Faith vs. Reason... Which is more important in your life?

[TenaciousWoman]

I am someone who for most of my life has been a Christian, raised that way, went to church, used to collect Bibles, read only Christian books, but have always had doubts & was forever questioning in the midst of everything. It was when I got the internet that I was able to explore all of my questions & in doing so, the answers took me to places I did not expect, the loss of my faith. I am one who set out wanting to know/hear/explore BOTH sides before claiming I knew what I was talking about. Curiousity & learning History (where our docrines came from) took me to this place. I feel more at peace accually, but have lost christian friends because of it. It is not easy when they feel you are "lost" , not right in the head and you know they are constantly praying for your soul. I now can say that I hold "Reason" before "Faith" and not feel shame or guilt because of it. I have been told by a Pastor I am "too Cerebral", I find this very funny now. But why is it, when it comes to living, we always put Reason before Blind faith in every facet of our lives (school, learning, math, our jobs, everything) UNTIL it comes to Religion, then it gets thrown out the window, and this is perfectly acceptable to the majorty of the human race ??

[The Collector]

Reason = 100%. Faith =0%

[quankanne]

I like to think I'm a nice mesh of both!

 

TW, the only thing I can tell you is that your whole life, you'll be on a journey seeking answers to the unknown. And that's neither a good thing nor a bad thing, it just *is* ... you know? For your friends to respond to you this way ... well, bless their hearts, they're trying to be good Christians even as their talk makes you feel otherwise. Instead, focus on the good that they do to bring their faith alive (helping others in need, etc) – that's my litmus test of a "good Christian," not all the mumble-jumble they spout as they proclaim their faith!

 

back to the journey thing: We're all on that journey, and religion is just a vehicle we utilize to help us make that journey. Just because you don't "drive" that vehicle doesn't mean you lack spirituality, it's just that you express it in a different way, and being a man or woman of reason doesn't necessarily negate your spirituality or that you have to surpress it.

 

meaning, as long as you're a good person, who tries to do good by others, you're at the head of the line when it comes to being spiritual, because you let your actions talk, not your mouth. Just my 2 cents.

[alphamale]

But why is it, when it comes to living, we always put Reason before Blind faith in every facet of our lives (school, learning, math, our jobs, everything) UNTIL it comes to Religion, then it gets thrown out the window, and this is perfectly acceptable to the majorty of the human race ??

because faith fills in the gaps that reason cannot explain

[TaraMaiden]

This was I suppose, mainly the reason (Hah! pun, there....) I actually turned away from a theistic religion, and now practise Buddhism.

because there was too much of the Faith in the unknown/unseen (aka HOPE) and not enough Faith in the logical reasoning (aka CONFIDENCE).

 

Never looked back, never regretted it, have felt infinitely better for it.

[alphamale]

This was I suppose, mainly the reason (Hah! pun, there....) I actually turned away from a theistic religion, and now practise Buddhism.

what does Buddhism believe in?

[TaraMaiden]

because faith fills in the gaps that reason cannot explain

Erm.... No, I don't think so....

 

I think those who follow a Faith presume or hope it will.....but I don't think it automatically does - unless they blindly accept it does..... and then, we're back to the illogical.....

[alphamale]

Erm.... No, I don't think so....

.....

i'm an agnostic/atheist but for people who believe i think its true

[TaraMaiden]

what does Buddhism believe in?

 

There is no question of 'belief' in Buddhism.

There is however, the continuous teaching of "Ehi Passiko" which means 'see and test it for yourself'....

There is no requirement that people will follow Buddhism and thus believe anything.

Buddhism puts forward teachings, but every Buddhist is expected to test for themselves whether these teachings are sound, or not.....

[TaraMaiden]

i'm an agnostic/atheist but for people who believe i think its true

My point exactly, if they believe unquestioningly...... I agree.

[mbeewood]

Reason and faith are not mutually exclusive, and that is where you fail epically. You don't even know what the true definition of faith here. Here, let me help you.

 

 

faith 

 

–noun 1.confidence or trust in a person or thing: faith in another's ability.

 

 

The 'faith' used in the bible and throughout christian history has always been 'trust in God.' It has never meant 'blind belief' or 'belief in something without evidence.' That's just what nonbelievers have tried to change it to to make religious people look stupid or gullible.

 

The fact is, 'reason' does not contradict christian belief in any way shape or form, and you really need to get more educated in this subject before you start making posts on the internet and trying to act like some philosopher.

[The Collector]

The fact is, 'reason' does not contradict christian belief in any way shape or form, and you really need to get more educated in this subject before you start making posts on the internet and trying to act like some philosopher.

 

Philosophers (and us ordinary folk) have been using reason to contradict what Christianity says for a long time. I can't be bothered to list everything Christian that fails the test of reason and relies on faith, but for a start let's take God, Heaven, Hell, No Dinosaurs, Virgin Birth, Coming Back From The Dead, and oh, Living In The Belly Of A Whale. And Noah being 900 years old.

[mbeewood]

Philosophers (and us ordinary folk) have been using reason to contradict what Christianity says for a long time. I can't be bothered to list everything Christian that fails the test of reason and relies on faith, but for a start let's take God, Heaven, Hell, No Dinosaurs, Virgin Birth, Coming Back From The Dead, and oh, Living In The Belly Of A Whale. And Noah being 900 years old.

 

The only things you listed that aren't reasonable are the stories of the dude in the whale, Noah being 900 years old and "no dinosaurs", because those are just old stories.

 

God, Heaven, Hell, No Dinosaurs, Virgin Birth, and Coming Back From The Dead do not fail any sort of "reason test." And again, an atheist gets the definition of "faith" wrong.

 

The fact that you think the creation story is some sort of important belief that every christian holds is a joke.

[The Collector]

They all fail MY reason test. And like I said, that was just a short list.

[burning 4 revenge]

I dont know many people who literally believe in God in the Christian fundamentalist sense, but I see them on TV a lot

[alphamale]

I dont know many people who literally believe in God in the Christian fundamentalist sense, but I see them on TV a lot

indeed b4r

[Toki]

Is faith unreasonable?

[quankanne]

I dont know many people who literally believe in God in the Christian fundamentalist sense, but I see them on TV a lot

 

:laugh: you mean the televangelists with freaky hair and fake smiles?

[TaraMaiden]

you talkin' to me?

 

A person who spent 43 years in the Catholic faith, nearly joined an order of nuns, and studied theology?

You talkin' to me?

 

Meh...!

 

I wasn't defining the word 'Faith' as per a dictionary...I was defining the word faith as per its usage when discussing fact and fiction.

 

But ok, I'll play your game.....

 

Reason and faith are not mutually exclusive, and that is where you fail epically. You don't even know what the true definition of faith here. Here, let me help you.

 

faith 

 

–noun 1.confidence or trust in a person or thing: faith in another's ability.

 

The 'faith' used in the bible and throughout christian history has always been 'trust in God.' It has never meant 'blind belief' or 'belief in something without evidence.' That's just what nonbelievers have tried to change it to to make religious people look stupid or gullible.

 

we don't need to make them 'try' to look like anything. They do a pretty good job of it themselves....

Odd you should use the word 'trust'...it bears me out......

 

Ok, my go.....

 

From the Greater Oxford English Dictionary 35th Edition:

trust

• noun 1 firm belief in the reliability, truth, ability, or strength of someone or something. 2 acceptance of the truth of a statement without evidence or investigation.

 

and as a verb:

• verb 1: have trust in. 2: (trust with) have the confidence to allow (someone) to have, use, or look after. 3: (trust to) commit (someone or something) to the safekeeping of. 4: (trust, to) place reliance on (luck, fate, etc.). 5 have confidence; hope: I trust that you have enjoyed this book.

 

So actually, I was absolutely spot-on....

 

The fact is, 'reason' does not contradict christian belief in any way shape or form, and you really need to get more educated in this subject before you start making posts on the internet and trying to act like some philosopher.

 

Reason is in essence, the very thing which flies in the face of religious zealots. It's something which they find deeply threatening and disturbing.....

[deux ex machina]

...But why is it, when it comes to living, we always put Reason before Blind faith in every facet of our lives (school, learning, math, our jobs, everything) UNTIL it comes to Religion, then it gets thrown out the window, and this is perfectly acceptable to the majorty of the human race ??

 

I'm not Religious, but I do have faith - so I can't really speak to your question directly - however, I do believe that faith and reason can definitely coexist with no special amount of weight given one or the other the majority of the time.

[quankanne]

A person who spent 43 years in the Catholic faith, nearly joined an order of nuns, and studied theology?

 

boy, wouldn't the outfit on your avvy be an eye-opening "modern habit"!

[sally4sara]

I dont know many people who literally believe in God in the Christian fundamentalist sense, but I see them on TV a lot

 

Oh, well that would be 90 percent of my family. I too had the same loss of faith upon being exposed to hard sciences and other compelling information instead of the christian approved stuff I'd been fed my whole life. I now stand where I don't feel I can say we don't have a creator in some sense, but it is too far fetched to be the creator I was taught or the other god alternatives I felt I had to look to to fill the void.

 

My family and I cannot comfortably have even idle chitchat as their faith is a strict filter through which all other information must be passed through to be credible and acceptable. The last time I tried to converse with my mother, she told me the topic was likely so trumped up that no one else knew of it. I told her it was on 20/20 last week; a long standing show on a major TV network.....

She suddenly needed to get off the phone.

[TaraMaiden]

It has everything to do with Religion.

At least, my religion. Unless you're going to tell me my religion isn't a religion at all.

 

The title of the thread is "Faith vs Reason: Which is more important in your life?"

 

The two in my religion, are synonymous.

I have Faith (confidence) in my religion, precisely because we use Reason, not Hope, to follow it.

[TaraMaiden]

A person who spent 43 years in the Catholic faith, nearly joined an order of nuns, and studied theology?

 

boy, wouldn't the outfit on your avvy be an eye-opening "modern habit"!

 

Don't.

Just don't.

Bad!!

 

Bad!! :lmao:

[Rooster_DAR]

The only things you listed that aren't reasonable are the stories of the dude in the whale, Noah being 900 years old and "no dinosaurs", because those are just old stories.

 

God, Heaven, Hell, No Dinosaurs, Virgin Birth, and Coming Back From The Dead do not fail any sort of "reason test." And again, an atheist gets the definition of "faith" wrong.

 

The fact that you think the creation story is some sort of important belief that every christian holds is a joke.

 

LOL????????????

 

Your kidding!

 

I've have come to the conclusion that your delusional beliefs have you fighting for air while the vacuum of science reduces your intelligence to lame posts like this.

 

Truly amazing,