Absolute faith corrupts, as it berefts you of the knowledge of religion's insecurity. Absolute faith makes you judge people by standards they may well resent, and your reaction to their reaction will probably be evangelism, and eventually, persecution.
Does absolute faith corrupt as absolutely as absoulte power?
- Thread starter aneeshm
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Bozo Erectus
Master Baker
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No such thing as 'absolute faith'. Like youd need all the energy in the universe to match the speed of light, for absolute faith, youd need all the 'truth' in the universe on your side. If you had that, youd be God, and the word 'faith' would be meaningless
Tboy
Future world ruler
It depends on what you have absolute faith in. If you have absolute faith in peace, then you're not likely to go on a murderous rampage.
That said, people with absolute faith in beliefs usually do not debate or discuss them with other people. If they keep going around in their own head that an idea is right, then eventually they will believe in it absolutely and ignore all arguments against it, no matter what they are. There is then the danger that they may zealously try to make their beliefs real, regardless of the cost, and then the real dangers begin.
I would therefore say that absolute faith can corrupt a person as absolutely as absolute power.
That said, people with absolute faith in beliefs usually do not debate or discuss them with other people. If they keep going around in their own head that an idea is right, then eventually they will believe in it absolutely and ignore all arguments against it, no matter what they are. There is then the danger that they may zealously try to make their beliefs real, regardless of the cost, and then the real dangers begin.
I would therefore say that absolute faith can corrupt a person as absolutely as absolute power.
Is it our place to say they are absolutely not Christians those who doesn't (always) act Christ-like? So Christians are stuck with those who hungry for power,land,wealth who call themselves Christians.
Jesus said let the tares grow along with the wheat unless you pull up the wheat also.
A lot of times people actions speaks more of their lack of faith than real faith. For if they really believe God would take care of a situation they wouldn't take matters into their own hands.
For once Aneeshm wasn't attacking Christians, and I think that defending the faith is pointless here.
The fact remains that these people had absolute faith, and called themselves Christians. It matters not that they weren't actually following the religion as we understand it. The point is that their absolute faith still led to some nasty acts.
The fact remains that these people had absolute faith, and called themselves Christians. It matters not that they weren't actually following the religion as we understand it. The point is that their absolute faith still led to some nasty acts.
Che Guava
The Juicy Revolutionary
Having absolute or complete faith in a religion or creed in my mind will eventually lead to some kind of reductio ad absurdum point where the original message is lost. This is the point when it is determined that the best way to show the divine's love is by forcing it on others or destroying those who don't adhere. By that point I don't think it matters what the original message was, and if it did or did not specifically address matters like war and tolerance in a just way. That's why I like to beleive in the divine, take inspiration from thier teachings, but use my own brain as much as I can.
Mise
isle of lucy
So every belief is rational then?
Says nothing about whether or not the belief is rational. Unless you believe, as you seem to, that everything is rational.
I met people with (for instance) what I could describe as absolute, blind faith in the Roman Catholic Church. it wasn't a matter of debate for them; they were absolutely sure this was the truth, and if everyone else in the world disagreed everyone else was wrong. This is the same attitude the Crusaders had. But the difference is that they lived in very different circumstance; rather than going around killing infidels, their faith manifested in the fact that they went to church every week.
So absolute faith needs a whole lot more to lead to absolute corruption. More, like power.
So absolute faith needs a whole lot more to lead to absolute corruption. More, like power.
On the outside (what man sees) Pharisees seem to be very righteous but Jesus finally exposed their true heart. So it may appear Pharisees had great faith while really all they were very good actors; thus hypocrites. (Many Pharisees did finally became true believers) Everyone has faith in someone or something. It's what/who you put your faith in is the question.
I didn't say or think he was attacking Chriistanity. Since I'm a Christian I'll speak as one.
But are you sure that the Pharisees didn't truly believe in what they taught? The point is that to believe in something absolutely leads to hypocrisy because you can't criticise and reform your ideas if you have absolute faith in them.
Hypocrisy is putting on an act ( a hypocrite is an actor); giving people the impression you are something you are not. On the outside no one could see that the Pharisees didn't really believe but Jesus told his disciples he would exposed their sin which he did when they put him on trial. (They clearly didn't mind breaking the Law they claim to hold so dear to put Jesus to death.) They were actually the ones on trial judging themselves.
I don't believe anyone should have "absolute faith" in the sense that they should believe something without ever questioning it or thinking about what they believe, and what it means. But when someone has faith in a creed or religion, and then does something wrong, it is the fault of either the individual for misinterpreting the actual creed or religion, or a fault in the creed or religion itself. Faith, like almost every human condition or path, is not inherently good or bad, it depends on what you have faith in.
Che Guava
The Juicy Revolutionary
True: my point is that blind faith as you described it here (without questioning and without personal responsibility) will undoubtably result in negative consequences, regardless of the features of the creed.
Jawz II
Oh Dear
Does absolute faith corrupt as absolutely as absoulte power? Abso-forking-lutely.
I don't think absolute, unquestioning unthinking faith is ever a good thing, even when placed in the right thing. (In my view, the Christian God) However, that does not mean that it is inherently corrupting, which is what the OP is asking. Is it advisable? No. Is it inherently corrupting? No.
Che Guava
The Juicy Revolutionary
I interpreted the OP's question as whether absolute faith (which I define as absolute, unquestioning and unthinking) corrupts, not faith itself. I don't think any major faith today has ill-intentions, but that any faith, when obeyed blindly, becomes a vessel for violence and intolerance.
I think we just have a difference of opinion. I don't think absolute faith is inherently corrupting, even though it is not a good thing, you do. I think the level of faith is less important than what the faith is placed in.
Che Guava
The Juicy Revolutionary
I don't think we're so far apart
The content of a faith is infinitely more important that an individual's dedication, but I also feel that the more unquestioning one becomes in one's own faith, the weaknesses in the creed start to become more apparent.
By the time one reaches 'absolute faith' it doesn't matter what the faith teaches; a person without thought is no person. That's why I think a healthy faith teaches personal self-reflection and skepticism towards even its most sacred traditions. After all, that is what the reformation and protestanism (which I'm going to guess you are an adherent to) was based on, right?
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