Faith v. Reality (what takes priority?)

Faith or Reality, what takes priority in your life?

  • Total voters
    16
Padawanbater2

Padawanbater2

Well-Known Member
This is mainly a poll for theists, but I think non believers who once held a belief in a God can answer it too.

I'm just wondering, what takes priority to you when making decisions in life, your faith in your God, or what becomes known about reality through philosophical or scientific means?

An example would be creationists. Their faith is much stronger than what science tells them is true, so in essence, there is nothing science could discover that could make them question their faith.

So, as a believer, is there anything that could be shown to you in reality discovered by natural means that could make you seriously question if the faith you hold is correct? If so, what is it? If not, do you already assume you've found the meaning to your life?
 
Mister Sister

Mister Sister

Active Member
I see God in every thing. Priority is usually given to the instructions/suggestions I receive, however I have been known to ignore the instructions in order to satisfy my ego!
 
cues

cues

Well-Known Member
I consider myself to be Pagan if anything.
I believe that if we damage the earth, air or water beyond repair we are in trouble.
Makes more sense to me than believing some guy is sitting on a cloud watching over us.
I find Catholics the funniest. Do what you like as long as you go to church and confess and then think they are morally better than the rest of us!
 
eye exaggerate

eye exaggerate

Well-Known Member
...since I feel that God created what I can see before me, I have to say no at this point. I still hold fast the notion that what is around me is there to be observed. To me, this means that it was there before I was and I can only try to explain it with whatever natural language there is. (natural, evolutionary languages like science, etc.)

...to answer the question, it depends on each and every situation. I am sure that if I am in tune with 'reality' then my faith has taken on a hidden attribute. If I am being faithful to something then my 'reality based impressions' take on a hidden attribute. No matter how much sht my brain can produce to 'tell me' (frame by frame) that 'this is reality' - I don't think that we'll ever know what 'true' reality is.
 
Heisenberg

Heisenberg

Well-Known Member
Self-reinforcing delusion
"Strictly speaking, a delusion is a false belief or opinion, and a self-reinforcing delusion is one that creates conditions that reinforce that false belief or opinion."

If your delusion is that everything you see is evidence of God (creationism) and that the devil will try to sway you with counter evidence, then you have a delusion that can never be broken, only reinforced. This is what causes them to see fossils that date back further than 9000 years and say God put them there to test faith, or that Satan put them there to fool you. It's what causes people to see a girl who was raped into pregnancy and say God wanted it that way. At this point a persons belief in God has reached conspiracy theory levels of irrationality. I really can not say if anyone who posts here is caught in a self reinforcing delusion, but I certainly see it often IRL and on TV.

A good example of this is when theists look at the immutable laws of physics and say God must have fine tuned them because any change would result in non-life. (bold assumption) Then, when the laws are broken, they deem it a miracle and God gets credit for that as well. If Jesus is able to overcome the laws of nature and walk on water and be born of a virgin, then the laws of nature are not immutable. Evidence in either direction reinforces the delusion.
 
eye exaggerate

eye exaggerate

Well-Known Member
Heisenberg said:
Self-reinforcing delusion
"Strictly speaking, a delusion is a false belief or opinion, and a self-reinforcing delusion is one that creates conditions that reinforce that false belief or opinion."

If your delusion is that everything you see is evidence of God (creationism) and that the devil will try to sway you with counter evidence, then you have a delusion that can never be broken, only reinforced. This is what causes them to see fossils that date back further than 9000 years and say God put them there to test faith, or that Satan put them there to fool you. It's what causes people to see a girl who was raped into pregnancy and say God wanted it that way. At this point a persons belief in God has reached conspiracy theory levels of irrationality. I really can not say if anyone who posts here is caught in a self reinforcing delusion, but I certainly see it often IRL and on TV.

A good example of this is when theists look at the immutable laws of physics and say God must have fine tuned them because any change would result in non-life. (bold assumption) Then, when the laws are broken, they deem it a miracle and God gets credit for that as well. If Jesus is able to overcome the laws of nature and walk on water and be born of a virgin, then the laws of nature are not immutable. Evidence in either direction reinforces the delusion.
Click to expand...
...I say, respectfully, that satan, etc, is the ego and how it tries to sway us from reality. "Legion, for we are many" are the egos, the false "I's" of personality. Born of a virgin is the 'second birth', being born of the virgin womb of the universe. Walking on water was how He did it. The water represents sex and you'll notice the 'foot on the snake' motive in all religions. Same thing. He was able to calm the waters. There are references on this across the spiritual spectrum, each cladded in its own way.
 
Heisenberg

Heisenberg

Well-Known Member
eye exaggerate said:
...I say, respectfully, that satan, etc, is the ego and how it tries to sway us from reality. "Legion, for we are many" are the egos, the false "I's" of personality. Born of a virgin is the 'second birth', being born of the virgin womb of the universe. Walking on water was how He did it. The water represents sex and you'll notice the 'foot on the snake' motive in all religions. Same thing. He was able to calm the waters. There are references on this across the spiritual spectrum, each cladded in its own way.
Click to expand...
I would not characterize this as a self reinforcing delusion, more like self-styled pan-Christianity. I respect unbridled exploration and hypothesizing much more than dogmatic delusion, if for no other reason than it requires laborious thought. One is humble and presentive, the other is arrogant and oppressive.
 
tyler.durden

tyler.durden

Well-Known Member
Heisenberg said:
Self-reinforcing delusion
"Strictly speaking, a delusion is a false belief or opinion, and a self-reinforcing delusion is one that creates conditions that reinforce that false belief or opinion."

If your delusion is that everything you see is evidence of God (creationism) and that the devil will try to sway you with counter evidence, then you have a delusion that can never be broken, only reinforced. This is what causes them to see fossils that date back further than 9000 years and say God put them there to test faith, or that Satan put them there to fool you. It's what causes people to see a girl who was raped into pregnancy and say God wanted it that way. At this point a persons belief in God has reached conspiracy theory levels of irrationality. I really can not say if anyone who posts here is caught in a self reinforcing delusion, but I certainly see it often IRL and on TV.

A good example of this is when theists look at the immutable laws of physics and say God must have fine tuned them because any change would result in non-life. (bold assumption) Then, when the laws are broken, they deem it a miracle and God gets credit for that as well. If Jesus is able to overcome the laws of nature and walk on water and be born of a virgin, then the laws of nature are not immutable. Evidence in either direction reinforces the delusion.
Click to expand...
It has always amused me that god cannot lose with the faithful; no matter the outcome of a situation, it is proof of god. When doomsday predictions do not come true, most often the believers faith is actually strengthened. If god answers the prayers of the faithful, he gets all the credit, but if he doesn't answer the prayers, he gets none of the blame. No way to lose, amazing...
 
Shannon Alexander

Shannon Alexander

Well-Known Member
tyler.durden said:
It has always amused me that god cannot lose with the faithful; no matter the outcome of a situation, it is proof of god. When doomsday predictions do not come true, most often the believers faith is actually strengthened. If god answers the prayers of the faithful, he gets all the credit, but if he doesn't answer the prayers, he gets none of the blame. No way to lose, amazing...
Click to expand...
Well if you were God wouldn't you fix the game so you don't lose..?
 
Scroga

Scroga

Well-Known Member
A delusion is any thing other than Truth, The truth of all things is reality....ascension comes from understanding the truth about love/that truth is love.. Realizing emptiness confirms this.... Grow love in your heart for all things wether you want too or not, keep nurturing love for your self and watch your "reality " in and out blossom!
 
tyler.durden

tyler.durden

Well-Known Member
Scroga said:
A delusion is any thing other than Truth, The truth of all things is reality....ascension comes from understanding the truth about love/that truth is love.. Realizing emptiness confirms this.... Grow love in your heart for all things wether you want too or not, keep nurturing love for your self and watch your "reality " in and out blossom!
Click to expand...
Eye? Is that you? ;)
 
tyler.durden

tyler.durden

Well-Known Member
Shannon Alexander said:
Well if you were God wouldn't you fix the game so you don't lose..?
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