Is faith a reliable way of knowing something?
101382
If you mean faith as in religion then I guess the negative answers so far are pretty much on target. But even in purely scientific endeavours we are forced to have a certain kind of "faith." Ultimately we assume axioms - we cannot prove them.\n\nThe edge science has is that it can predict results, and those results can be reproduced. Even then, many choose not to believe in science or its method.
933356
Of course it is. Whenever people see us living our beliefs and succeeding at it, they will respect us and our faith. Living faith is the greatest way to reach others. Want proof? Look at Martin Luther King Jr., Billy Graham, Ghandi, or the Dahli Lama. These are some of the people that have lived their faith and not shoved it down others throats. They are some of the most respected people of faith known. Try these on for size: Martin Luther, Mother Teresa, and Jesus Christ. It is easy to speak the words, but living it is the proof. Try it.
402866
Endurance, in relation to Faith, is the power to sustain your belief in spite of the things that tempt you to doubt. I have discovered that the greater your faith is, the more trying and testing it will become to sustain it. If you endure the trials, your faith will come out shining. You cannot achieve a greater faith in any other way.
315921
You can say the same thing about the bible.  Other than faith there is nothing to say it is true just because some of the stuff mentioned existed in that time doesn't make the whole book true.
846721
You bet! And vice versa. \n\nMy faith and my gods want me to ask questions. We grow by asking questions and seeking answers. Most of the time asking questions leads to more questions, but it's been my experience that asking questions and having doubts can strengthen faith.
289763
You can have both.While intellect uses reason and logic It is not at all a contradiction to have faith or hope or wonder about the mysteries of life .Scientists cannot measure some things so they cannot be proved or disproved.Yet.
521101
Well, not really. I guess that's why knowledge is so important. So that you can figure it out which one is diamond and which one is fake. So honestly, if you believe in something, it's because of your knowledge that make you feel that way.\n\nProof? Compare the intellect of any real successful and religious(not because his mom says so) people with morons. Much different.\n\nI take it you refer to religion choice. Just investigate whatever you feel suspicious about and increase your knowledge along the way. Sooner or later, you'll find the real answer to your problem.
901559
I will tell you the truth..... I am strong in my faith.... I believe as I believe, not because my parents taught me the way, or that it was passed on to me from any other... but because I have studied it myself and came to the conclusion that what my parents have passed on to me is the Truth.......\n\nYet, if I were born in another country whose faith differs from what I know today, then I would be strong in another faith.....\n\nand that is because I would have studied what was given me from my parents and because it is the way that my people have always known the Lord God..... and that is how I would serve Him.\n\n\nYour sister,\nGinger,\ngmcfayden@yahoo.com
672031
Long after other faiths knew it for a fact
186061
:i\ndefined knowledge , trust , belief without emperical tangable evidence\nHeb 11:1  Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.\n\nmore coming .... need time to write\n\nI have always had difficulty just trusting. I like and believe in logic and empirical evidence. Intuition, emotional decisions and insight all meant error to me. \n That was the case until a very close loved one was on her death bed, the doctors told me there was little hope, there remained only a prayer for a peaceful passing. Unable to pray for that I prayed for recovery. Hours later I felt a kind of peace and a feeling she would recover. She is with me now. In that prayer I prayed if he would grant that prayer I would trust all he said or did forever.\n It still did not come easy but with each experience of his faithfulness, and as I read scripture and stories of his faithfulness to the Israelites, my own faith grew stronger\n\nAs for the last part of your question, the object of the faith is the only thing which is important. His faithfulness is what gives faith it’s evidence
621836
yes it is called faith. all religions use it in prodigious amounts.
1024395
Truth is true whether we understand it or believe it. You said yourself, something is true or it isn't. It can't be both. People are fallible. Nobody has perfect understanding. All we can do is share what we believe to the best we understand it. God communicates through imperfect people, through nature, through the Bible. He will be found if you look for Him. But there is still some mystery to it. It requires faith, not every question has an easy answer
84066
you can not fully be a believer in anything without asking questions.  if you are blindly calling yourself a member of a religion without asking questions, you are not a real believer.  if you are not willing to ask questions then your faith is not strong.  only real belief is strong enough to withstand questioning.  so if someone does not or will not question then they cannot say they truly believe.  even religious teaching tells you to find the truth and gain knowledge.  the only way to do that is to question what you believe.  the apostles questioned their faith and they walked and talked with jesus.  st. augustine, st. thomas of aquinas, john the baptist, martin luther, and others all questioned their faith.  so do it and see where you really stand.  anyone who doesn’t is an idiot without the capability of thought or understanding who blindly follows anything.
1081345
I don't know.\n\nI've learned more about what other's think and why they believe as they do.  I've been challenged to think about and answer questions I hadn't considered.  But my faith remains.
2674
Why do you need proof to have faith? The definition of faith is believing without seeing.  Jesus makes reference to this many times in the Bible.  He didn't want to perform miracles because he didn't want to have to prove who he was.  He just wanted people to believe. I mean, isn't it kind of an insult to someone when you ask for proof?  It means you don't trust that person and you can't have a relationship without trust.  If you don't trust that he is the Messiah, you can't have a relationship with him.
517155
There is no "proof" of God. Do you know the definition of FAITH?
1155590
No one can say for sure, for proving Gods existence would remove the need for faith. Without faith God does not exist.\nThe concept of Gods was created by every culture independent of each other. Can the whole of humanity be wrong?