I spotted a bumper sticker this weekend that read: 'Someone who can make you believe absurdities, can make you commit atrocities.'
While on some levels this rang true, I couldn't help but think, 'Is it not absurd to invest too much of your faith in other human minds? Do people make you believe things, or do we give away our faith? Aren't we all responsible for determining where we invest our thoughts and faith? In my opinion, denying this responsibility WOULD be the absurdity.
My fellow existentialist, what are your thoughts on faith?
While on some levels this rang true, I couldn't help but think, 'Is it not absurd to invest too much of your faith in other human minds? Do people make you believe things, or do we give away our faith? Aren't we all responsible for determining where we invest our thoughts and faith? In my opinion, denying this responsibility WOULD be the absurdity.
My fellow existentialist, what are your thoughts on faith?
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SF Bay Area
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Re: Questioning. A Thought.
Wed, May 10, 2006 - 10:27 PMFaith is faculty that allows one to accomplish what one lacks the hard data to anitiate with certainty when one knows without the hard data (for reason of intuition) that a thing may be accomplished dispite the lack of that data. But faith needs wisdom to function and functions efficiantly in perportion to the wisdom which guides it.
I think misplaced faith is as anything misplaced, poorly thought out or thought out without (or without enough) wisdom. As for the placement, there is no accounting for taste be it good or bad.
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Re: Questioning. A Thought.
Thu, May 11, 2006 - 2:26 AMFaith is that portion of our thinking that moves into place when we lose control over circumstance.
It may be useful to the psyche at the moment but will have no impact on the outcome.Chance and probability will not be altered by our wishes. -
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Unsu...
Re: Questioning. A Thought.
Thu, May 11, 2006 - 10:34 AMFaith is a silly concept, like hope. It's yet another way to keep us out of our own responsibility of being. -
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Re: Questioning. A Thought.
Fri, May 12, 2006 - 6:52 PMA violin needs more than to be, to make music, and even more than to make music to move or inspire.
i don't think it ends there...Things like hope and faith may not be foundational, but they are the music of being. -
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Re: Questioning. A Thought.
Sat, May 13, 2006 - 3:20 AMDoes an imperfect instrument or an imperfect player make imperfect music? Or is it the imperfect listener?
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Re: Questioning. A Thought.
Fri, May 12, 2006 - 6:49 PMit's a shoddy faith that exists only in the face of no other option.
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Re: Questioning. A Thought.
Sat, May 13, 2006 - 10:36 PMI partially disagree with you.
Faith cannot control what is outside of ourselves..but faith can have effect on our own lives in that it may foster a certain attitude that may lead to success. -
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Re: Questioning. A Thought.
Sat, May 13, 2006 - 10:44 PMBTW I wrote a song about both hope and faith.
Both are very useful, as we are not robots and need to belive to move forward during really dark times.
(and I dont speak of religious faith. That sort of faith should actually have its own word because I think its a whole different thing) -
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Re: Questioning. A Thought.
Sun, May 14, 2006 - 3:35 AMAre we speaking of confidence? Of the sort that says I trust in my judgement? Or unreasoned conclusion?The latter is what some of our leaders seem to employ. -
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Re: Questioning. A Thought.
Sun, May 14, 2006 - 3:53 PMI 'believe' we are what we believe. Hopelessness can be a painful reality, but if it is where we believe we are, than such individual reality cannot be discredited by other's 'brighter' reality. Individuality friends, existentialism. So faith can be seen as what molds our personality, even if we invest it all in ourselves. The questions are endless though, but aren't we all having fun? -
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Unsu...
Re: Questioning. A Thought.
Mon, May 15, 2006 - 12:14 PMi - Right on. Yes. I get really pissed off at people who say "you are too serious" or "relax" to me (or whatever). I AM my reality. I take full responsibility for it. Oh, and I'm glad I joined this tribe but my brain hurts. ;) -
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Re: Questioning. A Thought.
Mon, May 15, 2006 - 2:41 PMI hope youre not talking about me cause I never say that stuff to people.
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Unsu...
Re: Questioning. A Thought.
Tue, May 16, 2006 - 4:53 PMIt's not absurd to invest your faith in human minds. However, investing your faith in the competence and infallibility of any one particular human mind might be a mistake (unless it's your own). It's important not to discount the possibility of error. That's where personal responsibility comes in. Unfortunately, an atrocity is only considered to be heinous by someone who takes an opposite stand on the issue. I agree that denying responsibility is the absurdity. -
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Re: Questioning. A Thought.
Tue, May 16, 2006 - 5:28 PMWhen I speak of hope and faith I am in no way trying to say we are not responsible. You guys just dont get what Im saying. -
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Unsu...
Re: Questioning. A Thought.
Tue, May 16, 2006 - 8:45 PMI'm commenting on the original question. Not anyone else's response to it.
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