Why is Faith a Virtue?

I don't know if anyone replied to this yet. Check google:
"god told me to invade iraq" - Google Search
It looks as though it is reported in other sources as well.

Blogs and the like, not major media, not US media anyway, and they're all repeating the same BBC report. The SF Chronicle has a different version of what the Palestinian leaders said he said, not this "God told me to invade Iraq." Edited by Faith, : No reason given.Edited by Faith, : No reason given.

I live where we've had triple-digit heat for two weeks straight. How about an ice cube instead?

I'm here.My biggest issue is when people take their personal belief as objective truth. This leads to so many atrocities done in the name of religion. The inquisition is a prime example. There was justification for everything that happened during the inquisition in the bible. First, we have deuteronomy saying what to do, then Jesus saying that every jot and titel (sp?) of the law must pass. We cannot pretend that St. Augustine did not read the sermon on the mount. He knew all about turning the other cheek but also advocated torture of heretics.During the inquisition, in the name of religion, people tortured others to death to getting them to confess to witchcraft, sorcery, causing a thunderstorm, killing their neighbor with the evil eye, or whatever the accusations du jour were. And why would it be a big deal to burn someone at the stake in order to save yourself and some neighbors when that person is going to spend eternity in a lake of fire anyway?Also, what is worse: a child molester who might touch your 10 year old or an infidel who might get the 10 year old to stop believing (or a muslim who will get your child to call god the wrong name)??Clearly, to a fundamentalist, the non-christian is much much worse than the child molester. What harm is some sexual molestation in comparison to an eternity in a lake of fire?These days, some 44% of the people in the US believe that the end of the world will happen during the next 50 years. Some of these people would be delighted to see the end. Hearing news of a nuclear exchange between india and pakistan would please them. Some of these people are actually in charge of things in our country.I'm afraid of a self-fulfilling prophecy here. If we put people who are counting on the end of the world, people who actually want the end of the world, in charge of the nuclear weaponry, we may actually see the end of the world.But I guess, to a believer, that their personal belief HAS to be objective truth. To a believer, nothing is more real than their faith. I just don't get it.Another problem that I have with faith being a virtue is that it teaches people to rely on non-objective things that will influence their reality. It quashes inquiry and thought. Do not rely on years of scientific inquiry, theory, and facts if it conflicts with the account of reality in your special book. Why be so stubborn in "faith" which really has no objective evidence in reality that you will reject libraries full of scientific research and though?But again, I see how this conversation naturally degenerates into a debate on evidence. To you, Faith, nothing is more real than your belief in god. I get that.What would you call someone equally convinced in something else? How would you describe someone who was as convinced as you in another religion? Would you call them brainwashed? Would you think that they were irrational? Would you even be able to have a conversation with them or would the lack of common ground get in the way? (And I understand that you are quite skilled in conversing with people on this website; I am talking about speaking with someone of ANOTHER religion with their own faith. I am not talking about someone, like many scientifically inclined people on this website, who if presented with the right evidence they would change their mind.)

Non-believers do that with secular morals too--or at least they appear to. They are sometimes mighty passionate.ABE: In fact, I would say that moralism is a secular religion.Edited by robinrohan, : No reason given.

I felt like I addressed that later in my post. Given the right information (evidence or reason), a rational person will change their mind. If a secularists is irrational it shouldn't really effect how christians behave, should it?Anyway, this thread is about faith. Specifically christian faith.

Where are you getting such a notion? Are you just making this up? This is a straw man. The only "science" that is attacked by Bible believers is evolution theory. I know some think that covers a lot of territory but it really doesn't. All the practical science that is done, the science that can be verified, even the science that labors under the evolutionist misconception, as long as it is REAL science, is celebrated by Bible-based Christians. I have a Mormon and an orthodox Jewish internet friend I talk to quite frequently. The friendships began with religious arguments plus shared conservative politics and we still argue the religion and share the politics. They are impressively well equipped and informed defenders of their beliefs. Our arguments can be quite intense but we remain friends. No Muslims though. Just haven't run across a Muslim under similar circumstances. No I don't consider them brainwashed or irrational, merely wrong. This can happen with believers in any religion as well.

After all the threads where almost Everyone was telling you that morals are subjective you can make a claim like that? Amazing.

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Aslan is not a Tame Lion

I've seen geology, physics (carbon dating, etc), astronomy/cosmology (age of the universe), meteorology, and biology attacked - to name a few.

What you've seen is their evolutionist assumptions and interpretations attacked, not their actual facts.Edited by Faith, : No reason given.

Okay then. Assuming that you have a child, which would you prefer: your child gets touched sexually or your child spends an eternity in hell fire?

I know that's what they say, but they don't act that way. They are constantly getting on their moral highhorse.

Apparently you didn't notice that he too believes that morals are subjective.Nevertheless secular and especially leftist moralism is pronounced as if it were dogma from on high.

Okay then. How could they possibly be facts if they conflict with your faith?

You have your dogma and they have theirs. I just wish they would admit it.