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Is it possible that your definition of faith may not be the only one that is valid? Can you learn from how others define faith? Or are you closed to the opportunity that awaits those who are open to exploring the many ways that God and humans express faith? For a biblical example of faith in a...

An interesting concept, and one that has been explored. You mentioned the possibility and likely unpopularity of alternative explanations for the resurrection. Here's one that was put forth some years ago as a very serious alternative. It was intended to do what you describe: make the truth of...

Well, the idea of faith to having to do only with people is overly restrictive. I'm using the word as it is commonly used. People regularly express faith in chairs and ideas. People have faith in visions. Steve Jobs at Apple, Inc. and Bill Gates at Microsoft are two tech-industry pioneers who...

In no religion that I know of. But you're straying from my original definition -- with which you do not agree. I put faith -- trust -- in a chair. People say it all the time. "Do you trust that chair to hold you?" i.e., Do you believe in the chair's ability to support you enough to act by...

Glad you agree, Chris. And the additional comments you make are good, too.

I didn't say that faith is unique. Different and unique are two distinct concepts. Something can be different from many (not all) things and not be unique. Faith is treated differently from most other areas of life. That is a fact. If it were not, then we would not be having this discussion...

My personal definition of faith is that it is belief plus action, i.e., having faith in a person, or idea, or even an object, is believing in him, her, or it enough to act on what is believed. There is a good illustration of this from my days as a Southern Baptist. A missionary was speaking at...

But what if one didn't involve a scientific falsity? Or, going further, what if what is considered a purely religious idea (the resurrection of Christ, for example) is scientifically falsify-able? No, of course not. And Christians don't really need to believe that Jesus is Lord, either. But...

You misunderstand. Here's what I mean. "Rain is caused by atmospheric conditions." "No, no, rain is caused by the gods." "But I can show you why rain is caused by atmospheric conditions. There are reasons why this is true." "I refuse to believe other than that rain is caused by the gods...

So we're saying essentially the same thing, I think. The problem occurs because the word "believe" can mean "accept something as true" and also "to hold something as an opinion." I didn't mean to say you didn't know what you were talking about. Please forgive if I've offended.

I'm bi-polar, too, btw. Seems I have to keep reminding people on this thread what the topic is: Faith, whether or not you believe in it, is something that does exist. It's treated differently from most all other areas of life, IMO. The question is, Why is faith worthy of a different standard...

Not angry with your words at all. And never apologize for your viewpoint, cyberpi, unless, of course, you believe that your viewpoint is wrong and needs to be corrected.

Just one good, solid one, one that makes sense in a common-sense way. How, exactly, is that done? In the book of Hebrews there is a verse that says: "He who would please God must believe that he is." My evangelical upbringing would answer my question this way: You seek God by being...

Francis, thank you for the welcome and your thoughts, which are near to my own. In spite of the fact that it may seem otherwise from the dialog that is this thread, I, too, have developed my own brand of faith since leaving the fold of the fundamentalist evangelicals. I, too, have no evidence...

Well said.

Granted: faith is in people, not facts. Suppose the fact I'm questioning is whether or not God exists. Wouldn't having a conversation with him pre-suppose that I accept that he exists? How then to examine the question? By conversing with those who claim to have a personal relationship...

^___^ Me, too. Never heard it called that, though, but *cough* I'll take it on faith that it's a known expression. *runs and hides from the awful pun*

Um, how would I make a decision physically? This is typical of those who purport to "know of" evidence for God's existence, 17th Angel. And it is also typical that said evidence is never forthcoming. If there were evidence for God's existence, wouldn't it be shouted from rooftops? The...

Yes, thank you. It was in your reply to Bobby Winters. I enjoyed it.

No, I haven't been in that situation. I have no problem understanding that such situations exist, of course. But gut feelings, while they have their uses, and can certainly play a part in life-or-death situations, are not to be preferred when making the more important decisions of life, or...