virus: RE: virus-digest V2 #137

Mike Jay (Quarterback@msn.com)
Mon, 26 May 97 20:11:11 UT


John said:
> >I am not at all convinced that using the word "faith" for "working beliefs"
> >is going to reduce any confusion. I think it would have the opposite effect.

[Actually David McFadzean said this. -ed.]

I would like to add something...isn't belief (working or not) a precursor to
faith? Belief is a held assumption(attitude) that a particular form of action
(thought)--meme if you like--will always yield a particular result. To the
extent that the belief holds true in practice, a faith probability is
actualized. Therefore, instead of one being substituted for the other, it is
important to understand this distinction.

I would ask if faith could exist in the absence of belief? Even if belief was
not based on one's own interaction with the environment and it was *accepted*
(untested), faith would be actualized, so the significance of faith lies in
the fact that one need not experience belief only accept belief and
then...have faith as a result still don't think the two could be substituted
for each other because they are not the same thing.

Thinking out loud,

mike