

 

[Magic Man]

Yes, I agree. Faith is good for the believer because it answers a need. Interestingly,

What need specifically does it answer?

But for all that it still remains the case that if folk find comfort and satisfaction in their faith, of whatever ilk, then it can only be a positive thing. I certainly don't think believers suffer because of their faith.

I have to say, I disagree with it being only a positive thing, but that's beside the point. So, you believe it's a good thing because it comforts and satisfies people? Is that an accurate depiction of your view of it?

 

[cottage]

What need specifically does it answer?

As I'm a sceptic, it is not for me to try and identify individuals' needs; however, from what I understand it seems to answer a need for there to be something more, or an explanation for why the world is as it is.

I have to say, I disagree with it being only a positive thing, but that's beside the point. So, you believe it's a good thing because it comforts and satisfies people? Is that an accurate depiction of your view of it?

No it isn't. But it is my view that it comforts and satisfies the believer.

 

[Magic Man]

As I'm a sceptic, it is not for me to try and identify individuals' needs; however, from what I understand it seems to answer a need for there to be something more, or an explanation for why the world is as it is.

I wasn't asking you to identify anyone's needs. You said that it answers a need, so you obviously had something in mind. How does faith answer the need for something more or for an explanation for why the world is the way it is?

No it isn't. But it is my view that it comforts and satisfies the believer.

That's what I said. Sorry, I figured it was assumed that "people" meant "believers". I'm not sure why faith would comfort or satisfy those who didn't use it.

 

[HouseofIsrael]

Thank you for the response. My question was more about why faith was the way to go. You can do all of those things without faith, especially seek knowledge. Why would you deem it particularly good to have faith?

All depends on what it's applied to in my view, if you speak religion then for some it may be just a religious engagement for others a vital element that goes beyond the understanding of the norm. To be general, faith for me provides a mean of mental satisfaction for an achievable outcome that may seem almost unachievable.

 

[HouseofIsrael]

So, you believe it's a good thing?

If i were to answer that question from a basic standpoint i would say yes, religiously? well it depends. I think that may be a personal individual view -like faith in what...

 

[whereismynotecard]

I don't have faith in any religion, but I'm going to answer anyway, because I want to say something.

I think believing in some sort of God or spiritual thing is very helpful when someone you know dies. Instead of just having to accept that the person is dead-gone forever, you can have some sort of feeling that they are living on, in a way, in spirit, and that maybe you'll see them again someday in an afterlife or heaven of some sort.

When my dad died, I was extremely at a loss of what to do, because everyone else was assuring each other that we'd all meet again in heaven and all of that stuff. It gave them some sort of comfort, while it just made me feel worse. I think dealing with death would be a lot more easy with some sort of religious faith, since it assures you that your time with the person who died is not over forever. It makes you feel like you will indeed see them again.

 

[cottage]

I wasn't asking you to identify anyone's needs. You said that it answers a need, so you obviously had something in mind. How does faith answer the need for something more or for an explanation for why the world is the way it is?

Because humans, faced with their own fragility and death seek a meaningful context in which to place those certain facts. And while faith isn't by any means restricted to organised religion and belief systems, it is the case, for example, that religions present a view of the world expressed in their doctrines, which comforts and support people. Many believe that all that occurs in the world is ultimately good and that one day there will be no evil. Some seek solace in the image of a paternalistic being, a benevolent figure who watches over humanity. None of this has to be true in order for it to be good.



That's what I said. Sorry, I figured it was assumed that "people" meant "believers". I'm not sure why faith would comfort or satisfy those who didn't use it.

I'm making it quite plain that it is my view that faith, generally, isn't a good thing necessarily.

 

[knockknock]

So, what is it about religious faith that's good? Basically, why do you feel it's a good thing to believe something with no evidence at all

Because I cease to have faith in man. Look at the 'evidence' we have of man's rule....need I say more. Faith answers the deep questions I have about the meaning of life and it gives me a purpose to get up every day. Quote below sums up how I feel about the world and why I think having faith in God is a good thing...

We are in serious need of much better knowledge of ourselves. Our self-ignorance is staggering, particularly in the arena of moral and spiritual responsibility and purpose. We seem to know so much more about the inanimate, about the earth's flora and fauna and even the nature of heavenly bodies. Yet immense regions of our humanity remain a dark mystery.

World conditions are frightening and all too often reel out of control. The chief culprit is man himself. We urgently need to seek the root causes of our moral and intellectual shortcomings. If only we would turn our natural curiosity from its present exclusively materialistic path to include the much more profitable spiritual direction missing in our world, our future would cease to be so uncertain.
Man desperately needs knowledge from a source outside of himself—not only regarding the physical and material, but in the mental and especially in the spiritual sphere.
Bible Study - Something More to Man? > Why Did God Create Mankind?

 

[PureX]

Holding to some god concept is healthy in several ways. One is that it removes ourselves from the center of our own concept of existence. Thus it humbles us and broadens our perspective so as to make us more "team players" on the Earth. Without this "higher power" to keep us humble, we often become so self-centered and ego-centric that we can no longer see ourselves as a part of a greater whole, nor care if we could.

Another advantage of holding to some god concept is that to create a character or nature for this "god" we must look inside ourselves for the absolute best definition of such nature and character. For us to define our "god', we must look inside ourselves for what we believe would be the ultimate definition of goodness, of wisdom, of power, etc. And then having identified within ourselves these characteristics, and applied them to our "god", we seek to emulate them in our own lives. In this way our god-concepts help us to seek out the best in ourselves and to then become it.

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

Holding to some god concept is healthy in several ways. One is that it removes ourselves from the center of our own concept of existence. Thus it humbles us and broadens our perspective so as to make us more "team players" on the Earth. Without this "higher power" to keep is humble, we often become so self-centered and ego-centric that we can no longer see ourselves as a part of a greater whole, nor care if we could.

Another advantage of holding to some god concept is that to create a character or nature for this "god" we must look inside ourselves for the absolute best definition of such nature and character. For us to define our "god', we must look inside ourselves for what we believe would be the ultimate definition of goodness, of wisdom, of power, etc. And then having identified within ourselves these characteristics, and applied them to our "god", we seek to emulate them in our own lives. In this way our god-concepts help us to seek out the best in ourselves and to then become it.

This is an altogether excellent response. I particularly appreciate how well its 2nd paragraph articulates what I mean when I speak of God as hypostasis, i.e., as the reification of Godliness.

 

[Magic Man]

Holding to some god concept is healthy in several ways. One is that it removes ourselves from the center of our own concept of existence. Thus it humbles us and broadens our perspective so as to make us more "team players" on the Earth. Without this "higher power" to keep is humble, we often become so self-centered and ego-centric that we can no longer see ourselves as a part of a greater whole, nor care if we could.

Another advantage of holding to some god concept is that to create a character or nature for this "god" we must look inside ourselves for the absolute best definition of such nature and character. For us to define our "god', we must look inside ourselves for what we believe would be the ultimate definition of goodness, of wisdom, of power, etc. And then having identified within ourselves these characteristics, and applied them to our "god", we seek to emulate them in our own lives. In this way our god-concepts help us to seek out the best in ourselves and to then become it.

While I agree and disagree with different parts of this, what does it have to do with faith?

 

[Magic Man]

I'm not talking specifically about belief in God here. Sure, there are good things that come from that. What I'm talking about is faith. Why is faith itself seen as a good virtue to have? Why do people find it good to believe something without any evidence at all?