Faith: something that is believed especially with strong conviction
Confidence: the quality or state of being certain
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Faith and confidence should probably not be interchanged because faith is probably correctly used only in terms of intangibles. Ultimately we do need a word to somewhat quantify even the intangibles:). In a religious context, i think confidence is what certain people feel, and then these people ask others to have faith in what they are saying, so that in time those people too, can be confident.
Faith has a lot to do with our belief system, and i mean the way we think in our head. It is easier to have faith that science will answer all our questions, than to be confident that science will answer all our questions. Confidence is hard, because science has been wrong before. Faith is easier because while we have a strong conviction, we are open to the possibility of finding out we were wrong all along. Belief in itself is an ambiguous word, but i don't think that means that faith has a 'built-in' notion of 'no reason applied here'. It is probably just the will to persevere until reason can find its way forward, if at all.

In case of intellectual emergency, break glass and pull out the term "Faith". Yes, that's it! I have seen a lot of people use this technique ... lol.

Faith is a form of denial. But I have faith that what's going on doesn't matter so much.

Saira,

Yes, faith is for some wishing and simply a hope. For some it is living a truth that they come to know.

As for Be(lie)f need I say more.

My own thoughts around faith are this it is a knowing that comes from experience.

Faith would seem to be a word that represents a knowing of something that cannot seen and measured directly.

Do we have faith the Sun will come up tomorrow? Many would say yes. Or is it that we know the probability of the Sun coming up tomorrow is 99.99999999999999999999999999+% based on our experience. Of course if your body stops functioning you might not see the sun come up tomorrow.

To me faith is about the following.

Either there is a benevolent all pervading intelligence and we are all connected acting out in a symphony. Or there is not.

Faith is having observed some indication that this above is a truth. That we are all connected and there is this vast intelligence operating behind the scenes.

Knowing the above to be true comes from observation of experience.

Faith comes from assuming the possibility of a benevolent (life promoting) all pervading intelligence and a connection between all minds and things and entertaining it. This is where we assume if the above is a truth then if we go with the flow, do not put up resistance and respond to events and relationships based on truth and not fiction, everything will unfold perfectly and what we intend that is beneficial will come to be although we may not know the exact path or the detail that will take us there and all the things and people we need to assist us will come at the right time.

The other aspect to this, is working based on the assumption everything happens for a reason.

So we test this and see what happens, if it works it works and if it not, not. What many find is that operation under this assumption produces good results, supporting the assumption as a truth.

For me it is synchronicity that builds "faith" which I would define as a knowing of something that cannot be displayed and confirmed in a single instant or by the senses because it is intangible.

To understand faith as I know it I use the following example.

We can respond to situations with the knowing that we are all one or we can respond from the belief that we are all separate. To respond from truth can be harder and material benefit may come later, to respond from fiction may produce instant benefit but will lead to conflict later.

Truth is the hard route (it requires faith), with great benefits later. Fiction is the easy route, it requires no faith, with instant material benefit, but it is followed by detriment later. It is a choice between long term or short term benefits.

There is a job opening in a company. Two people are up for this position, Angelina and Brad.

There are two realities.

#1 Brad having faith and responding in truth, lets things flow as they may and Angelina gets the job, yet Brad feels good, and several weeks later another job opens, one even more desired and Brad gets this job and everything is great for both.

#2 Brad not having faith acting from fear and a desire for a new car propagates fictions and negative perspectives about Angelina. He gets the job. He thinks he is happy but there is this bad feeling inside, he can’t really put his finger on the cause, you see he denied himself through his actions to get the job. He has the salary increase with the new position yet this feeling bothers him. He has trouble sleeping, he watches TV to take his mind off of it, he begins to drink alcohol because it makes the bad feeling go away temporarily. He starts to eat a lot because this allows him to escape. He begins to focus on the short comings of others because this takes his mind off of himself.

Well Brads work performance begins to deteriorate and he is unable to get his work done, he gets fired. Angelina is given the job and the other position never opens up, because they lost a client and the additional revenue was not there.

As you can see the first reality based on truth worked out well for everyone Angelina, Brad and the Company and even the Client.

The second reality based on falsehood really worked out bad for Brad, fine for Angelina. But there is more to this story.

The all pervading intelligence not wanting a bad experience for any of it’s self leads Brad to find IntentBlog and several teachers show up in his life, where he comes to a realization. He responds from truth now and he gets a new job and performs with excellence he makes more money than in the job he lost. He is happy he drinks once and is merry but he is not addicted because there is no bad feeling to cover up.

Either way it all works out. However one path was not as rough as the other.

hi saira,

FAITH : The only word that keeps us alive when we
got nothing to hold on to. Do not ever let go of
this small string as it will keep us re-inventing
and take us to places where we could dream of and
beyond.

This reminds me of something that I had
written few months back : we might be lost on some
grounds on ourselves, but for some / few out there we might be guiding them strong...So in life always, a hope for someone or the other
when we STICK THIS quality of FAITH onto us,
it can keep us alive to see so many a miracles of
LIFE.

as its only for FAITH that I......

"Been have I now, on the track for long

For the falling rains and the lovely song

Have been there for the morning dew

And am blessed to see the sun shining through

Moments of glory and accolades gained so soon

Gave me still no sleep throughout the shiny moon

Still waiting for greater influence am I

To be blessed by work that can get me high

Take me away, away from home

Lend me a sleep in the midst of Rome

For there I see the lights shining through

May be let me live, tell me what to do.

Restlessly, relentlessly I have played that how?

Can’t pray even now, know not what to love

Seen as one to pave the way, unto the world

Getting in so deep forever staying bold

Wanting to love, live and stay wide awake…..

Live like the rest, may be, get even a heart break

Sooner or later I keep crashing on

But then I get up again and play the life’s lousy song

Hope my passion soon weighs out the lust

The air gets clear and finally settles the dust

Have been placed in pedestal and armor clad

Am set for life or so I think as a lad

They say they see a mentor in me

I too am looking for one, who can then set me free

So dreams and goals of worthy race

I hope I define and set a mighty pace

for the stage is set and so is the crew

I am still here, lost, but yet guiding through !"

be well

techd