Is Faith a Virtue?

[MalthusX]

The posts about evolution not making sense annoy me somewhat, but I too have a question to which the answer will seem obvious to many, many, people. Many people espouse the view that religions are good because of faith, after-school specials of all types espouse the virtues of faith, and having a lack of faith seems to be a damning indictment. But would someone please explain to me WHY faith is a virtue? I can't see the morality in choosing to believe something that you cannot prove.

Please note that faith and hope are not the seem thing. I can hope that things will get better, that things will turn out all right, but I won't believe that they will without some sort of proof or indication.

 

[Katherine Kerensky]

not really, but patience is.
you don't have to have faith in a religion, it can be anything
as you said, you can hope things will get better. but for that you have to wait. Patience

 

[MalthusX]

not really, but patience is.
you don't have to have faith in a religion, it can be anything

Thanks for the reply man.

also, to anyone else just ignore the thread. I was annoyed and regret doing something that could continue a flame war. Just ignore this topic, and go back to what really matters:

Having fun and Video games.

 

[NeutralDrow]

Depends on who you ask.

 

[grimsprice]

Faith is a virtue, it gives people hope, and i gives them a feeling that their life is meaningful. I personally don't need faith, but thats just me.

 

[Bunyip Andler]

Faith is not a virtue in the slightest. If anything, it is a sin.

Faith implores people to not ask questions and to assume what they're being told is true. It teaches people to accept things as they are, and what is taught to them is absolute truth.

It's important to question the things that you're told and to look for one's own answers. Scientific intrigue is extremely important and helps to build a free-thinking society.

what's society's place to say what is good or not?

Societies need a list of morals. It is what sets social guidelines; it is what creates the law. The moral zeitgeist of a society is integral to its growth. A society with no morals (and I mean literally *zero* morals) would be a de facto anarchy.

 

[Biosophilogical]

Faith is not a virtue. Screw virtues as a whole, what's society's place to say what is good or not?

Oh hohohohohoho the irony!!! Who are you to say faith is not a virtue. It really depends on what you hope to achieve and whether faith helps you achieve it. But seriously the irony in that statement was as thick as liquid tar.

 

[Bunyip Andler]

Hmm, let me think of a reason...

It's not inherently good.
It's fucking stupid to believe it's good.

There.

That's not a reason at all. That is simply stating your opinion as fact, and then basing your opinion on the so-called "fact". It can be done both ways. For the sake of argument, listen to this:

"Faith is inherently good.
It's stupid to believe it's not good.

There."

 

[Biosophilogical]

Faith is not a virtue. Screw virtues as a whole, what's society's place to say what is good or not?

Oh hohohohohoho the irony!!! Who are you to say faith is not a virtue. It really depends on what you hope to achieve and whether faith helps you achieve it. But seriously the irony in that statement was as thick as liquid tar.

Hmm, let me think of a reason...

It's not inherently good.
It's fucking stupid to believe it's good.

There.

Oh the irony is giving me lead poisoning!!! ahahaahahahahaha!!! I'm sorry for laughing but your statements made me laugh very very very hard.

OT: You may have missed the entire point of what I just said. You basically said that people can't tell you what is right and wrong what is good and bad then went ahead and did just that. I respect your opinion but I find it quite humorou. What I meant was that, (and I am agreeing with your first little bit) the value of faith as a virtue depends entirely on your perspective.

 

[klakkat]

Faith, like anything, can be good in moderation. It is your trust in your fellow man, which can be limited to just your immediate family and friends if you aren't an optimist. You can also have faith in the world, that despite some rough events everything will be okay, though not perfect. I have faith that this world isn't going to blow up on 2012. See? Faith is everywhere. It doesn't have to be bad.

Honestly though, what IS so bad about having faith in God, or Allah, or any other religion? Nothing inherently. So long as you still hold your own morals, and use religion to improve upon those morals, than your religious faith is helpful. If your faith is such that you give all your money to evangelists, then it's gone to far, and is hurting you.

Moderation. There is nothing inherently bad in having faith in something other than yourself, so long as you know to guard against those that would abuse your faith, and don't let faith get too strong and control you. Faith can be a dangerous thing if you let it get out of hand.

 

[Agayek]

That's not a reason at all. That is simply stating your opinion as fact, and then basing your opinion on the so-called "fact". It can be done both ways. For the sake of argument, listen to this:

"Faith is inherently good.
It's stupid to believe it's not good.

There."

Faith encourages blind obedience, and lack of any sort of critical thinking. That's one of the reasons it was pushed so hard by the Catholic Church during the Dark Ages. There are both positives and negatives to it, but it seems to me the negatives far outweigh the positives. The ability to fulfill that irrational human desire to be a part of something larger than oneself is in no way equal compensation for losing all capacity for independent thought.

 

[Abedeus]

That's not a reason at all. That is simply stating your opinion as fact, and then basing your opinion on the so-called "fact". It can be done both ways. For the sake of argument, listen to this:

"Faith is inherently good.
It's stupid to believe it's not good.

There."

Faith encourages blind obedience, and lack of any sort of critical thinking. That's one of the reasons it was pushed so hard by the Catholic Church during the Dark Ages. There are both positives and negatives to it, but it seems to me the negatives far outweigh the positives. The ability to fulfill that irrational human desire to be a part of something larger than oneself is in no way equal compensation for losing all capacity for independent thought.

You are complaining about religion, because of people?

I'll complain about nuclear energy, because people in Chernobyl made a mistake. And I will not be reasoned with.

 

[LongAndShort]

I think Faith can be good or bad. On the one hand it can create hope (and fear in some situations) and trust. On the other it can be used as an excuse to blow yourself up or simply be a complete dick. I think whether faith is a virtue or not should be taken case by case, and remember that opinions are subjective not objective.

 

[Bunyip Andler]

Faith encourages blind obedience, and lack of any sort of critical thinking. That's one of the reasons it was pushed so hard by the Catholic Church during the Dark Ages. There are both positives and negatives to it, but it seems to me the negatives far outweigh the positives. The ability to fulfill that irrational human desire to be a part of something larger than oneself is in no way equal compensation for losing all capacity for independent thought.

Why did you quote me? Also, it's not just the Catholic Church. All major religions (except for perhaps Buddhism) promote faith. If they didn't, they would stop having followers not be a major religion.

 

[FROGGEman2]

Define virtue.

Yeah, pretty much this, in a world where the definition of a single word is as flexible as it is, "virtue" means very little.

Which is actually quite tragic.

 

[nate30030]

if you don't have faith, then you wouldn't be here, because, as WanderFreak put's it:

Believe REAL hard that you won't die when you jump off a building and see how far you make it to the ground before you realize God's not answering your prayers.

but thats only if you have false faith because you cannot have faith in anything else why is basically cult logic, and btw WanderFreak when the devil tempted jesus in the desert during passover by bringing him otop a building and saying that if you truly are the son of god he will send angels below to slow your fall, but jesus just said do not test god for you do not control him. So anyways, if you don't have faith you can breath, then you might not. If you don't have faith you can get up, you might not even try. And eventually when you can't do anything, you'll, well, die. Now isn't that just pleseant? ^__^

 

[nate30030]

not really, but patience is.
you don't have to have faith in a religion, it can be anything

Thanks for the reply man.

also, to anyone else just ignore the thread. I was annoyed and regret doing something that could continue a flame war. Just ignore this topic, and go back to what really matters:

Having fun and Video games.

oh, and fat chance

 

[BiscuitTrouser]

Faith isnt a virture, its the most powerfull weapon in the history of mankind and will continue to be. Faith can be used to do the most terrible terrible things. Having someones unshaking devotion is a dangerous thing (im thinking pope here) and if misued can make the world a very bad place indeed (thinking crusades/inquesition/holy wars). If focussed into morally good things however faith can be powerfull in a good way. Faith has power because it needs no explanation, thats why its faith, and thats why any gods dont show themselves because it would make faith pointless. If you proved god existed faith wouldnt exist. Anyway with faith you have peoples certain fealty as a representation of "God" or of a religion. If the leaders of said religion had truly faithfull followers (100% subservant) and had quite a few of them it could do pretty much anything it wanted. It could tell its followers to do anything and they would do it having faith that their God wants it to happen. You could start wars that way. People did. Having pure faith means you are 100% certain anyone and everyone else is wrong concerning anything that goes against your faith. Thats not a virtue, thats single mindedness.

 

[WayOutThere]

Faith is a virtue, it gives people hope, and i gives them a feeling that their life is meaningful. I personally don't need faith, but thats just me.

We should not have to accept completely unproven claims to get that stuff.

I have faith that this world isn't going to blow up on 2012.

That's not faith, its rationality.

Honestly though, what IS so bad about having faith in God, or Allah, or any other religion? Nothing inherently.

I believe that holding beliefs without evidence is inherently bad. It will impair your ability to recognize correct ideas.

 

[wordsmith]

No, Faith is a runner [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mirror%27s_Edge]. Easy mistake to make though.