Brain versus faith

@vandana7 (98523)
India
January 20, 2012 12:15pm CST
I am a believer, and I also reason, so I dont think they are at loggerheads. I just think that faith shows us the way, brain tries to explain it, then again faith shows the light, and brain finds reasons for that light. Without faith, brain may not be fully functional. Likewise, without brains, faith becomes hollow. What do you think?
1 person likes this
12 responses
@bhanusb (5709)
• India
21 Jan 12
Hi vandana, I can not agree with you. Do you want to say nonbelievers are brainless or foolish ? What about Charbak Muni and Goutom Buddha. They were nonbelievers. Buddha said, humans create their own fate by their works. By birth one can not be a Brahmin. A so called low cast person can be a Brahmin by his or her good work. Not faith, but reason makes a person wise. What do you think ?
@vandana7 (98523)
• India
21 Jan 12
No - not at all. They may believe that they are non-believers, but in some way they believe too. For example, there is magnet. It has north pole, and south pole. We all know that basically magnet is iron. But it has both properties and both exist simultaneously on the same piece. It is the question of giving recognition to the other.
@vandana7 (98523)
• India
21 Jan 12
As to wisdom, yes, and the caste aspect too, I believe in it. But you've accepted that brahmin is the superior of the rest! Why believe in that to be so, and other caste's to be low? :)
@vandana7 (98523)
• India
21 Jan 12
What I was talking about is for example - many instances in your life which dont seem like miracles, but at the time they did they felt like they were? So first things happen, then we review it, and then find explanation for it, logical ones, and before we know we forget because once a thing is explained to us, it ceases to be important to us. So next time, we look or hope for something different.
• Poland
20 Jan 12
You try to use metaphors but then it's harder to make any rational arguments. It's a tool to influence somebody with your opinion I think. So try to explain it to me, please. What does it mean that faith shows us the light? I don't quite get it.
@vandana7 (98523)
• India
20 Jan 12
Here it is.. God says he is the creator, right? Imagine if there were many who didnt believe it. There would be so many claiming they created this and that...and then fighting over such claims. We have enough of such things in science discoveries.. so brain says there has to be a creator who is not a human being..for now, till proved otherwise, I am fine with that. Then god says love thy neighbor as thyself. There is a big advantage in that. If I care for my neighbor, my neighbor is gonna care for me. Well, not always. But at least, I'd feel good about it, and it would create the feel good chemicals in my body which will keep me healthy. So I am fine with brain's explanation for that. God says you should not want others things including wife Obviously, he knows what he is talking about. Many animals have the proprietory instincts. We humans are no exceptions. God was only trying to save us from going into prison, or getting punched. I think it is about giving credit where due. So to me most of the things said there have very logical explanations. There are some that dont seem to have any, but that may be because my brain has not figured it out. Once it figures it out, I will feel much better.
• Poland
20 Jan 12
Ok, now I understand. However I don't think I need to imagine that kind of world as I already live in such one. There's just one catch - if there as many that claim "they created this and that" (by that I think of the multitude of religions) then how can we know which one is right? You call Yours - God. But it's really a matter of pure faith as You were just raised in that belief as a child with no proof. By proof I mean something that will prove others are wrong. I guess it's all a matter of faith. But what about e.g. muslims? How can they believe in true God as they live in a community that brings them up in totally different view?
1 person likes this
• United States
20 Jan 12
Hi… just thought I would jump in with my 2 cents. I don’t feel there is a foundation in which to argue a point as being right or wrong, true or false. In my opinion, it doesn’t matter what religion someone is. To have core beliefs is to have faith in the God that they know and understand. God goes by many names, it doesn’t mean one is wrong and another is right… that may be an individual’s belief system, but that doesn’t alter the absolute truth of the universe. I may understand God in one way, and you may understand him/her/it in another way. My beliefs may not be the same as yours, but mine are as real to me, as yours is to you, and Vandy’s is to her. We are all made from the same ‘cloth’, so to speak… I believe we are all part of the universe and the universe is part of us, which connects us all… The way I understand my faith is that, to me, God isn’t some old man with a beard sitting on a throne somewhere in the astroplane… or heaven… or whatever… some may, and that is their reality… mine is my own.
• United States
22 Jan 12
Yes, they compliment each other. I guess the fella who put it all together knew what He was doing when He done it..Enjoy!
@vandana7 (98523)
• India
23 Jan 12
I agree... You too.
@Kalyni2011 (3496)
• India
24 Jan 12
I am hindu i believe in gods and goddesses, on many occassions i have been blessed by them, may be this is due to my faith in them..I agree with your beautiful logic on this topic.. thnxs for sharing.. Happy posting, cheers. Kalyani
@vandana7 (98523)
• India
24 Jan 12
Hi there, I too have experienced blessings from gods. :) In fact, at times there are things that seem so unfair, but in the long run, they turn to be for our good. Of course, not everything falls in this category. :)
@angelako (280)
• Italy
21 Jan 12
Faith is something we believe and we used our head to choose our faith.If we believe of something sometimes we cannot explain it well by our brain.It makes me confuse now,i think if we believe no more reasons for that,no more explanation.too much knowledge on our brain ruins our faith.sometimes we dont need brain to believe and have faith specially on whome we believe as our God.
@vandana7 (98523)
• India
23 Jan 12
Ok..I will try once more to explain what I wanted to say.. We start with faith because we are young, we are taught - or it is drilled into us, right? Then something good or bad happens. We may consider it as blessing from god or punishment for some wrong. But our brain explains the cause for the good or bad. Faith again takes over. This time it states those causes for good or bad would not have been had we not had the support of god or lack of it. So our faith is rekindled. The sequence repeats itself several times in life, at least it has in mine.
21 Jan 12
I am very new to myLot. I went through reading the comments under this discussion thread and opted to respond straight to you vandan7. Brain is the organ inside your head that controls your body's activities and enables you to think and to feel things. Faith on the other hand is an expression or an end result of how you feel about something or someone. It's like if you have faith in someone or something you feel confident about their ability and goodness. God (others may want to use the word creator) gave us our brain to gain wisdom. Wisdom in this sense is the ability to use your experience and knowledge in order to make sensible decisions and judgments. In a nutshell, your dilemma is a healthy and positive sign of a maturing individual gaining in wisdom. In gaining wisdom you learn to appreciate God's creation and design. Faith will follow. God bless!
@vandana7 (98523)
• India
21 Jan 12
Welcome to myLot sinagtala. :) Thank you for your kind words. Sure I will keep your words in mind. :)
@vandana7 (98523)
• India
22 Jan 12
Sure. :)
22 Jan 12
You are welcome. I hope we can have more discussions of mutual interest next time. God bless!
@peavey (16936)
• United States
20 Jan 12
I agree. God made us with a brain and He expects us to use it, but without faith and an understanding of a higher power, the brain isn't fully functional because it's limited to the physical world.
@vandana7 (98523)
• India
21 Jan 12
I think the brain would be non functional if we didnt have the quest that faith presents to us. Not having any purpose..perhaps we strive to earn more and have comfortable lives in our old age so that we can devote more time to thinking about god. Otherwise, where is the rush.
@bird123 (10632)
• United States
21 Jan 12
OK, some good thinking here. Since all knowledge is not known, we needs beliefs to patch the gap. Without beliefs, we would lock up like my old computer. Yes, without the reason and the brains, things would be hollow unless one is brainwashed or following blindly. So much of religion and God places focus on feelings. Let's not forget God's great intelligence. This is an exciting part. Everything about God does add up. Just think of all the wonderful and amazing things we will learn in time. Yes brains and beliefs go hand in hand.
@vandana7 (98523)
• India
21 Jan 12
You expressed it better than me!!!
@thesids (22180)
• Bhubaneswar, India
20 Jan 12
Hi Vandana I think brain is more important than Faith. Faith can also be blind and there is no role of the brain (as far as rationality is concerned). There are millions who merely follow something (like the Religion, other people or their views) without thinking how at end all these will effect them... Personally however, I do not have a big brain to think about the comparisons here. I have only a small one that always tells me to follow my heart, do what I want to and also guide me when I am wrong. My faith (and beliefs) all are based on what I have learned and I dont follow anyone blindly.
@vandana7 (98523)
• India
21 Jan 12
Nada. You climb the plane. Do you really find out whether the pilot is experienced? No. Do you really find out if the fuel is adequate? No. Do you find out if the standby machine is checked and the plane is alright in all respects? No. When you have so much faith in a human being who can actually kill you, and the chances are 50 : 50 why dont you give god a chance? He stays with us all the way. So faith is something even non-believers have, right? :) I think first we have faith. We say we have in pilot or plane. But it is indirectly on god. Then we try to rationalize that the engineers at the airport did a good job inspecting it, and fueling it. And we even thank god, even if we dont mean the words. So faith comes first, followed by rationalization, then again faith, and then further rationalization. Faith followed by brain activity, followed again by faith after all you have to collect the luggage and you would like it all intact, right? You dont even know the person. Honestly, you leave a sigh of relief only when you reach home. Because subconciously, you know of the probabilities.
@jennyze (7029)
• Indonesia
27 Jan 12
True. I agree with you there. I think I have more faith than brain, though...
• United States
20 Jan 12
I think you are right on the money with that statement.
@vandana7 (98523)
• India
21 Jan 12
Thank you. :) That feels great coming from you because you are one of the most practical persons out here. :)
• Philippines
21 Jan 12
I'm at this point in my life where I acknowledge that there is indeed a need for faith - but that faith by itself is simply not enough for me. I'm an extremely logical person, and I look for logic and rational reasoning in everything, and I really can't find that in religion and faith. An ideal person should be able to balance reason and faith. Sadly, I can't do that yet.
@vandana7 (98523)
• India
21 Jan 12
Welcome to myLot. :) From my life, I can say it alternates. There are moments of extreme faith where your rational thinking says how is it possible, but you still jump in because everybody is doing it just like you step on the elevator in a mall By the time you reach the top, or somewhere along, you would have found the reason for that step being right.