Faith
Oxford English dictionary define faith as:

1. Complete trust or confidence in someone or something.
2. Strong belief in the doctrines of a religion, based on spiritual conviction rather than proof.
3.A particular religion
4.A strongly held belief.

Wikitionary: A feeling, conviction, or belief that something is true or real, not contingent upon reason or justification.

Evidence:
wikitionary define evidence as facts and observations presented in support of an assertions.


Can we really replace faith with evidence in our daily dealings: transactions, banking, interactions, love life and numerous of our daily endeavours as we did to the issue of religion and believe in a creator god.
Am imagining a world where faith governs every spere of human activities. It will be a world of 419-ers, scammers, war, vendetta, stealing etc.

Here is something we have learned about the universe and it doesn't match with faith's literal view of the bible; there is a conflict there and we need to resolve it. Some people resolved it with the bible by saying the bible is absolutely right and ignored whatever actual evidence that is presented to them. Revelation as in the bible is accepting an idea offered with faith.

Here is this God which have this important message for mankind and somehow he only reveals it to certain individuals who then write it down in thousands of years after the initial revelation, we are to rely on copies of copies of translations by anonymous authors with no originals and a textual testimonies to a miracle (eg walking on water of which we are certain that no amount of evidence can substantiate such claim in our physical world). Then anything that would qualify as a god would clearly understand this and if it wanted to convey such message to people in a way that is believable, would not be relying on text to do so. This to me, is a nail on the coffin for Christianity and other religions.

Faith is not a virtue and a pathway to truth since anybody can lie or twist events or something to suit him/her plight, which is absurdity believing such ideas as truth with faith.
How is it that believers use reasons for a pathway to truth and in every other endeavour of their life but when it comes to ultimate truth, the most important truth, they then said that faith is required and how does that reflect on a god who supposedly exist in what you have to separate. What kind of god require faith against evidence.

Faith is something people use to believe something when they don't have evidence to, therefore faith is gullibility. It is evidence that determines whether or not your perception of reality is reasonable and in conjunction with the world as it did.

For instance : the bible's claim that the earth is 6- 10 thousand years old but scientific evidence points to earth that is billions of years. Do we then have to follow 6 to 10 thousand years postulation without evidence or follow the assertion of billions of years of earth existence with evidence?

Am here to see believers who will denounce reason and evidence to faith as a way of determining when an idea is true or not.

Faith at work

Scammer : i have ten containers filled with HP laptops, would you give me 2million naira to clear it, afterwards i will give you 5 containsers out of it.

Believer : yea thanks goodness, here is 2 million naira.

evidence at work

Scammer : i have ten containers filled with HP laptops, would you give me 2million naira to clear it, afterwards i will give you 5 containsers out of it.


Atheist : where is the containers?

Scammer : in the wharf, not yet cleared.

Atheist : show me the papers

Atheist : what of your other business partners, can't they render you such amount

Scammer : i....

Atheist : ( continue questioning till he ascertain the truth of the matter)

Faith

You: I have sent you N1m today.

Me: Thank you very much! Madam Nkechi, serve everyone on nairaland on plate of pepper soup and one bottle of orijin each

Madam Nkechi: I've served them o. Your total is ....

Me: Let me go and withdraw money from the atm

Atm: Insufficient funds

Me: Okada! Take me to okoko after maiko

Evidence

You: I have sent you one N1m today

Me: Okay. Thank you very much.

*waits for alert, checks balance via online banking and checks balance at the atm*

hahn:
Faith

You: I have sent you N1m today.

Me: Thank you very much! Madam Nkechi, serve everyone on nairaland on plate of pepper soup and one bottle of orijin each

Madam Nkechi: I've served them o. Your total is ....

Me: Let me go and withdraw money from the atm

Atm: Insufficient funds

Me: Okada! Take me to okoko after maiko

Evidence

You: I have sent you one N1m today

Me: Okay. Thank you very much.

*waits for alert, checks balance via online banking and checks balance at the atm*

That's gullible.

menesheh:



That's gullible.

What most theists regard as faith is usually a case of gullibility.

@op, you are very right by saying that it is evidence that determines whether a perception of reality is valid or not, but it is not true that faith is antagonistic to evidence.
As a matter of fact the Christian faith is the evidence you athiests are all searching for, the only available solution and all answer to your questions (i speak for Christianity )
it is right at your door step, lifted on the cross of Calvary for the whole world to see
Hebrews 11:1 says Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen(God ).
Yes, it is true that we cant see God with our physical eyes, he is a spirit.
But the Christian faith is the evidence you are looking for, that God exist.
How does Christianity now the evidence?
We all know that Jesus Christ is the founder of Christianity.
Before he founded the Christianity he said something about the christianity he was about to establish in parable while he was yet on earth(at the time he spoke the parable there was no Christianity on earth )
Matthew 13:31 Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven(what is now known as Christianity today ) is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field:
13:32 Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof.
To interprete this parable,
the kingdom of God represent the Christian faith which Jesus came to found
the small mustard seed represent the small population of adherents of the faith as at the time the faith was founded at the day Pentecost( the faith was founded at resurrection of Jesus, followed by Pentecost in the book of act of the apostles ). the population was just 120 people. read Act 1:15 which represent the least of all other seeds( all other religions as at that time such as Judaism)
The man who sowed(founded ) the mustard seed represent Jesus himself
the field is this earth.
He said this parable more than 2000 years ago
But when Christianity grow since 2000 years ago , it became the greatest of all the religions such that there were adherents world wide from every tribes which represent the birds of the air lodging,not only the jews.
the population grow from just 120 people to Billions of adherents world wide, such that you can't even count.
Now, Google it, which religion has the most number of adherents? you will find out it is Christianity.
The question now is, what human being could use a parable to prophesy a thing about a religion 2000 years ago such that we of this generation and generations forever to come can see it exactly the way it was written 2000 years ago that he said it?
No doubt, there is a power behind this thing that can never be denied, a mere human being cannot have a power to declare such prophesy in display and what has happened is the evidence that there is a power.
And if Christianity has grown world wide like this according to the parable, no doubt, that same power is responsible for all the miracles recorded in the Bible

paxonel:
@op, you are very right by saying that it is evidence that determines whether a perception of reality is valid or not, but it is not true that faith is antagonistic to evidence.
As a matter of fact the Christian faith is the evidence you athiests are all searching for, the only available solution and all answer to your questions (i speak for Christianity )
it is right at your door step, lifted on the cross of Calvary for the whole world to see
Hebrews 11:1 says Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen(God ).
Yes, it is true that we cant see God with our physical eyes, he is a spirit.
But the Christian faith is the evidence you are looking for, that God exist.
How does Christianity now the evidence?
We all know that Jesus Christ is the founder of Christianity.
Before he founded the Christianity he said something about the christianity he was about to establish in parable while he was yet on earth(at the time he spoke the parable there was no Christianity on earth )
Matthew 13:31 Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven(what is now known as Christianity today ) is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field:
13:32 Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof.
To interprete this parable,
the kingdom of God represent the Christian faith which Jesus came to found
the small mustard seed represent the small population of adherents of the faith as at the time the faith was founded at the day Pentecost( the faith was founded at resurrection of Jesus, followed by Pentecost in the book of act of the apostles ). the population was just 120 people. read Act 1:15 which represent the least of all other seeds( all other religions as at that time such as Judaism)
The man who sowed(founded ) the mustard seed represent Jesus himself
the field is this earth.
He said this parable more than 2000 years ago
But when Christianity grow since 2000 years ago , it became the greatest of all the religions such that there were adherents world wide from every tribes which represent the birds of the air lodging,not only the jews.
the population grow from just 120 people to Billions of adherents world wide, such that you can't even count.
Now, Google it, which religion has the most number of adherents? you will find out it is Christianity.
The question now is, what human being could use a parable to prophesy a thing about a religion 2000 years ago such that we of this generation and generations forever to come can see it exactly the way it was written 2000 years ago that he said it?
No doubt, there is a power behind this thing that can never be denied, a mere human being cannot have a power to declare such prophesy in display and what has happened is the evidence that there is a power.
And if Christianity has grown world wide like this according to the parable, no doubt, that same power is responsible for all the miracles recorded in the Bible

I didn't say that faith is an antagony to evidence. I said that they are in opposite sides. Is like saying that A is B instead of A is A.

You are serious talking about Christain faith as if it is different from normal english language word faith.

As you said, from the BOLDED, we all know that Jesus is the founder of Christianity because it was written in a book. That it was written in a book without evidence to back it up doesn't make true. We have many similar story written and believed by many people.


Question for you: can you differentiate between "Christian faith" and normal english word "faith".

menesheh:



I didn't say that faith is an antagony to evidence. I said that they are in opposite sides. Is like saying that A is B instead of A is A.

You are serious talking about Christain faith as if it is different from normal english language word faith.

As you said, from the BOLDED, we all know that Jesus is the founder of Christianity because it was written in a book. That it was written in a book without evidence to back it up doesn't make true. We have many similar story written and believed by many people.


Question for you: can you differentiate between "Christian faith" and normal english word "faith".

yes, opposite sides, that is what it means to be antagonistic.
sorry, I spell the word wrongly, it is not antagostic.
it's true that when you tell most Christians facts using evidence, Some of them will resolve it with the bible by saying the bible is absolutely right without even understanding the bible's position in the matter, and ignore whatever actual evidence that you are presenting to them.
we have heard a case where galeleo says the earth was spherical and the church killed him for it, because they think it was wrong to say such since the bible didnt mention it like that.
There are christians that are like that today,some even say it is wrong to take drugs, let's depend on miracles for healing.
such things are antagonistic to science, evidence and reasoning
But not all christians are like that.
some of us study to find out tangible evidence.
Example is what i just presented to you,that Jesus prophesied in parable the growth of Christianity.
You say there are similar stories like this? that someone prophesied something that is happening this generation a long time ago?
is it Nostrademus or Thomus mathus?
tell me.
Ok, to differentiate between the christian faith and the English faith.
From the oxford definition you gave
3. A particular religion
every other definitions came from this one definition, a particular religion.
for instance,
1. Complete trust or confidence in someone or
something.
You must belong to a particular religion first (believe in God or something ) before you completely trust God or have confidence in whatever you believe or your prophet for car, money, house etc
so you, see how it works.
what most christians define as faith is, believing in God for car, money, house, miracles etc
But what the Bible define as faith is a particular religion which is the Christian faith or Christianity . that is, to believe in Jesus for eternal life only.
not for car, money, house, miracles etc.
that is why you see me laying emphasis on the Christian faith

paxonel:

yes, opposite sides, that is what it means to be antagonistic.
sorry, I spell the word wrongly, it is not antagostic.
it's true that when you tell most Christians facts using evidence, Some of them will resolve it with the bible by saying the bible is absolutely right without even understanding the bible's position in the matter, and ignore whatever actual evidence that you are presenting to them.
we have heard a case where galeleo says the earth was spherical and the church killed him for it, because they think it was wrong to say such since the bible didnt mention it like that.
There are christians that are like that today,some even say it is wrong to take drugs, let's depend on miracles for healing.
such things are antagonistic to science, evidence and reasoning
But not all christians are like that.
some of us study to find out tangible evidence.
Example is what i just presented to you,that Jesus prophesied in parable the growth of Christianity.
You say there are similar stories like this? that someone prophesied something that is happening this generation a long time ago?
is it Nostrademus or Thomus mathus?
tell me.
Ok, to differentiate between the christian faith and the English faith.
From the oxford definition you gave
3. A particular religion
every other definitions came from this one definition, a particular religion.
for instance,
1. Complete trust or confidence in someone or
something.
You must belong to a particular religion first (believe in God or something ) before you completely trust God or have confidence in whatever you believe or your prophet for car, money, house etc
so you, see how it works.
what most christians define as faith is, believing in God for car, money, house, miracles etc
But what the Bible define as faith is a particular religion which is the Christian faith or Christianity . that is, to believe in Jesus for eternal life only.
not for car, money, house, miracles etc.
that is why you see me laying emphasis on the Christian faith

I mustn't belong to any religion or believe in any deity. They all are man made.

You never demonstrate any justification to why Christian faith is different from gullible english word faith. If you can believe Christian stories and claims with faith, you can actually believe anything i repeat any with faith.

menesheh:



I mustn't belong to any religion or believe in any deity. They all are man made.

You never demonstrate any justification to why Christian faith is different from gullible english word faith. If you can believe Christian stories and claims with faith, you can actually believe anything i repeat any with faith.

lol
it's ok
all i. do is to point out to you
not to get you into religion
it's a free world