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Ozzy, that's not what this is about. It's not about whether you should believe. You have freedom of thought. You can believe as you wish. The thread is about whether or not there is clear evidence to back up your belief.
Faith is okay. However, faith and fact are two different things. It's important to know the difference.
Let me give you an example -- in communion in some churches you drink some wine or grape juice and you eat a wafer or a piece of bread. There are people who see this as a symbolic act to reaffirm their belief in Jesus and God, and that's fine. I personally know at least one person who truly believes that when the wine enters his mouth it literally turns into blood, and when the piece of bread enters his mouth it literally turns into flesh.
The former is a faith matter, the latter he is representing as an actual fact.
To me, these are both based on faith, whether a person sees it as symbolic or literal.
To me, these are both based on faith, whether a person sees it as symbolic or literal.
I agree. But the person I mentioned sees it as pure fact. He could do a highly sophisticated scientific test -- spit it out. It would still wine, it would still be bread.
I agree. But the person I mentioned sees it as pure fact. He could do a highly sophisticated scientific test -- spit it out. It would still wine, it would still be bread.
I believe that. If you look at the orthographic denotation of fact, it is "to do" so in this sense it is literally a thing done. This person is using the term "fact" figuratively.
I believe that. If you look at the orthographic denotation of fact, it is "to do" so in this sense it is literally a thing done. This person is using the term "fact" figuratively.
Exactly, and that is a problem to me.
It's sort of like saying, "Frank Sinatra was the best vocalist". It's an opinion, not a fact, but it's stated as a fact.
Clearly! There is no way that the wine would actually taste like blood nor would the bread or wafer taste like flesh.
My mom's belief in religion (especially that the wine and bread were literally the body of Jesus) is what convinced her to stay here on earth with my brother and me. She was the only person who was truly kind to me in my childhood and so the only person who loved me in the way it made sense. Things could have been very different for us if she did not have that faith. While the assumption could be that she would have reached the same conclusion if raised as an atheist or that she could have thought differently altogether without religion, after everything I have learned, I seriously doubt it.
It's sort of like saying, "Frank Sinatra was the best vocalist". It's an opinion, not a fact, but it's stated as a fact.
That post you just quoted is the result of months of studying English orthography with no intention of using any of that knowledge here on City-data. I honestly did not know the knowledge I possess now even existed and it is just the surface.
So when you say it is a problem, sometimes people don't even see it as one. Or if they do, they are not sure how to correct it.
That post you just quoted is the result of months of studying English orthography with no intention of using any of that knowledge here on City-data. I honestly did not know the knowledge I possess now even existed and it is just the surface.
So when you say it is a problem, sometimes people don't even see it as one.
I think that issue is a big part of the many problems we are experiencing in the United States at this time.
I think that issue is a big part of the many problems we are experiencing in the United States at this time.
My "teachers" (because I am not sure what else to call them and I am sure they don't want that title) have said this is common in English speaking countries, this misunderstanding of words.
And to me that's okay, as long as they realize it's based on faith, not facts. There's nothing wrong with faith, as long as it's realized that's what it is.
I wouldn't even necessarily say it's based on faith, though. I know this is semantics, but to me, I would say "based on faith" as something that is actually taught by the religion and supported by its texts/known teachings. I would describe what you mention more as being based on "wishful thinking"-- what the person personally hopes will happen, not necessarily what their religion says will happen. "Facts," on the other hand, are harder to come by in religion. It's a fact that churches and temples exist and people go to them. But it's faith that Jesus or Buddha or Vishnu actually exist.
For example, on a Christian front: is there actually evidence in Christianity-- as in, the Bible-- that heaven is going to be like a big family reunion where we will again see everyone we know who has died? There are passages that tell us it's going to be a place of worshiping God and such, but is there anything that says yeah, we'll be hanging out with Grandma again and having the same human relationships we had in life? Yet most people like to think that will be the case. It's certainly not "fact" because we don't for sure that it's true, even if it's taught by Christianity (though of course it would be a "fact" that it's taught, but that means nothing). It may be "faith" if there is indeed scripture that tells us it's the case. Or it may be "wishful thinking" because it's something that makes people feel good to believe even though it actually has no basis in the teachings of their religion.
(I have no idea if any of that made sense to anyone but me.)
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There is no way that the wine would actually taste like blood nor would the bread or wafer taste like flesh.
