Cecilie1200
Diamond Member
Truth is, you believe a lot of things every day based on faith. Everyone does. They just don't see it that way.
Like what?
When I was in school, I was taught all about the Peloponnesian War, which was fought in the 4th century BC. I learned all sorts of details about it. There are blockbuster movies made about it. I didn't see it happen. No one alive saw it happen. There's some trace archaeological evidence of it, but it was a war. It's not like excavating the pyramids to find out about a civilization. Most of our evidence for the fact of the Peloponnesian War happening comes from the writings of a guy named Thucydides, and mentions in the writings of other guys at the time. So we either believe them about what happened, or we don't. In other words, we're taking it on faith - faith in the word of these ancient historians - that there was a Peloponnesian War.
That's an obscure and abstract example, but there are actually a lot of things that we learn that are really just us taking it on faith because someone we trust told us so.
Just the idea that there is going to be a tomorrow, that the sun will come up and life will continue pretty much as it has up until now is a matter of faith on our part.
If I get sick, I'll go to the doctor. And he might prescribe medication for me. I don't have any idea what that substance actually is or what it does or how, and I quite possibly can't even pronounce its name. But I'll take the prescription to the pharmacy, and I'll get it filled, and I'll take it. An act of faith, because I have faith that my doctor knows what he's talking about, and that he's reviewed my medical records, and that he knows it's not going to interact badly with the medication I already take and kill me. Now, you might say, "Yes, but that's all backed up by science and research and hard knowledge." But how many people every year are killed by mixing drugs that shouldn't be mixed? How many are killed by doctor error? I have faith that MY doctor knows what's best for me and won't kill me.
Just some examples.