Are most religions "Blind Faith?"  If so, how can people put so much trust in something they're not sure of?
611262
I have looked for and found personal experience with the spiritual world. I was raised Christian, but found the dogma and blind faith to be not enough. I got into witchcraft and formed a relationship with ancient Germanic dieties. I can say from personal experience that spirituality is real and not just all about blind faith and social conformity. Something is there, but it conforms to your expectations so its something that science can easily dismiss as fantasy. I read that some recent study on particle physics showed that some particles can 'pick up' on the expectations of the researchers and thus ruin an experiment by always created the 'desired results'. \nReligeon is a social contruct for the purpose of explaining the unexplainable to many other people who have not directly witnessed the original events or situations. Spirituality, on the other hand, is an innate and highly individual part of each human's psyche. You could try an experiement on this. Choose an ancient god or goddess, look up their associations, create an altar to Him/Her, and pray to them regularly for a specific thing and see if it happens. Dietal associations are things like colors, flowers, stones, metals, incense, objects, animals and other stuff that are representative of that diety. Praying has several parts. Giving of adoration, like saying a flowery speach about he good things you admire about the diety (try to mean some of it). Petitioning is the part where you ask the diety to help you do something, bring something to you, or cause something to happen. Thanksgiving is at the end and its when you thank the diety for its attention.\nPersonal experience is not very scientific and it generally cant be reproduced for another person it exactly the same way with the same results. Religeon is the attempt to replicate the spiritual experience for others. Thats the nature of the spiritual.
1122570
It's all about faith. In fact, every religion requires faith. And when a person accepts Christ, God looks at "the faith." People aren't supposed to understand the mind of God. We weren't meant too.\n\nInstead, we're supposed to trust Him no matter what. For myself, I'd rather live for something worth dying for, rather than living for nothing at all. \n\nThough it may seem hard to believe something without physical evidence, a man must wait upon the Lord for renewed strength and a new vision to see the light.
243736
You made me smile ... good question ... maybe because we accept on faith the big things that we cannot check, but like to have personal experience of the little ones that are within our power to check ... just my thoughts ...
395801
You can believe--or not believe--in anything you choose. It's nobody's business but your own. However, there are some people in the world who are profoundly insecure in their faith, and are simultaneously laboring under the delusion that they have all the answers. How lucky for them; it must make one's life easy to have all the answers all the time. And since they feel they have the answers, they feel threatened by questions that challenge their pre-fabricated worldview. These types of people are unable to see shades of grey, so their world is a very two-dimensional black-and-white place. Arguing with them is an exercise in futility, so the best that you can do is wish them peace and carry on with your life.
141231
By having faith,is that so bad?
267886
Many people will only believe things that they can see. But like Jesus said, "blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed" (John 20:29). So consider yourself blessed. \n\nContinue believing Brown Sugar, don't ever let their ideals deceive and mold you otherwise.
806044
Well said, and thank you. You might have a point. I'd like to think that one doesn't have to have no faith, to have manners, intellect, and a sense of humor. But If you've ever noticed someone who is deeply religious, they are always trying to convert you, or convince you otherwise. Whereas I've never tried to push my belief on anyone. In fact, If it wasn't for people, mostly coworkers, trying to ask for donations, or just asking me questions about my faith, they would never know that I'm not a religious person. But based on that one principal, now they keep there distance...Goddamn hypocrites!!
1187025
Absolutely, I refuse to believe blindly in religions written by men.  Even if God spoke to these men, I have to assume that some things were lost in translation.  I do, however, pray everyday that human-kind will awaken their desire to walk in the way of love.
554941
I think many believe in their religions entirely, they are just very good at rationalizing their own departures from religious laws because, like all human beings, they put themselves before others. Moreover, that fact that all they have to do in some cases is ask for forgiveness or perform some act of repentence makes it that much easier for them to sin and still claim to be a believer. It doesn't help matters that in many cases, scripture is confusing or contradictory, giving people of faith the opportunity to classify certain behaviors as an exception to the rules, or allowing them to argue against certain laws by citing other scripture that seems to differ.
746014
Blind faith implies not questioning the source, be it God or Charles Manson. And blind faith IS bad, for Religion, for Society, and for individuals.\n\nI have faith, educated, researched faith, and answers to all my questions. There is a diffrence between educating yourself on the source, and following without question.\n\nGood Question, and good point as well.
481011
That would be faith...or ignorance.  Depends on how much thought goes into it.\n\nPersonally I view faith like this:  If someone believes in god, the bible, etc.  More power to 'em!  However, if you present a different point of view, and they cover their ears, close their eyes and scream, "Lies!"...that's not faith, that's ignorance.\n\nIf they ignore your question and quote the bible...the same book they know nothing about, that's ignorance\n\nIf they KNOW they're right and you're wrong, that's ignorance.\n\nIf they believe in God with knowledge, understanding, acceptence, and reservation that while their faith is absolute, that there are other possibilities, or that we are too ill informed or lack the understanding to comprehend the workings of the universe...that's faith.\n\nTo be agnostic, like I am, means you don't have faith.  Personally, I don't have a clue what's going on.  I know the bible isn't accurate, we've proven Genesis to be wrong 100x over.  However, I do agree with many of its teachings.  How did we get here?  Dunno.  How does life work?  Dunno.  Is there a God?  Dunno.  Is God as the bible describes?  Probably not, but dunno.  Good news about being agnostic is it allows you the freedom to think and examine.  You're not stuck in an organized religion that recites the same thing to you day after day.  Your free to analyze and accept that there are somethings you just don't know.  On the one had its very liberating.  On the other it carries responsibility because you don't have something to blame, or to believe will take care of you...you lose the "knowledge" that everything's under control.\n\nSo, I'm all for agnostic.  I'm comfortable knowing that I don't know. I LOVE studying theology, laughing when a religious person avoids thought, and learning when a religious person makes a good point.\n\nFor examples:  Look to spur4eight.  He'll make intelligent arguements for Christianity.  I disagree with many of them, but hey...that's faith.  For ignorance, look at Mainworry.  He'll ignore questions completely that require any sort of thought towards religion, and reply either with biblical quotes or insults.
1158213
Very good question. I believe that its the Christians way to get you to believe in something blindly and accept it just like they do.
324924
Yes. And I know the religious arguments set forth by some in certain faiths against such things. But I also know that many religions accept such things as normal, even good. I have experienced, first hand, such communications. I wonder if the religious folks who say its wrong can do that? I mean, base what they say about in on actual personal experience, rather than what someone else said in a book written in a different language, in a different culture, centuries ago? Probably not. But that's OK, they can believe what they want. I do. And I know, from my own experience, that people who have passed on can and do communicate. Spirit communication with departed souls is a very real thing. And can be a very wonderful experience.. And its them, not some "fallen angel" or "evil spirit" pretending to be them. How do I know THAT? I've talked with them.
212978
Actually, all that stuff is too confusing for the average Joe to consider. I think it actually takes more faith to believe all that stuff than it does to believe in creation. Of course, that's just MY take on the whole matter. It's almost like believing a junk yard blew up one day, then came back together to form a cadillac. It's just too much to believe for me. <*)))><
479252
If a person believes a religion without questioning it, they will be easily deceived. Questioning your religion is a good thing! That is how you discover the truth.\nI'm not the kind of person who does something just because someone tells me to do it. I need to know why.
87135
Because many many people see the horrors of religion in general, the absolute lack of reason in involved with "faith" and are not afraid of death.  \n\nThe world is a teeny tiny place in the realm of the universe and whatever is beyond what we can see.  Many people need to be comforted by believeing that there is something "out there" taking care of the human race.  \n\nMany feel the need to have something to guide them (could it be that their moral principles are not strong enough, or that they just need SOME kind of purpose to not feel like a waste of flesh?).  \n\nFor some, it is just easier to be blind to reality and accept a made up god than to actually use their brain to ask the questions which might be able to actually provide any comprehensible answers.
205909
Yes Anxius, you are right about Christian faith : it is essentially blind.  The lady above me who teaches bible to kids, in the process teaches them how to bluff themselves.  There's usually a way round hard questions which is made to sound righteous but which is really dishonest.  If even such a way cannot be found, Christians are told that it's a "Christian mystery" : that one is impossible to beat, and if you try, and continue to ask irreverent and blasphemous(!) questions, you will not be welcome in the class.\nIt's even more restrictive in the mosque.\nIs it different in the synagogue?\nDon't get me wrong folks - I am a little black, but still one of the sheep.