How would you explain the difference between a faith and a belief?

[Inchworm]

I'm having a hella time with daughter lately over this.

It's not so much with her as it is with those she discusses the topic with.

A faith (religion) to me is a group of beliefs/rituals/traditions that are acted out formally.

A belief is just that.. a belief. I believe in aliens, but I didn't make a landing pad out back.. ya know?

I suggested that she have salespeople come by and discuss their product with her and BF. I may have messed up with that one because her BF is smelling the new car smell. Also, I'm now realizing that a good salesperson can sell anything if you let them.

Tonight a Jehovah Witness rep is coming to present. I am preparing myself for the late night rebuttal I'll be having on the phone afterward :D

Oh yea! Who the hell bunched agnostic with atheist? That needs fixed... stupid humans :P

:shrug:

[Guava Jelly]

1. Not sure

But I think of Faith as like being Hope... I have a great hope yada yada will happen.
And Belief as Hypothesis. I have never seen a Unicorn but I know with all my heart that they exist.
I could be way off because I believe in neither.

[Inchworm]

3. Thats what I go through

I'm trying to leave it all to her to decide. I told her I'm not smart enough to know and if that's a religion, I'm in it. :D

But I'm also trying to "guide" her a bit so she doesn't buy the first lemon in the lot.

Fun stuff lemme tell ya.

:hi:

[Tuesday Afternoon]

12. and therefore you believe

in the netherness, which is a belief unto itself but, a belief nonetheless. :D

[SteppingRazor]

2. I would say that a belief is a reasonable assumption based on previous events...

while faith is belief in the absence of evidence.

Thus, I believe the sun will rise tomorrow, or I have faith that it will not rise tomorrow.

[Guava Jelly]

4. That was way better than mine

:thumbsup:

[Inchworm]

6. Great explanation

I'll be using that.

:applause:

[SteppingRazor]

9. Always glad to help.

:)

[CreekDog]

5. faith is based on empirical evidence; belief may or may not be

Which distinguishes them from knowledge or fact which is evidence based.

This is not to devalue faith and belief just to define what they are based on.

[Inchworm]

8. Isn't that contradictory to the "sunrise" allegory above?

Hmm..

:hi:

[CreekDog]

11. Yes, my definition of belief contradicts the other poster's

Belief can be based on something rational or totally irrational --it's still belief.

Faith likewise.

Knowledge is evidence based, belief *may* be, but is not required to be.

We are just talking word definitions here and belief is broadly defined.

That said, don't invite Jehovah's Witness cultists to your house to talk to impressionable people, no matter how much good you think such a thing will teach them.

[BarenakedLady]

7. No idea

Good luck with that.

Ha!

Jehovahs? Really? Egads.

:hi:

[Inchworm]

10. Yar

:scared:

My daughter is safe because I toughened up her unwillingness to accept other people's thoughts without asking like 42gazillion questions until the person breaks. It's her BF I worry about.

Not to disrespect JW or anything, but she told me, "It seems like they are PR guys for God. They even gave God a name. Did you know God had a name?" a few minutes ago on phone.

A bit sceptic ya think? :D

:hi:

[Tuesday Afternoon]

13. perhaps this will help --

belief   /bɪˈlif/ Show Spelled Pronunciation Show IPA Pronunciation

–noun 1. something believed; an opinion or conviction: a belief that the earth is flat.
2. confidence in the truth or existence of something not immediately susceptible to rigorous proof: a statement unworthy of belief.
3. confidence; faith; trust: a child's belief in his parents.
4. a religious tenet or tenets; religious creed or faith: the Christian belief.

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faith   /feɪθ/ Show Spelled Pronunciation Show IPA Pronunciation

–noun 1. confidence or trust in a person or thing: faith in another's ability.
2. belief that is not based on proof: He had faith that the hypothesis would be substantiated by fact.
3. belief in God or in the doctrines or teachings of religion: the firm faith of the Pilgrims.
4. belief in anything, as a code of ethics, standards of merit, etc.: to be of the same faith with someone concerning honesty.
5. a system of religious belief: the Christian faith; the Jewish faith.
6. the obligation of loyalty or fidelity to a person, promise, engagement, etc.: Failure to appear would be breaking faith.
7. the observance of this obligation; fidelity to one's promise, oath, allegiance, etc.: He was the only one who proved his faith during our recent troubles.
8. Christian Theology. the trust in God and in His promises as made through Christ and the Scriptures by which humans are justified or saved.
—Idiom9. in faith, in truth; indeed: In faith, he is a fine lad