Faith isn't complex - its the belief in something despite the absence of any evidence. It doesn't matter what the scale is, you can use decimals so it could be 1 to 7 million - it doesn't matter - most people will fit easily between 1 and 7 - you either believe in a god, you don't, or you're absolutely on the fence. The extra points on the scale are just easier for defining.
Yeah but when you introduce decimal points into the scale numbers 1 & 7 become defunct, because you cannot for absolute certain totally believe or totally disbelieve without proof. So if you take the decimal points back out and ask boardies to pick the number closest to your thoughts on the whole faith thing. If you do what comes into play is blind faith (or blind lack of faith) which I think is the point of your post perhaps ??
Putting an exact number also discounts the whole "no athiest in foxholes" people can believe or disbelieve to lesser extents at different times.
wow, I am not so sure I want to get into a huge argument about this, but I am also surprised that there are not more ppl on the other side of the scale. so in the interest of balance I will post. I would say I am a 1.5 cuz no one can KNOW for all certainty that God does exist, that is why it is called FAITH. But yes, God is a very important part of my life, and I find nothing wrong w/ that.
Why does it surprise you that ther are not more people on the theist end of the scale?
Also, what reasoning do you give for 1.5 out of curiosity? As in what evidence are you basing such a strong belief on?
i suppose i was hoping that there would be a more diverse demographic posting on the board.
i didn't give an absolute 1 because, like i said, no one can know for absolute certainty that there is a God. as for choosing that side of the scale, living my life w/ a Christian purpose makes sense for me. it works for me. it gives me a reason, a purpose for being here. that is what faith is all about. as for evidence, if you REALLY want to get into it, Lee Strobel has tackled this quite thoroughly if you are interested. he was an atheist journalist who set out to disprove there was a God and ended up becoming a born-again Christian because the evidence he uncovered pointed overwhelmingly in that direction. a few of the books he has written are:
The Case for Christ
The Case for Faith: A Journalist Investigates the Toughest Objections to Christianity
The Case for a Creator: A Journalist Investigates Scientific Evidence That Points Toward God
while i believe these are good books, i have never felt like i needed proof for my belief. these types of books only reaffirm the decision i have made; to follow Christ. i think that there can be many many arguments for either side of the scale, but my decision is the right decision for ME. if my faith does not have a negative effect on others, then i don't think it matters whether i am 'right' or 'wrong'. i know that there are ppl who take their faith to the extreme and that has caused problems, but i do not think that that can be an adequate argument as to why faith is 'bad' because there are actually a lot of ppl who practice their faith peacefully. everyone has a choice to make in this world. i've made mine, and i am quite happy with it.
Since when did you have to be able to prove something to know it's true? My Mum died when I was nineteen. From then and till this day I know that I'll see her again when my time comes. Can I prove it? No, but I know it. Don't ask me how, I just do. Maybe sometimes we just need to accept that there's some things science just can't comprehend.
Go and throw an acid* down your neck and you'll see that, occasionally, things that science tells us are impossible, sometimes make perfect sense. Not that I'd advocate the use of illegal drugs you understand.
Since when did you have to be able to prove something to know it's true? My Mum died when I was nineteen. From then and till this day I know that I'll see her again when my time comes. Can I prove it? No, but I know it. Don't ask me how, I just do. Maybe sometimes we just need to accept that there's some things science just can't comprehend.
Go and throw an acid* down your neck and you'll see that, occasionally, things that science tells us are impossible, sometimes make perfect sense. Not that I'd advocate the use of illegal drugs you understand.
*Other drugs are available.
I'm sorry about your mum, thats very sad. Can I ask if your belief in seeing her again is a religeous one? Based upon seeing her in a 'heaven' or as a 'ghost'?
I know you've said not to ask how, but what evidence are you basing the 'fact' that you'll see her again on?
Finally, I hope that was a joke about taking drugs suggestion; since the dawn of time the cheiftans of tribes have fallaciously thought that these were telling them things about spirits etc, when they were pure and simple, hallucinations born purely of the minds imagination - unfortunately, these are dispelled easily by a combination of science and psychology as mere rapid firing snynapses. I mean from your viewpoint you could argue the same thing about dadreams are fevers or flu'.
i suppose i was hoping that there would be a more diverse demographic posting on the board.
i didn't give an absolute 1 because, like i said, no one can know for absolute certainty that there is a God. as for choosing that side of the scale, living my life w/ a Christian purpose makes sense for me. it works for me. it gives me a reason, a purpose for being here. that is what faith is all about. as for evidence, if you REALLY want to get into it, Lee Strobel has tackled this quite thoroughly if you are interested. he was an atheist journalist who set out to disprove there was a God and ended up becoming a born-again Christian because the evidence he uncovered pointed overwhelmingly in that direction. a few of the books he has written are:
The Case for Christ
The Case for Faith: A Journalist Investigates the Toughest Objections to Christianity
The Case for a Creator: A Journalist Investigates Scientific Evidence That Points Toward God
while i believe these are good books, i have never felt like i needed proof for my belief. these types of books only reaffirm the decision i have made; to follow Christ. i think that there can be many many arguments for either side of the scale, but my decision is the right decision for ME. if my faith does not have a negative effect on others, then i don't think it matters whether i am 'right' or 'wrong'. i know that there are ppl who take their faith to the extreme and that has caused problems, but i do not think that that can be an adequate argument as to why faith is 'bad' because there are actually a lot of ppl who practice their faith peacefully. everyone has a choice to make in this world. i've made mine, and i am quite happy with it. [/quote]
Hi there
I will eventually I'm sure look into Lee Strobel, but for the sake of this post is there any way you could highlight some of his findings for us to readabout? That would be hugely interesting.
Cheers
Hi there
I will eventually I'm sure look into Lee Strobel, but for the sake of this post is there any way you could highlight some of his findings for us to readabout? That would be hugely interesting.
Cheers
i don't mean to sound rude or blunt, but i think this topic is a bit too complicated to 'chat' about in a message board. i think that if someone is truly interested in learning about the different sides, s/he will do his/her research. i do not mind offering resources in order to help someone in their search, but i was honestly just polling in on where i was in the scale; i wasn't really looking to debate the subject.
i don't mean to sound rude or blunt, but i think this topic is a bit too complicated to 'chat' about in a message board. i think that if someone is truly interested in learning about the different sides, s/he will do his/her research. i do not mind offering resources in order to help someone in their search, but i was honestly just polling in on where i was in the scale; i wasn't really looking to debate the subject.
OK thats no problem. I wasn't looking to argue your post at all I was just wondering if you could give an example of his 'evidence' just for clarity. Thats some very strong and outrageous claims, but I'll look into it and maybe discuss his work with you another time. I get the feeling I'll be making some posts about it!
I'm sorry about your mum, thats very sad. Can I ask if your belief in seeing her again is a religeous one? Based upon seeing her in a 'heaven' or as a 'ghost'?
I know you've said not to ask how, but what evidence are you basing the 'fact' that you'll see her again on?
Finally, I hope that was a joke about taking drugs suggestion; since the dawn of time the cheiftans of tribes have fallaciously thought that these were telling them things about spirits etc, when they were pure and simple, hallucinations born purely of the minds imagination - unfortunately, these are dispelled easily by a combination of science and psychology as mere rapid firing snynapses. I mean from your viewpoint you could argue the same thing about dadreams are fevers or flu'.
Aye, no worries. I'm 30 so it was a long time ago now. I suppose if you want to give it a label then it would be a kind of heaven I'm talking about. I just believe that our spirits will meet again one day, and that she's watching over me until then. Like I say, I've no proof of this but that's alright, I'm happy just knowing.
i don't mean to sound rude or blunt, but i think this topic is a bit too complicated to 'chat' about in a message board. i think that if someone is truly interested in learning about the different sides, s/he will do his/her research. i do not mind offering resources in order to help someone in their search, but i was honestly just polling in on where i was in the scale; i wasn't really looking to debate the subject.
Hi, i'll make this brief. PLEASE, if you have any sense, STOP listening to or reading from Lee Strobel. I'm begging you. Please don't quote his name or use his literature or opinions because he is certifiably one of the stupidest people I have ever heard from and has absolutely no understanding of the proven existing world. He needs to be locked up - he is INSANE.
Hi there
I will eventually I'm sure look into Lee Strobel, but for the sake of this post is there any way you could highlight some of his findings for us to readabout? That would be hugely interesting.
Cheers
i don't mean to sound rude or blunt, but i think this topic is a bit too complicated to 'chat' about in a message board. i think that if someone is truly interested in learning about the different sides, s/he will do his/her research. i do not mind offering resources in order to help someone in their search, but i was honestly just polling in on where i was in the scale; i wasn't really looking to debate the subject.
I think what I said here was perefctly reasonable and polite, as was my other post to you - not mean or unpleasant. You've given me a suggestion of reading material, and I'm very interested (as I said) to find out more, and merely asked if you be so kind as to highlight some of Strobel's findings to save us all scurrying for the books. Thats fine if you don't want to be part of the discussion (not debate, no one is debating here) but you can't accuse anyone of not doing their research - I specifcally asked for materiall from you, but then found it myself anyway. Do most Christians or otherwise look carefully into evolution (the proven scientific fact) or into the big bang THEORY or anything like these? for the most part (but obviously not all) no, they generally don't.
