BellaOnline Forums Religion and Spirituality Philosophy Is Blind faith a good idea?

I'm new over here, but -- blind faith is a matter of shutting off your brain, imo. I am an agnostic, raised that way, and if a deity ever deigned to introduce him/her/itself to me, with proof of divine powers, then I could certainly believe.

I cannot BELIEVE in something "just to be safe" -- that isn't belief, that is hedging your bets in your actions, but belief? That has to be deeper.

I believe my husband, son, parents love me -- but I've seen much evidence to back it up. And if there is a deity that is mean-spirited enough to punish me for not believing in something that I've no evidence for, I don't think that deity would be worthy of worship. So the safety argument falls there, too, for me.

I believe in some things that my dh doesn't -- because I have more experiences to back it up, that he hasn't shared. He didn't grow up in my home. I can't explain these experiences -- other than that it is probably explainable by science that hasn't been appropriately studied as of yet.

I dont think anyone should believe in anything just to be on the safe side. to me this is hypocritical. It is like saying "Ok God I believe your up there and you love me and will save me if i believe but I am going to do what i want and if some other God comes along and bullies me with something worse then hell I will be forgeting you and believeing in the other God but I may just believe in everything that comes my way just to be on the save side."!

(note comical injections....)

Comical injections noted, as well as run-on sentence! :-)

Kind of like a fair-weather friend, eh?

sorry I was in a hurry!

Let me first start by giving Ms. A a warm welcome to the philosophy forums. Welcome!!
I think it is rather interesting that you mentioned the need for evidence to back up your beliefs. You are not unique in this and although many people air their beliefs as though they are hedging their bets, they really have had some sort of experience that reinforces their beliefs to them (even if it is done subconsciously).
I myself do not "believe" in blind belief, the brain simply does not work this way and the many layers of your mind prevents this...belief is only perceived as blind to the observer the one who believes.
Again welcome to our forums

My belief structure, to be brief, is to not have belief in anything unreasonable without sufficient proof, commensurate to the level of the claims being made. The many claims that I've heard in the name of religion make me doubt the claims therein, and therefore the basis for their "blind belief" in the Christian God. Nor, do I believe in any other deities, for the same reason.

I need proof -- incontrovertible, reasonable proof, proof that can be reproduced in a scientific manner. With regards to religion (Christianity in particular), the level of proof just doesn't cut it for me.

That is my take on "blind faith".

I noticed something strange a long time ago: sometimes a person can believe something with their heart that they don't believe with their mind. I have experienced this myself. I have also found that sometimes you're not aware of what you really believe until some situation reveals it.

Beliefs can occur without being aware of it but there is always some reason for the belief.

I think that 'blind belief' is unwise I do agree that sometimes you realize you have something going on 'inside' that does not match your brains idea!

This could be for many reasons. People are all different too. Some are more aware of spiritual things, others more grounded in the physical.

But I think even biblically, it is not taught that one should have blind faith, unless under particular circumstances, or direct obediance to God. If blind faith was the case, many are deluded! One would be unwise to have blind faith for God to pay a bill, and spend the bill money cos they think he will cover it 'in faith!' I know people who do that Sometimes God may ask some one to walk in that way, but that can be dodgy and can led to denial of reality and abuse of poor God!

I belive in God, because inside my self I know he is, it makes logical and emotional sense to me. But I know others, inc my family do not belive in that. I think you are right Diana, and I too, have had that happen quite a few times. There IS always a reason behind it. Can be quite scary too!

Nicola: Do you think of yourself as a mystic -- someone who knows God (or a Force or Power) through personal experience and not based on rational thought? I myself am a mystic because I had a personal experience that is the basis for my beliefs.

I think Blind Faith is different than being a mystic. Blind Faith seems to be an assertion that you are going to believe something because it would be smart or there is some reason to believe you would benefit from it. It's like trusting in someone without proof of their trustworthiness because you need someone to trust.

Getting back to the original question, Is Blind Faith a Good Idea?: I don't have a problem with it as long as it doesn't hurt that person or others. But it's not something that I would do unless there were no other option.

I would not call my self a mystic, no, I am only saying what I belive and what has happened to me personally. No question of just rational thought. When I thought out christianity, I did think it was logical, personally.

But my experiance of God was definate, both through seeing Angels and other wierd stuff. When I was really, really ill, dying, I Heard an audiable voice, so loud I turned around to see who said it, and no one was there. It said I would be seriously ill, but would not die. And I was. Doctors told me just how serious the situation was, just after that voice told me.

But Blind Faith,you are right yes, I think that that can sometimes be when a person is in denial of truth possibly, as I said about the bill paying. I agree that I would not want to go blindly into anything myself though.