Religion
Related: About this forumHow does someone determine whether another person has "Faith?"
People's religious beliefs, which are sometimes termed as "faith," are not visible. We have only their declarations on which to determine whether or not they believe the tenets of some religion.
Some will counter this with the typical "You shall know them by their fruits" quotation from the Bible, but that really only says that we will know whether people are good or evil. It says nothing really about their "faith."
"Faith" supported slavery in this country, with people quoting the bible to defend that horrible practice. "Faith" also aided in ending slavery. Both sides claimed that their "faith" supported their beliefs.
The bottom line is that we really have no means of judging whether a person has this "faith" or not, because such "faith" can lead to multiple modes of behavior. We have all known people of faith who were wonderful people, as well as having known people of faith who were horrible people.
We are unable to look into people's minds. We do not truly know who has this "faith" and who does not, nor what their "faith" means to them.
We can know only what people do, not what they think. We can judge them for their behavior, but we still will not know whether they have this elusive "faith."
SHRED
(28,136 posts)Used many times in a condescending tone as in "We are people of faith". What's unsaid but implied is, "and you aren't".
MineralMan
(146,324 posts)Even within a religion, that seems to be a constant conflict. The thousands of denominations of Christianity are evidence of it.
shraby
(21,946 posts)MineralMan
(146,324 posts)but you will know nothing about their "faith." The two are different and apparently not connected, really.
Iliyah
(25,111 posts)MineralMan
(146,324 posts)It is a passive word, not an active one. Faith simply is. Faith does nothing.
mitch96
(13,923 posts)When ever I hear faith used in a religious or spiritual context this phrase comes to mind:
Substance of things hoped for and evidence of things not seen...
I had one friend say faith was like porn. You know it when you see it but have a hard time explaining it.
m
MineralMan
(146,324 posts)It describes little, and is predictive of nothing.
JayhawkSD
(3,163 posts)Why should one person care if another person has or does not have faith?
"Judge not, lest you be judged."
MineralMan
(146,324 posts)I question their actions. If they do good, then I celebrate those actions. If they do evil, I condemn. I don't care whether they have "faith" or not. That's irrelevant.
I judge. But, I judge based on actions only.
Mariana
(14,860 posts)it's been a frequent subject of discussion here, the faith of various individuals, and what affects that faith may have had on those people's actions. There's also been some discussion about the nature of faith itself, about whether it is voluntary, about whether all faiths are equally valid, etc.
Whenever people talk about their faith publicly, they make it everyone's business. This is especially true when they hold positions of power, and claim their faith influences their decisions. In that case, their faith directly affects other people. Don't you think a lawmaker's faith is our business, when his faith determines how he will vote on legislation?
JayhawkSD
(3,163 posts)I have no argument with, "Whenever people talk about their faith publicly, they make it everyone's business." It does lead me to think that people are probably better off to not talk about their faith publicly.
As to "Don't you think a lawmaker's faith is our business, when his faith determines how he will vote on legislation?," if a lawmaker is allowing his faith to determine his vote on legislation, I don't care what his faith is or what the result of it is on his vote, I will vote against him. I will campaign against him with great vigor. We do not need a theocratic government.
msongs
(67,433 posts)MineralMan
(146,324 posts)unblock
(52,286 posts)and that is more easily demonstrated.