Blind faith in God or using logic before believing in God?

unknownuser

I agree. I also think that we need to know why we believe what we believe.
I think that what you are discussing, and also having a problem with, is the common, typical approach to religion and faith.
I think people have the approach they have towards religion, because they lack experience and a deeper understanding of what they are talking (when they talk about faith n religion). This is why weird and illogical translations come by.
What you say about the quran above, I only agree with in that it is how people understand and translate it. The words are not definite, but understood and therefore translated according to the depth of the translators understanding and experience. Even if the translator is an ace in language, he might be crappy in spiritual understanding, and therefore his translation would necessarily reflect this to different extents.
So, I think it is a wrong or weak understanding of the quran that you are reporting. I agree with you that it doesn't make so much sense, they way you understand the quran. Personally I think the quran should not be understood this way, even though most people seem to render it in this fashion. I disagree that it is the quran itself that is wrong.
My idea is that it a correct belief has nothing to do with blind faith at all, and all to do with seeing and experiencing reality. This is a gradual process, something that can deepen. No-one sits with all the right answers.
I also think that we should not rush to conclude exactly what jannat and jahanam are, and what 'correct belief' and 'good' and 'value' are. People have already rushed.. and the understanding is in front of us... making not so much sense. I'm certain that a key thing in this is our understanding of what God/Allah/xyz is and is not. This is usually, IMO, where things go wrong, and other things follow on the wrong track. Isn't this also what Allah won't "forgive"? Shirk. We end up with personified, emotional images of the Creator, as if It is anything like we can figure out. This is why it is written in the quran that we should not associate anything with Allah. It doesn't only mean that we should not keep partners alongside with Allah, but we should not think of Allah as something of the creation. Actually, by just keeping partners with Allah means that we have no clue what Allah is. It's not about jealousy and fairness or so. Keeping partners means we bring Allah down into creation, and hence showing that we totally and utterly have misunderstood the entire concept of Allah. We make images of Allah that lead us astray. We create a fairy land with characters... and confusion and misery is the result of this. We should not try to understand what Allah is... but rather what Allah is not... that will take us closer. If we cannot grasp or comprehend Allah, then why do we try to. Why do we connect so many attributes to It that only befit people and creation? We should stop figuring out Allah, 'cause we cannot, and we should start experiencing it instead. We cannot figure out with the mind, but we can experience. We should stop interpreting the quran in the terminology and images of the biblical fairy tales. Those stories may have truth in them.. but they are at best concealed as similes and parables that people long ago have lost the understanding of. People have started taking them literally.

So yeah, I can understand your objection. But I don't conclude that it is the quran that is false... rather it would IMO be our understanding which is severely corrupt, silly and illogical. I think the real message of the quran is deeply buried under lots of mental nonsense, blindness and baggage that we impose on it. The quran cannot be understood thru language only. It requires something more. In fact, it seems that the more religious one gets, the farther away from Allah on also gets.
Just my opinion.

Peace

Peace Zulf,

I like a lot of what you said, especially the bolded above. If we have not yet figured out that religion and spirituality are two separate devices, then we still have a long way to go. I know of one denomination of Christianity in which if you call them "religious" they are offended. I am starting appreciate their stance on that word.

And yes...I have said it in other posts...we put "limits" on God with our interpretations and thinking. Who are we to say what He will and will not forgive, do, or allow just because that is the way we understand it?

Peace,

Amina

StopS

I agree. I also think that we need to know why we believe what we believe.
I think that what you are discussing, and also having a problem with, is the common, typical approach to religion and faith.
I think people have the approach they have towards religion, because they lack experience and a deeper understanding of what they are talking (when they talk about faith n religion). This is why weird and illogical translations come by.
What you say about the quran above, I only agree with in that it is how people understand and translate it. The words are not definite, but understood and therefore translated according to the depth of the translators understanding and experience. Even if the translator is an ace in language, he might be crappy in spiritual understanding, and therefore his translation would necessarily reflect this to different extents.
So, I think it is a wrong or weak understanding of the quran that you are reporting. I agree with you that it doesn't make so much sense, they way you understand the quran. Personally I think the quran should not be understood this way, even though most people seem to render it in this fashion. I disagree that it is the quran itself that is wrong.
My idea is that it a correct belief has nothing to do with blind faith at all, and all to do with seeing and experiencing reality. This is a gradual process, something that can deepen. No-one sits with all the right answers.
I also think that we should not rush to conclude exactly what jannat and jahanam are, and what 'correct belief' and 'good' and 'value' are. People have already rushed.. and the understanding is in front of us... making not so much sense. I'm certain that a key thing in this is our understanding of what God/Allah/xyz is and is not. This is usually, IMO, where things go wrong, and other things follow on the wrong track. Isn't this also what Allah won't "forgive"? Shirk. We end up with personified, emotional images of the Creator, as if It is anything like we can figure out. This is why it is written in the quran that we should not associate anything with Allah. It doesn't only mean that we should not keep partners alongside with Allah, but we should not think of Allah as something of the creation. Actually, by just keeping partners with Allah means that we have no clue what Allah is. It's not about jealousy and fairness or so. Keeping partners means we bring Allah down into creation, and hence showing that we totally and utterly have misunderstood the entire concept of Allah. We make images of Allah that lead us astray. We create a fairy land with characters... and confusion and misery is the result of this. We should not try to understand what Allah is... but rather what Allah is not... that will take us closer. If we cannot grasp or comprehend Allah, then why do we try to. Why do we connect so many attributes to It that only befit people and creation? We should stop figuring out Allah, 'cause we cannot, and we should start experiencing it instead. We cannot figure out with the mind, but we can experience. We should stop interpreting the quran in the terminology and images of the biblical fairy tales. Those stories may have truth in them.. but they are at best concealed as similes and parables that people long ago have lost the understanding of. People have started taking them literally.

What I see and what I understand is that you are saying the words are there to be understood and not scrutinized.
Also, the interpretation of the words as they are intended will eventually lead to an intended understanding, which is not always appreciated.

Correct me if I'm wrong.

My principle in understanding a super-natural being we commonly call god is this

an omniscient god would know what I require in the form of evidence to make me a believer.
an almighty god would be able to produce this evidence.
an all-merciful god would allow for errors and see the own mistakes.

So I have a problem understanding the entire concept of punishment for anyone and the highly severe punishment at that in a truly sadistic hell for an incredibly long time. I see it as totally superfluous.
The concept of a devil, originally created as a worshipping angel turned evil is beyond me. Why not engage in positive encouragement instead of terror and fear?

Contrast this with a profound understanding of nature.
No evil, just natural phenomena.
No punishment, just a fulfilled life without artificial constraints.
No faith or even blind faith, just experience.

Now please explain the advantage of faith.

hawk99

What I see and what I understand is that you are saying the words are there to be understood and not scrutinized.
Also, the interpretation of the words as they are intended will eventually lead to an intended understanding, which is not always appreciated.
Correct me if I'm wrong.
My principle in understanding a super-natural being we commonly call god is this

an omniscient god would know what I require in the form of evidence to make me a believer.
an almighty god would be able to produce this evidence.
an all-merciful god would allow for errors and see the own mistakes.
So I have a problem understanding the entire concept of punishment for anyone and the highly severe punishment at that in a truly sadistic hell for an incredibly long time. I see it as totally superfluous.
The concept of a devil, originally created as a worshipping angel turned evil is beyond me. Why not engage in positive encouragement instead of terror and fear?
Contrast this with a profound understanding of nature.
No evil, just natural phenomena.
No punishment, just a fulfilled life without artificial constraints.
No faith or even blind faith, just experience.
Now please explain the advantage of faith.

Excellent post,

Peace StopS,

You could start by capitalizing God to show reverence and respect.
Your error is you set the criterion for what is acceptable to you from God.

All Green are your quotes

an omniscient god would know what I require in the form of evidence to make me a believer.
Here you have replaced God's omnipotence with your own.
an almighty god would be able to produce this evidence.
According to Quran God says he has produced such evidence.
an all-merciful god would allow for errors and see the own mistakes.
I do not understand this sentence.

So I have a problem understanding the entire concept of punishment for anyone and the highly severe punishment at that in a truly sadistic hell for an incredibly long time. I see it as totally superfluous.
Unhappiness, misery and oppression can last a long time in this life.
one can be punished for extended periods of time in this lifetime
note the sadistic brutally in many prison systems.
Enduring punishments are not out of context for the hereafter.

Peace O0

Zulf

What I see and what I understand is that you are saying the words are there to be understood and not scrutinized.
Also, the interpretation of the words as they are intended will eventually lead to an intended understanding, which is not always appreciated.

Correct me if I'm wrong.

Peace StopS,

Just some replies and random remarks from me
i. Understanding comes with time, experience, patience, open-mindedness, and sincere desire of it.

ii. Words should be scrutinized. The opposite would be blind faith, which I think is madness.

iii. If person A can see reality X, while person B cannot, then it doesn't mean person A has a blind faith in X, even though person B cannot see reality X and hence likes to call it blind faith. Much arguments in such a situation is pretty futile though, since one side will not convince the other, regardless of the reality.

iv. What is appreciated, or rather felt as pleasant, depends on one's mind, up-bringing, past experiences, beliefs. The less wisdom and freedom of mind one has, the more rigid one's like's and dislike's would be. The wiser, more open, and free of the tyranny of one's mind you get, the less forced you will be to emotionally react to things in a compulsive way. If you're wise/open/free, you'll see all good points in things that "less wise" people might not be able to.

My principle in understanding a super-natural being we commonly call god is this

an omniscient god would know what I require in the form of evidence to make me a believer.
an almighty god would be able to produce this evidence.
an all-merciful god would allow for errors and see the own mistakes.

v. In my understanding, the issue arises from the notion that God (or whatever you call it) is super-natural. This make it into something separate, un-natural and out of the ordinary. It actually makes it something outside reality. The word also shows that it is defined as something that the tools of natural science cannot detect, and hence silly. God is called super-natural for the simple reason that those who call it that simply cannot feel or experience God (or at least hasn't yet). They try, like good scientists, to understand God with their minds, and fail miserably. This is also how Religions come up... through people who have no idea what God is like. They create an image (in place of an experience), mostly based on fear, and then you have a religion of blind faith followers. People who search for God usually look in the wrong place. They look outside. They go to priests, mullahs, rabbis, etc. They should instead start within with sincerity.

vi. This might sound paradoxical, but demanding evidence is the same as wanting to submit to blind faith. Why? Well, it is the desire to be presented evidence on a silver plate BEFORE you decide to believe, instead of reaching certainty, and and thereby faith, all by yourself. To be fed evidence is to not wanting to do the work of discovery oneself. This is not limited to faith in God, but anything that takes some work before you gain certainty or knowledge about it.

vii. It's anyway not about evidence. It's about being open to let it in. The water is in the pipes all along, but unless you open the tap, it wont come to you.

viii. The issue again is the concept of a god that is outside us, super-natural, something else, separate. This sort of god will never be found except in one's imagination, and fairy tales. Just go and look into the religions of this world. They contain great truths, but they are mostly obscured with crazy fairy tales. Why does it seem like religions create misery, war and shit. Well, because 1) they are faaaar from understanding God (if God is good, then following God will produce goodness), and 2) people are controlled by their egos and emotions.

ix. If you really want to see the deeper reality, then quit dwelling on the things you don't believe in. Quite dwelling on the things that don't make sense. Just leave it. If you want to believe in God, then quite collecting evidence for the non-existence of god. If you believe that god doesn't exist, then just relax in that and go on with other matters of the world that you enjoy. Is there some uncertainty or insecurity? If others believe in the Easter Bunny, they will continue believe in it for as long as they decide to.
If you have reached a conclusion that God cannot be a cruel character that is unfair and what not. Congratulations!! I agree! But once that conclusion is reached, why keep come back to it? It is now established. Move on! Don't stop here. And IF you are STILL deep down, somewhere, interested in a greater meaning, then start looking for it where you haven't looked before, and in ways you haven't looked before. It is stupid to going round and round in a circle proving a thing over and over to oneself. Why would one do that? If God cannot reasonably be like that religions teach, then leave it and look elsewhere! Religions don't have monopoly on the truth, although they claim so. IF you have the desire to know and experience the truth, just ask inside yourself for it, and let the desire and intention of wanting it vibrate inside you. Fill your mind with it. Stop thinking and start feeling. And do give it TIME. You must give it time!! The mind is a just a tool. It's like a machine. It's not intelligent. It is just a very complex machine that can sort, filter, categorize, combine, extrapolate, compute that data that it is stored in its huge database, conscious and subconscious memory. But it is not really intelligent. It's a computer. If you relax and start feeling also instead of only thinking, then you will start realizing and seeing new things... things that the mind would not be able to dig out or add up.
Don't demand that others serve you the truth. That would be blind faith. I cannot happen. Open up to it and it will flow in all by itself. You must do the work yourself. It takes time to open up. It's a process that will never finish, but it can start here an now with a decision. It starts with you. Intention, desire and a decision. Forget all the fear propaganda by the blind religious fear mongers. Just leave them and forget them. Don't argue with them even. If you don't believe them, then don't pay attention to them, not even in you mind. Why focus on something you don't believe in?? Isn't that as mad as blind faith?

So I have a problem understanding the entire concept of punishment for anyone and the highly severe punishment at that in a truly sadistic hell for an incredibly long time. I see it as totally superfluous.
The concept of a devil, originally created as a worshipping angel turned evil is beyond me. Why not engage in positive encouragement instead of terror and fear?

x. I can fully understand and relate to your apprehensions. But don't dwell on it too much. Look somewhere else!

Contrast this with a profound understanding of nature.
No evil, just natural phenomena.
No punishment, just a fulfilled life without artificial constraints.
No faith or even blind faith, just experience.

Now please explain the advantage of faith.

xi. Nature is just a material environment we live in, a wonderful one. Imagine an understanding that goes beyond that! How liberating!

xii. Experience gives faith. It's the same thing. But if the word 'faith' carries negative connotations for you, then 'experience' is better. Blind faith is however undoubtedly madness.

xiii. Are you asking about the advantage of faith (as in a doubtful belief in a super-natural god) or about the advantage of experience? They're quite different. I'm only interested in experience. I prefer not to invest time in blind faith or other things that are not able to vastly improve your life.

Sorry for the lengthy text, but I enjoyed writing it laugh
Peace!

StopS

Excellent post,

Peace StopS,

You could start by capitalizing God to show reverence and respect.

Thanks. God is a description or a function, a creator, not a name. It is not respect that makes a person capitalise a word, or is it? And I am sorry, I can't revere something I have no evidence for. This is in no way out of disrespect to you or any other human.

Your error is you set the criterion for what is acceptable to you from God.

Absolutely correct! This is MY personal expectation. But why is that an error? I have MY expectations for almost everything and I think I am entitled to that.

All Green are your quotes

an omniscient god would know what I require in the form of evidence to make me a believer.
Here you have replaced God's omnipotence with your own.

Not at all. I know what would be considered proof or evidence. That's all.

an almighty god would be able to produce this evidence.
According to Quran God says he has produced such evidence.

Hahaha, I like that! Yes, indeed, that's what makes you a believer and me a non-believer.

an all-merciful god would allow for errors and see the own mistakes.
I do not understand this sentence.

I am a mere mortal, a human. I make mistakes. An all-merciful being would not punish me for my making mistakes. Also, I would not be punished for misunderstanding confusing and erroneous descriptions.

So I have a problem understanding the entire concept of punishment for anyone and the highly severe punishment at that in a truly sadistic hell for an incredibly long time. I see it as totally superfluous.
Unhappiness, misery and oppression can last a long time in this life.
one can be punished for extended periods of time in this lifetime
note the sadistic brutally in many prison systems.
Enduring punishments are not out of context for the hereafter.

Yes, precisely, this is valid for human legal judgment, not for divine mercy.

hawk99

Peace Stop S

Thanks. God is a description or a function, a creator, not a name. It is not respect that makes a person capitalise a word, or is it? And I am sorry, I can't revere something I have no evidence for. This is in no way out of disrespect to you or any other human.

That's fine, I should not impose my grammatical habits, I apologize

I am a mere mortal, a human. I make mistakes. An all-merciful being would not punish me for my making mistakes. Also, I would not be punished for misunderstanding confusing and erroneous descriptions.

Maybe you misunderstand the all-merciful being.

So I have a problem understanding the entire concept of punishment for anyone and the highly severe punishment at that in a truly sadistic hell for an incredibly long time. I see it as totally superfluous.

Unhappiness, misery and oppression can last a long time in this life.
one can be punished for extended periods of time in this lifetime
note the sadistic brutally in many prison systems.
Enduring punishments are not out of context for the hereafter.

Yes, precisely, this is valid for human legal judgment, not for divine mercy.

Not all judgement is legal, some punishments are carried out by individuals against
their fellows citizens. But as you know, all experience cannot be positive.
(ying & yang)

Peace O0

StopS

Peace StopS,

Just some replies and random remarks from me

Wow! A lot of material. Let me share my thoughts with you.

i. Understanding comes
ii. Words should be scrutinized.
iii. If person A can see reality X,
iv. What is appreciated, or rather felt as pleasant

It seems that this is applying the human mind. I would expect much more from a god. I definitely apply much higher standards to the attributes normally associated with a god, much higher than with a human. So I would require each and every word to be the perfect word to convey a meaning without ambiguity or the need for interpretation to every individual. That's just me and my standards.

v. In my understanding, the issue arises from the notion that God (or whatever you call it) is super-natural. This make it into something separate, un-natural and out of the ordinary. It actually makes it something outside reality.

Well, this seems to be a double edged sword. I understand the desire of separating a creator from the creation - but that does not work if that creator/god interacts with the reality of humans on a daily basis.

I agree totally with your evaluation regarding science and the super-natural.

vi. This might sound paradoxical, but demanding evidence is the same as wanting to submit to blind faith.

Here I disagree. Humans are created in order to worship. How can I, if I don't really and without the trace of a doubt know whom or what, how or when and why?

If I am rewarded or punished for my actions, I maintain I should know for certain why I am punished, by whom and in what way. Beforehand.

vii. It's anyway not about evidence. It's about being open to let it in. The water is in the pipes all along, but unless you open the tap, it wont come to you.

What if I don't know that it is water coming out of that pipe, but acid? Sorry, no, I need to know what I am doing before I do it.
I can't just drive a car on the highway without knowing what will happen if I make a mistake. Having faith in my abilities can prove a costly mistake.

viii. The issue again is the concept of a god that is outside us, super-natural, something else, separate.

Again, I think you are using human argumentation to create a point which makes sense to you. Like I said if a god wants something from me that he should be willing and able to convey the message.

ix. If you really want to see the deeper reality, then quit dwelling on the things you don't believe in.

Hahaha, there is reality and reality. You can't have a deeper reality than reality.

OK, here you are hitting on something, I think. You first believe and then the belief makes sense. Because you believe. That seems to be the standard approach.

I have studied the various old arguments for the existence of a god and have found that they were made to further deepen the belief of believers, not to entice someone into belief.

But if I leave god out of the picture, should I trust my own instincts and research? I'm a human. What if I have made a mistake?
I double check my work. Why not my belief?

Also, religions are constantly getting into my life, telling me that I am a fool for not believing without evidence. They tell me that my expectations of a god are unrealistic, too strict and ignorant. Why can't I expect what I want?

Why should I go deeper if the shallow inspection does not yield the expected results? If I can't breathe in 2m under water, why should I be able to breathe at a depth of 20m? I can't just ignore reality, rational thinking, scepticism and reason to simply say that it is easier to live in heavenly bliss - and ignorance. I need to know that what I believe is justified and the truth.

x. I can fully understand and relate to your apprehensions.

Reading what you wrote I somehow doubt it. I can see you gave it thought and are trying to get your head around it, but is it really possible to understand another person's emotional motives?

xi. Nature is just a material environment we live in, a wonderful one. Imagine an understanding that goes beyond that! How liberating!

How can anyone imagine that? Why liberating?

xii. Experience gives faith. It's the same thing. But if the word 'faith' carries negative connotations for you, then 'experience' is better. Blind faith is however undoubtedly madness.

Experience is the opposite of faith.

xiii. Are you asking about the advantage of faith (as in a doubtful belief in a super-natural god) or about the advantage of experience? They're quite different. I'm only interested in experience. I prefer not to invest time in blind faith or other things that are not able to vastly improve your life.

Now you are saying they are different, when earlier you said they are the same??? What is the difference between "faith" and "blind faith"?

Sorry for the lengthy text, but I enjoyed writing it

I enjoy reading something where it is obvious that person has put some thought into it.

StopS

Peace Stop S

That's fine, I should not impose my grammatical habits, I apologize

No, not at all, making suggestions is always welcome. It makes me think why I do what I do.

Maybe you misunderstand the all-merciful being.

Maybe I am - but then whose fault is that?

So I have a problem understanding the entire concept of punishment for anyone and the highly severe punishment at that in a truly sadistic hell for an incredibly long time. I see it as totally superfluous.

Unhappiness, misery and oppression can last a long time in this life. one can be punished for extended periods of time in this lifetime note the sadistic brutally in many prison systems. Enduring punishments are not out of context for the hereafter. Not all judgement is legal, some punishments are carried out by individuals against their fellows citizens. But as you know, all experience cannot be positive.
(ying & yang)

Peace O0

In a human legal system, there is an element of appropriate punishment.
According to religions, a good man can get punished for eternity and a bad man can get rewarded for eternity. How is that possible if humans are created by a perfect being which is also all-merciful? And omniscient. It just does not add up.

hawk99

Peace Stop S,

The journey is yours my friend, I hope you get the answers you seek.

We have all heard that no two snowflakes are alike. Each snowflake takes the perfect form for the maximum efficiency and effectiveness for its journey. And while the universal force of gravity gives them a shared destination, the expansive space in the air gives each snowflake the opportunity to take their own path. They are on the same journey, but each takes a different path.
Along this gravity-driven journey, some snowflakes collide and damage each other, some collide and join together, some are influenced by wind... there are so many transitions and changes that take place along the journey of the snowflake. But, no matter what the transition, the snowflake always finds itself perfectly shaped for its journey.
I find parallels in nature to be a beautiful reflection of grand orchestration. One of these parallels is of snowflakes and us. We, too, are all headed in the same direction. We are being driven by a universal force to the same destination. We are all individuals taking different journeys and along our journey, we sometimes bump into each other, we cross paths, we become altered... we take different physical forms. But at all times we too are 100% perfectly imperfect. At every given moment we are absolutely perfect for what is required for our journey. I?m not perfect for your journey and you?re not perfect for my journey, but I?m perfect for my journey and you?re perfect for your journey. We?re heading to the same place, we?re taking different routes, but we?re both exactly perfect the way we are.
Steve Maraboli, Life, the Truth, and Being Free

Peace O0

StopS

Peace Stop S,

The journey is yours my friend, I hope you get the answers you seek.

We have all heard that no two snowflakes are alike. Each snowflake takes the perfect form for the maximum efficiency and effectiveness for its journey. And while the universal force of gravity gives them a shared destination, the expansive space in the air gives each snowflake the opportunity to take their own path. They are on the same journey, but each takes a different path.
Along this gravity-driven journey, some snowflakes collide and damage each other, some collide and join together, some are influenced by wind... there are so many transitions and changes that take place along the journey of the snowflake. But, no matter what the transition, the snowflake always finds itself perfectly shaped for its journey.
I find parallels in nature to be a beautiful reflection of grand orchestration. One of these parallels is of snowflakes and us. We, too, are all headed in the same direction. We are being driven by a universal force to the same destination. We are all individuals taking different journeys and along our journey, we sometimes bump into each other, we cross paths, we become altered... we take different physical forms. But at all times we too are 100% perfectly imperfect. At every given moment we are absolutely perfect for what is required for our journey. I?m not perfect for your journey and you?re not perfect for my journey, but I?m perfect for my journey and you?re perfect for your journey. We?re heading to the same place, we?re taking different routes, but we?re both exactly perfect the way we are.
Steve Maraboli, Life, the Truth, and Being Free

Peace O0

Spoken like a true philosopher. Good quote!

Zulf

Thank your for taking time, and your detailed reply. I hope I shall not disappoint you too much when I now will only respond but briefly to your post. We shall hopefully exchange ideas again at a later time here on the forum.

x. I can fully understand and relate to your apprehensions.

Reading what you wrote I somehow doubt it. I can see you gave it thought and are trying to get your head around it, but is it really possible to understand another person's emotional motives?

True as you hint at. One cannot understand another person's emotional motives.

xii. Experience gives faith. It's the same thing. But if the word 'faith' carries negative connotations for you, then 'experience' is better. Blind faith is however undoubtedly madness.

Experience is the opposite of faith.

Now you are saying they are different, when earlier you said they are the same??? What is the difference between "faith" and "blind faith"?

It's just a use of words. I guess you equate 'faith' and 'blind faith', and in that case, using your definition of 'faith', then I am too against having faith... because it is blind. Sometimes people make 'faith' mean 'trust', and then the word gets another meaning. Also, 'faith' can mean 'certainty' or 'to know for sure through experience'. I guess we just have to be sure what meaning we give the word faith... we should know for our own sake and for other's sake when communicating. So, I'm all for experience, but not faith (the blind one).

Peace, and kind regards!