Faith is a “bug” of human brain. Our brain is so imperfect that it has to compensate for it and then products of compensation are giving us opportunity to exceed potential perfection. The fact that nowadays most people are contradicting science and faith is one of the biggest misleading mind frames. Faith and Science have the same rout and what even more interesting is that one is helping the other. Faith was helping people through the whole history of humanity to cope with mental and physical limitations, exceed them what in the end of the day caused evolution. Our mind is a great powerful machine, but the main stimulation for this machine is faith. How many inventions were made only been driven by people’s faith, how many solutions were found based on people’s faith. Faith in success, in love and in changes is the breaking point from normal brain functioning to the upgraded mode. This theory of mine is just proving one more time that our “flaws” can turn out to be hidden opportunities.
Here I also want to mention topic of organised religion. Faith does not equal religion. Faith is a consequence of human survival instinct which developed to the point where it helps to survive not only to our bodies but also to our mental statement and what is more interesting it is still progressing. Religion at the same time is very opposite to faith. To sum it up, I would conclude: Faith equals Progress; Religion equals Conservation, Faith opposite to Religion.
The best way to improve Faith is to develop our intellectualism, keep open-minded and avoid labeling. Human minds have an amazing tool called curiosity and I believe that feeding in our curiosity will increase Faith in us, which in its turn will help us to exceed fears, hesitance and other mental limitations our imperfect brain has.
In terms of religious topic I can say that I believe if religion for a human being is the product of learning and exploring the world but not just following the societal rules person is happened to be born I would consider it an act towards faith. Even though those cases are extremely rare.
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Rubbish. All progress has been achieved by science in the teeth of resistance by faith.
I agree that religion is crap, though. Actually, it's not crap for the people running it: it's a money/power generating business, and works very well. As long as you're not one of the poor saps who puts pennies on the plate.
I believe that you also got a little bit confused by me not specifying Faith. Faith is a belief with no evidence for or against. Faith is not ignorance or closed-mindedness. And I am convinced that science would not progress without faith. Think about scientific achievements which were made against already existing theories and evidences. Look at the situations where people moved on and survived when their logic told them that it is not possible and doesn't even worth trying. I truly believe that if science without Faith could exist it would be very different and would not go too far.
@Babushka
Interesting to read. But it's important that you clarify what you mean by "faith".
I assume you mean: belief without evidence? And I assume a belief in something non specific?
Religious people tend to have the word "faith" mean "hope", or to refer to their particular religion.
Thank you for your comment. You are right about the Faith definition, I have realized that in my conversations with people they are keep asking me those questions like: What do you mean by Faith and Faith in what? So I guess I have missed that important point assuming that people are reading my mind:) Anyways, if you don't mind I will still definition you gave .Faith according to me is Belief without evidence (scientific or experimental/historical)
As a Christian, I can say you are in general correct, ThePragmatic
i agree with what you say . Especially the sentence" faith opposes religion" i think that religion makes no sense at all because god does not exist. God is just a fancy name for an incentive to do stupid and unrealistic things. Any body that belives in god please reply to me . i would love to have a talk with you.
Thanks for the comment. I totally agree but I would maybe phrase it in a little bit different way. Religion overall is an outdated tool for controlling and due to big wealth differentiation the way to prevent poor people from stilling and killing their exploiters( reach people)