Faith
Faith, as defined by Dictionary.com is :
Confidence or trust in a person or thing: faith in another's ability. A belief that is not based on proof:
What is actually meant when we say faith. In most minds it is an adherence to a religion, the belief in a god and the doctrines or teachings of that religion. But what of the faith towards an individual or organisation in the secular sense? I have faith in John and believe he will not let me down, Or I have faith that the company will do the right thing. Are these leaps of faith any different to that of religion? they are after all a belief. This rebuff is so often used by the religious with the claim that we all have personal beliefs be it social, political or religious, and that a religious belief is no different to that of an atheist / agnostic.
Being and Atheist requires no faith. It is faith-less. I personally see no logical reason for a god or gods. Nothing more, nothing less. We make no philosophical, ideological, religious, or moral claims. A disbelief in the existence of a supreme being or beings. It is derived from the greek áthe ( os ) meaning simply "godless". I have no belief of or in any god, deity or superstition. It is not a belief system, there is no adherence to, or a following of .... anything. So does having faith in someone or something mean that as an Atheist I am being a little hypocritical when I state that this type of faith is completely different to religious faith? That I am closed off, either not wanting or willing to open myself up, Pretending as it were or just simply ignoring they are the same thing.
When you have a faith in someone or something it is normal to base that assumption on something tangible, some reason, some logic, common sense or evidence. Having faith in John not to let you down would for most people mean that you know him personally or by reputation. You would have an association, a track record, knowledge of his personality and events to base your faith on. In other words TRUST.
If you met John today and knew nothing about him he would be a total stranger to you, with no introduction then all you can do is hope that he is a upstanding respectable person and give him the same respect you would give any human being. You would hope that in turn John will reciprocate the same back to you. But would you have faith in this new acquaintance? lend him money?, lend him your car? share your private thoughts? invite him to your home, or leave him alone with your children. NO you wouldn't. No one would do this. people measure their trust and faith against common sense, logic and reason.
Faith in either a person, organisation or situation is based on past experiences or knowledge. There is a varying degree of trust and faith depending on many factors. I would not put my trust or have faith in someone I had just met with the majority of things in my life. SO they are not the same thing, Faith in religion is to follow without question, something that no normal human being would even think of doing with any other aspect of their lives. With anything else other than their religion most demand proof, want evidence or need certain reassurances. If this was not the case then we would have no need for contracts, courts or arbitration as we would know that no one would break laws or be dishonest towards us. Trust is gained or lost depending on your interaction and is built up over time.
Gods have been around in one guise or another for thousands of years. Religion has been forced onto and into the lives of the populous, ingrained in the very fabric of society. Society was indoctrinated. The church kept up it's relentless pressure to follow and believe right from the beginning in the Roman Empire, through the crusades and the inquisition until it was a normal every day thing that very very few would either challenge or speak out against. The church expanded and with that expansion came a total power so, to defy the church meant punishment, torture and often death. In the middle ages very few would dare to ask questions or challenge faith, they followed it without question. The church had total power.
Indoctrination from birth is without doubt the main reason a person has faith. From an early age there is a constant barrage of a particular god, it's doctrines, traditions, and dogma from organised religion, parents, the media, friends or the more totalitarian regimes of state sponsored religion.
Gods have been around in one guise or another for thousands of years. Religion has been forced onto and into the lives of the populous, ingrained in the very fabric of society. Society was indoctrinated. The church kept up it's relentless pressure to follow and believe right from the beginning in the Roman Empire, through the crusades and the inquisition until it was a normal every day thing that very very few would either challenge or speak out against. The church expanded and with that expansion came a total power so, to defy the church meant punishment, torture and often death. In the middle ages very few would dare to ask questions or challenge faith, they followed it without question. The church had total power.
Indoctrination from birth is without doubt the main reason a person has faith. From an early age there is a constant barrage of a particular god, it's doctrines, traditions, and dogma from organised religion, parents, the media, friends or the more totalitarian regimes of state sponsored religion.
It is impossible to escape the constant influx and interference of religion in one form or another from the moment a person is born. Millions and Millions of people simply go along with Religious tradition indoctrinating their young just as they were. They have faith without question. Luckily they have been born in the right country with the right god. They have their version of their faith and happily go about their lives, content. It is
totally ingrained in the society or family. They cannot know anything else as to question religion is a sin, a sure way to be ostracized. Or worse. |
In the past the western world was much like the Muslim world is today where Religion was state sponsored and pushed on the population, you either went along with the religion or you paid the price. In the 21st century most western societies have made gigantic steps toward secular laws to prevent discrimination against and by religion.
2000 years ago the common person was not educated, was totally unaware of facts about their world, some thought the world was flat, many different religions were abound and often revolved around animals, the stars, the sun or the moon. Science started to evolve Galileo who dared to show that things associated to god could be explained using science was imprisoned for publishing a book of his findings. Science began to challenge Faith, to explain the world and its workings, to show that it had nothing to do with a god or gods. Slowly, science began to relegate god as more and more was discovered with repeatable, demonstrable facts. Discoveries that in the past were the domain of god were shown to be natural and scientifically predictable. Religions stranglehold and claim of having all the answers began to falter. Slowly faith was being questioned and to be driven back as more and more of the worlds population started to question.
In the 20th century the term "god of the gaps" was being used as religion was challenged by scientific knowledge, Religion was being marginalized to the point that when science did not yet know the answer to something the faithful would exclaim SCIENCE CAN'T EXPLAIN IT.......THEREFORE IT MUST BE GOD! This is faith. No matter what the evidence , no matter what reason or common sense tells a person, faith is paramount and must not be questioned. That is a mortal sin.
In the 20th century the term "god of the gaps" was being used as religion was challenged by scientific knowledge, Religion was being marginalized to the point that when science did not yet know the answer to something the faithful would exclaim SCIENCE CAN'T EXPLAIN IT.......THEREFORE IT MUST BE GOD! This is faith. No matter what the evidence , no matter what reason or common sense tells a person, faith is paramount and must not be questioned. That is a mortal sin.
Religion condemned science in all it's forms since man began to think and ask these scientific questions. Religion then realized late in the 20th century that it cannot compete against the explosion of science, it's discoveries, ideas and facts. Now many religious people have turned the tables around to embrace science with a new claim that SCIENCE IS PROOF OF GOD. God created the natural world with the laws of physics so the faithful are happy to use this argument to justify and shore up their faith. This is a monumental PR stunt, just like hijacking 25th December and claiming their god is the right god out of all the other gods. This is the reasoning in the mind of the religious.
Yuri Gagarin. First man in space.
Humans naturally fear death. Self preservation is an in-built instinct. It is in the forefront of our consciousness, that death is it. Final. The end, Nothing more. That you cease to exist in any form with your consciousness gone is something every single person has to face and accept in life. We will all die one day THAT is inevitable.
The religious have a faith that offers them something in this situation, someone or something is looking after them, watching them, guiding them. Upon death a devout, righteous believer and follower is rewarded with heaven. It is a powerful thought. One that is fostered by parents, friends, priests, bishops the church and the Pope. it is referenced in films, books and literature all over the planet in every language.
IT HAS NO BASIS IN FACT. It is simply blind faith. A desire, a want a need to be saved and not be cast into the alternative.. Hell. We all want to be helped, loved and guided in some fashion, Wanting something doesn't make it true and believing in something doesn't mean it will happen no matter how much or how powerful the desire. It is faith. I have heard all to often in conversation that it is better to believe in god than not to believe just in case. The fact that your god would know as he is omnipotent what is in your heart and would see through a deception of this nature is lost on most... AND THAT IS THE Juxtaposition. Your god has this so called power and you WILL believe, you WILL follow, you WILL obey or else. It is coercion, dictatorial and immoral. That you would not be a good person, act in a kind way and live a decent life without this coercion and dictatorial fulcrum acting on you is insulting and condescending.
The faithful are faithful out of a threat. BUT they will always claim it is because of a loving caring god. They cannot see the wood for the trees. as this rhetoric and dogma is indoctrinated from birth... As you have been born in the right country with the right god to the right group of people.
Science has determined that humans have a psychological propensity to believe in the supernatural, be it ghosts, aliens, contacting the dead, astrology etc. Desires, wants and needs added to the certain knowledge and fear of death plays on the psyche. If you throw religion into the mix with it's indoctrination, dogma and the constant reinforcement then an individual can and will believe 100% they will be saved by there god. They will have faith, providing of course you have followed all the rules of your given god during your lifetime. It is a cushion, a safety net. Extremely appealing. The I have nothing to loose syndrome. The believer will go along with this all their life. The fear of hell, the Devil, the other side of the coin is a very powerful foreboding element and an excellent shoehorn to help organised religion have a hold on your mind, body and purse strings. Thinking critically, logically with reason and common sense is not so appealing when you are considering your own mortality for many and having faith removes this fear of death being the end. it is best to fear your god than fear the end of existence.
The religious have a faith that offers them something in this situation, someone or something is looking after them, watching them, guiding them. Upon death a devout, righteous believer and follower is rewarded with heaven. It is a powerful thought. One that is fostered by parents, friends, priests, bishops the church and the Pope. it is referenced in films, books and literature all over the planet in every language.
IT HAS NO BASIS IN FACT. It is simply blind faith. A desire, a want a need to be saved and not be cast into the alternative.. Hell. We all want to be helped, loved and guided in some fashion, Wanting something doesn't make it true and believing in something doesn't mean it will happen no matter how much or how powerful the desire. It is faith. I have heard all to often in conversation that it is better to believe in god than not to believe just in case. The fact that your god would know as he is omnipotent what is in your heart and would see through a deception of this nature is lost on most... AND THAT IS THE Juxtaposition. Your god has this so called power and you WILL believe, you WILL follow, you WILL obey or else. It is coercion, dictatorial and immoral. That you would not be a good person, act in a kind way and live a decent life without this coercion and dictatorial fulcrum acting on you is insulting and condescending.
The faithful are faithful out of a threat. BUT they will always claim it is because of a loving caring god. They cannot see the wood for the trees. as this rhetoric and dogma is indoctrinated from birth... As you have been born in the right country with the right god to the right group of people.
Science has determined that humans have a psychological propensity to believe in the supernatural, be it ghosts, aliens, contacting the dead, astrology etc. Desires, wants and needs added to the certain knowledge and fear of death plays on the psyche. If you throw religion into the mix with it's indoctrination, dogma and the constant reinforcement then an individual can and will believe 100% they will be saved by there god. They will have faith, providing of course you have followed all the rules of your given god during your lifetime. It is a cushion, a safety net. Extremely appealing. The I have nothing to loose syndrome. The believer will go along with this all their life. The fear of hell, the Devil, the other side of the coin is a very powerful foreboding element and an excellent shoehorn to help organised religion have a hold on your mind, body and purse strings. Thinking critically, logically with reason and common sense is not so appealing when you are considering your own mortality for many and having faith removes this fear of death being the end. it is best to fear your god than fear the end of existence.
The total lack of any evidence, using logic, reason and common sense and based on my experiences of the world lead me the conclusion that god is not real. And so, I personally have no faith in any god or superstition. I could be wrong about all of this but a religious follower is not allowed to even think let alone say they could be wrong or question their faith in their god because that very act is itself is a sin. It is a double edged sword you have to have faith to go to heaven if you do not have faith or question this faith you are condemned to hell. It is fear and uncertainty that promotes faith along with a need, a want and a desire.
The religious are beholden to an entity that demands total obedience and loyalty. Believe in me, do what I command when I command it, worship me and me alone, follow the words of the bible or I will cast you into eternal hell. This morphs into god loves me and I am special because he will give me everlasting life. Faith is arrived at because of fear.
The bible tells of a jealous god, that tortures, commits genocide kills on a whim, promotes slavery and sexism and warns of the wrath this god will bring to bear on those that do not believe or question. These traits are always left out or quietly forgotten as the faithful defend him because they have the overwhelming urge, need, want and desire to get into heaven. To be saved from total extinction and annihilation and the only way to do this is to subjugate your will to god and have faith.
ANYTHING that wraps them in their bubble and seems to support what is wanted, needed and desired is promoted and keeps them faithful. ANYTHING that can possibly be used to show or prove them wrong is ignored. Trying to square the circle and using pseudo science along with the protracted reasoning that science does not know the answer to a particular question therefore it must be god is twisted logic. Now add to this the latest buzzword that Atheism is a faith when it is the EXACT OPPOSITE then their faith is strengthened a little more as they feel happy to use non-sequitor language that confirms their faith rather than actually asking basic questions using real logic common sense and science.
The religious are beholden to an entity that demands total obedience and loyalty. Believe in me, do what I command when I command it, worship me and me alone, follow the words of the bible or I will cast you into eternal hell. This morphs into god loves me and I am special because he will give me everlasting life. Faith is arrived at because of fear.
The bible tells of a jealous god, that tortures, commits genocide kills on a whim, promotes slavery and sexism and warns of the wrath this god will bring to bear on those that do not believe or question. These traits are always left out or quietly forgotten as the faithful defend him because they have the overwhelming urge, need, want and desire to get into heaven. To be saved from total extinction and annihilation and the only way to do this is to subjugate your will to god and have faith.
ANYTHING that wraps them in their bubble and seems to support what is wanted, needed and desired is promoted and keeps them faithful. ANYTHING that can possibly be used to show or prove them wrong is ignored. Trying to square the circle and using pseudo science along with the protracted reasoning that science does not know the answer to a particular question therefore it must be god is twisted logic. Now add to this the latest buzzword that Atheism is a faith when it is the EXACT OPPOSITE then their faith is strengthened a little more as they feel happy to use non-sequitor language that confirms their faith rather than actually asking basic questions using real logic common sense and science.
No amount of science will prove (or disprove) a god. The faithful will believe their faith whatever question is posed or presented and no amount of science logic or common sense will divert the faithful from believing as it would condemn them to hell. The religious CANNOT EVEN be seen to waiver as this has been drilled into them from day one. if children were left to learn and not indoctrinated with religion from birth they would be free to choose, to learn and decide their own future without fear.
No matter what god you believe in It is just blind Faith based on nothing more than a deep seated fear. And a desperate need.
No matter what god you believe in It is just blind Faith based on nothing more than a deep seated fear. And a desperate need.