Where Does Your Faith Come From?

[garnet13aj]

As an atheist who was raised in a purely secular home I've always has trouble with the concept of faith. When I was in high school and began looking into Christianity and the prospect that there was a god people were constantly telling me "You just have to have faith, Alicia". But where does that faith come from?!?!?!? I have lost all interest in finding any sort of god (AKA this is not change Alicia into a believer thread), but I'm still curious as to where other people's faith comes from. Here's dictionary.com's definitions of the word faith http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/faith . The one I feel is most accurate when referring to faith in god is the 2nd one "belief that is not based on proof". Would you say that is accurate, or have I somehow been misdirected by all those people who've in the past told me the only way to believe in god is to simply believe without anything prompting it.
I don't want this thread to turn into any sort of argument as to whether or not someone's faith is justified because I'm just trying to get a general feel of where one's faith comes from. Is it from a book, one's parents, an experience....

 

[reefraff]

There are many kinds of faith. People believe in evolution without proof. There is evidence to suggest it but there is no proof. That is a kind of faith. Spiritual faith comes from a feeling, at least it does for me. I don't believe what my parents did and I wasn't raised in a particurly religious family but my mom was a christian. My dad was a jack mormon who only believed he'd have another drink. I really wasn't a "believer" until I was in my mid 20's. I guess I just don't buy into the idea that everything happened by accident.

 

[geridoc]

There are many kinds of faith. People believe in evolution without proof. There is evidence to suggest it but there is no proof.
No, people who understand the theory of evolution do not "believe in evolution", they accept that the theory of evolution is the best scientific explanation for observed events. It is not a matter of belief, but of interpreting and explaining data.

 

[1journeyman]

My faith comes from within me.

I wish I could explain that better but I can't. I studied, thought a lot, searched and came to a "peace" about who God is.
Faith, in my humble opinion, is a hope of things not seen, but I do catch glimpses occasionally.
Hope that helps, though I don't really think it does. To me faith in God is as natural as having faith in the chair I sat down in when I went to type this.

 

[veni vidi vici]

Originally Posted by 1journeyman
My faith comes from within me.

I wish I could explain that better but I can't. I studied, thought a lot, searched and came to a "peace" about who God is.
Faith, in my humble opinion, is a hope of things not seen, but I do catch glimpses occasionally.
Hope that helps, though I don't really think it does. To me faith in God is as natural as having faith in the chair I sat down in when I went to type this.
Well said

 

[tizzo]

I was raised in an athiest household also. My bf (best friend, not boyfriend) was a christian and she irritated me when she talked about "faith". Until I had my firstborn and he yawned. I know it sounds stupid, but when I looked into his mouth, all that I had previously believed and been taught went out the window. His little face, opened up to reveal his throat, his tongue, his gums, and right there at that moment, something deep inside me "turned on" a realization that humans alone could not create something so "perfect" inside and out.
I didn't know anything about "God" at the time, but I knew I could not take credit for that child.
So my faith comes from somewhere inside that I cannot explain. I just know.
I think faith is similar to love. Until you see it for yourself, you'll never really believe it exists no matter how many times you hear about it, and even then you still don't know "where" it comes from. It's just there.

 

[jerthunter]

Where does my faith come from? That is a difficult question so I won't even try to answer it. Where does my belief in God come from? That is still a difficult question but I will try to answer that. The first reason is I look around, everything I can observe has some sort of cause that preceeded it. Meaning nothing I can observe happens without having a cause. Therefore I feel that there must be something outside of this realm, outside of the rules of the universe that is the cause for this universe. To me that is God. The second reason, is my thoughts. There is alot that I can be fooled about but I cannot be fooled about my own thoughts. I know that I have an idea of perfection and I am not perfect so that idea must be based on something. Therefore I figure there must be a measure of perfection. To me that is God.
That is my question attempt at explaining my thought process. Most of the ideas I mentioned have been borrowed from various philosophers like Kant, Hume, Decartes, and Plato.

 

[jovial]

Where does love come from? My faith comes from my relationship with God. I trust and believe in him and when I pray (at least for me) things happen. To explain where faith comes from, I dont think there is a general answer and certainly not one that could be put into scientific terms, science will never be able to explain faith. To look for answers in science regarding faith will always end in futility. It is a personal experience IMO.

 

[reefreak29]

faith is a complete loyalty or complete trust in God without any doubt.
faith comes from within it comes from listening to his message of good news the good news about christ. to aquire faith you need to seek christ thruogh his teachings, and seek a personal relationship with him

 

[reefer545]

My faith was instilled just by my life experiences. From the time of birth when my bio mom abandoned me to today when I know that I have not listened to God, and His will (that I believe I was told through prayer) is happening anyway. And everything in between. Faith cannot be obtained unless you recognize that there is GOD> ask HIM for anything (mundane or huge)> and then realize the answer provided as HIS devine will. Whether or not you understand HIS answer is always different. Sometimes it will be a very small, easily dismissed by others as coincidental, and other times you can swear that GOD sent angels to protect you because in the state of mind you were in, there is no explanation of your lungs still breathing. Ask and thy shall recieve, to believe as a child believes (unquestionably, without terms of their own, without understanding) is TRUE belief/faith. If one can let go of all thier own knowledge, understanding, perception and become like a child (helpless, unjaded, ignorant) then faith may be obtained, but that first step of denying thyself is the hardest part.
I was raised in the christian church. i no longer atten church as I believe ordanment to be easily given these days, as well ALL RELIGIONS that believe in ONE GOD testify the SAME THING. HOWEVER, they all say I am right and they are wrong, and they are wrong, but if all united with the idea that is so definitely preached by all these religions -- acceptance, tolerance, understanding, but mostly faith hope and LOVE we could all Ideally be better people.

 

[garnet13aj]

So, not everyone, but some people have said their faith in god comes from a belief in god...What I thought I was asking was where does your faith that god exists come from? So saying "my faith in god comes from a belief in god" is kind of a circular answer, if that's your answer, that's fine. Like I said, I don't want to argue about whether an aswer is valid, but I guess my real question is where does your belief in god come from?

 

[reefreak29]

Unfortunately, individuals who believe in God and/or have a personal relationship Him, can't help but come up with a response like "it comes from God". You see, humanity in and of itself has no natural desire to seek after God. Therefore, God seeks to have a relationship with us. It is that unseen thing that sparks a thought that maybe there is something out there bigger than us all. The earth cries out that there is a God, nature cries out that there is a God and yes, seeing a little child grow in the womb and be born cries out that there is a God. It's all pretty amazing. So, for me... my faith came from God and it grows and becomes stronger as I continue to lear about Him.

 

[jovial]

I suppose you could say where does your faith in a stone come from? You can see it and feel it because of this you know it is real. Faith in God is the same to a believer IMO.

 

[groupergenius]

Originally Posted by garnet13aj
Like I said, I don't want to argue about whether an aswer is valid, but I guess my real question is where does your belief in god come from?
I asked that one alot in my life as well.
There has got to be something better than simply accidents. There has to be a purpose. I refuse to associate my existence with chimpanzees.
I know this is not what you wanted, but I can't see the logistics in evolution. To a small extent maybe. Every creature gets smarter over time, granted. But I would think that there would be more tangible evidence of the gaps between species and "progressions of evolution" than speculation.
Darwinists say we evolved from Apes...Gorillas or Chimps or Spider Monkeys or Marmosets or Bush Babies or Baboons or Howlers or etc. etc. etc.
In other words, I have faith that there is something out there, that is more than we could ever truly understand. Maybe Someday.

 

[socal57che]

Journeyman spoke well. Once saved by Christ the feelings that we experience are beyond our ability to express with words.
Wife says it's time for bed...I'll post again tomorrow.

 

[tangman99]

I have faith that there is a higher power. Be it intelligent or a force of Energy, I have no idea. I don't believe in the whole heaven/hell thing. I have met too many people in my life from all over the world who are just as passionate (if not more) about their religious beliefs as some of you. Everyone can't be right and no one has any better argument than any one else. The only reason most of you believe in what you do is because of the influence you have growing up. If you had grown up in another country, you would most likely believe in something else. So faith is not just believing in God. Faith can refer to believing in one God, many Gods or no God at all.

 

[1journeyman]

Originally Posted by TangMan99
...... The only reason most of you believe in what you do is because of the influence you have growing up. ...........
That's an unfair and unsubstantiated claim. I suspect you don't know how any of the posters on this forum grew up; much less "most".

 

[perfectdark]

Well I can attest, I grew up in a completly christian home. However I am not christian in my beliefs. I challenge alot I question even more, the older I get the more sinical I get.
Do I believe in god or a god? sure I do, I believe that we were not just some accident that happened. I believe there is a higer power out there, where did that come from... observation I guess. Small things happening over time, IMO thinking that we are the center of the universe and there is no higer power is a tad ignorant. There are times where I look at the the human race and think are we nothing more than an ant farm to a higer power? Nothing in particular that makes me say... "Thats why I believe in God" But I question people through history.. like albert einstein for example. With such intellegence, was he placed here for reason? Certain things that happened over time, are these things coincedences? Are we (the human race) being steered in a certain direction by an outside force. Sometimes I wonder, I guess I wonder enough to believe there is a god.

 

[renogaw]

I grew up baptist and catholic. i decided for myself when i turned 17 and had something bad (really bad) happen to me that made me think if there was a god, it wouldn't have happened. This is why i do not believe in god. If god was all powerful, all knowing, all loving, why is there so much hate, violence, and other horrible things going on in the world? and don't give me the "devil influence thing" because if god was all powerful, he could remove all devilish tendancies.
i know you were'nt asking why people didn't believe, but i had to put this out there as well.

 

[clown boy]

Originally Posted by renogaw
don't give me the "devil influence thing" because if god was all powerful, he could remove all devilish tendancies.
Sure he could, but he decided to give man a free will...