Is having faith ignorant?

Faith is defined as:

 
1. confidence or trust in a person or thing: faith in another's ability.
2. belief that is not based on proof: He had faith that the hypothesis would be substantiated by fact.

This isn't exclusive to religious faith -- we all to some degree have faith in our lives to one extent or another, whether it be the first or second definition.

What is your personal definition of faith? Is it ignorant to have expectations or trust in something we cannot guarantee will do or go as we hope?


I'm interested to hear your definition and perspective.

reply to post by Skepticesque


No, it's when people act violently on their faith, then it becomes ignorant.


Faith is a powerful thing to have, or to take away.

Depends on what you would call, consider faith to be. Lots of people assume that's instantly religious beliefs, but I have faith in my car that it will start


Faith isn't ignorant, people are ignorant.

reply to post by Skepticesque

confidence or trust in another's ability.

That works...

reply to post by AaronWilson


But then again, people create faith don't they? Does this mean that possibly faith COULD be ignorant in the eyes of the beholder if the beholder is ignorant?

I think this definition also applies here:

ig·no·rant (gnr-nt)
adj.
1. Lacking education or knowledge.
2. Showing or arising from a lack of education or knowledge: an ignorant mistake.
3. Unaware or uninformed.

So based on this, I would suggest that blind faith is ignorant. When speaking in religious terms, I think one should educate themselves and become informed of their beliefs. This way they will not be ignorant. Scripture actually directs us to study to show ourselves approved.

It's more of a will to ignorance, or a will not to know.

reply to post by Skepticesque


I like how you posted this in chit-chat, and not the Religion Forum. I'll respond....

What is your personal definition of faith? Is it ignorant to have expectations or trust in something we cannot guarantee will do or go as we hope?

My personal definition of faith is "belief in YOURSELF". Not an invisible deity, not wishful thinking, not hopes that something will be granted to you. You create your own reality, and you are responsible for the reality you create. Once you accept that reality, and you realize you are the only one that can change your reality, you are on the path to creating a multiverse that you are happy in. Faith in yourself, and happiness, go hand in hand.

Ignorance is the lack of knowledge. Being ignorant is to deny the fact that you can learn new things everyday, if you only apply yourself. Being ignorant is to set limits on yourself, and to let yourself believe that you can't do something. Once you overcome that hurdle, you'll understand that there are no guarantees in life, and hope is an illusion. Hope is a weak excuse for not being responsible for your own actions.

Once you see the path in your own individual life, you'll follow it, and no longer need excuses to support what you believe to be the reality you want to be in. You will live it, and feel alive, and deny ignorance.

It's refreshing to see you building your post count, and posting interesting thoughts in BTS. Kudos. SnF.

Originally posted by LesMisanthrope
It's more of a will to ignorance, or a will not to know.

No, an ignorant person has the ability to learn new things, and enhance their knowledge. If they choose to, that is. One who willingly shuns knowledge, and does not want to learn is called "Stupid."

Interesting question!

Faith is slippery. One can have faith that an earthquake will strike their region. And there's a miniscule chance they're right - unless they have collected data and proven their hypothesis can in fact predict an earthquake. Then that faith is actually a calculated guess.

So to me, there are two types of faith: one is faith in a possibility, the other is faith in your own experience which proves time and again that you're correct.

Having faith in a possibility is a gamble, like counting on the lottery to make you rich.
Having faith in experiences is a gamble too, because there are always anomalies.

I suppose that, for me, faith in experience/data is a more educated approach to faith, while faith in a possibility is kind of the equivalent of crossing your fingers. However, only faith in experience can build one's confidence on a foundation of facts - but that's another conversation!

Originally posted by Skepticesque
Faith is defined as:

 
1. confidence or trust in a person or thing: faith in another's ability.
2. belief that is not based on proof: He had faith that the hypothesis would be substantiated by fact.

This isn't exclusive to religious faith -- we all to some degree have faith in our lives to one extent or another, whether it be the first or second definition.

What is your personal definition of faith? Is it ignorant to have expectations or trust in something we cannot guarantee will do or go as we hope?


I'm interested to hear your definition and perspective.

well, since you asked.
I think your selective definitions derived from secular source is ignorant, if you are trying to define spiritual matters.
I define it as a Biblical and spiritual aspect since faith is more of a vehicle than it is a description.
It is written into the fabric which is us, our reason for existance here.
"Faith is the evidence of things unseen"