how does it make sense to have faith?

The word 'faith' is another word for 'hope'. So believers can only hope a god exists. Sounds like wishful thinking if you ask me.

Believer to non-believer, "You remind me of a blind man in a dark room looking for a black cat."

Non-believer to believer, "Well, You remind me of a blind man in a dark room looking for a black cat that isn't there."

Having faith is important to many if they to live a happy life. I am not referring to various books written on the subject of religion, many of which are too old to be followed. We now live in a different world and these books no longer apply. I have no religious beliefs but I do believe in God. This is the answer to feeling like a good human being. I pray to God as often as I like and when I like. I do this without books originated by the church and synagogue. I am not told how to pray or what to say. I don't have anyone passing around the plate for money. I give my money to various charities instead.

Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

It is the present substance of a future state of being. It is aligning ourselves with the righteousness of God in this life knowing that we will one day enter eternity and the realm of God.

People confuse faith with hope. Faith is not hope. Others confuse faith with trust. It's good to trust God and it's good to have hope, but neither hope nor trust is faith.

The things of God are often unobservable, and therefore unknowable. The Son of God was sent into this world to reveal these things to mankind. Some believe, others do not. Because the 'truth' cannot be tested using the scientific method, it cannot be 'proven', it must be 'believed'.

Some exercise their faith and believe, and in doing so, lay hold upon God's Grace and begin on the path that leads to life when this life is over. Others choose the path of disbelief and choose to remain on the path of sin and death.

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You must be alone with the LORD to commune with him otherwise you get too distracted...!!! Why do you think Moses was alone on top of Mount Sinai receiving the Tablets with the ten commandments that NOBODY HAD A CHANCE to read because he crash them against the rock before anybody read any law of God... BTW... the second set of Tablets that he had to go back to get were hidden in the Ark of the Covenant and to this day NOBODY EVER SAW THEM... OR READ THEM!!!

First, you are misunderstanding the word "faith." Faith is confidence that something is true. It isn't necessarily uninformed belief, and it certainly isn't blind, baseless assumption.

Second, how did John Calvin end up in your list? He didn't 'discover' any books - he was a theologian, not a prophet.

You are expressing a "non-faith" mindest.

There is more to us than our physical bodies, and the life we live... we have a deep part made to know God... it is just how it is.. we can deny it... but faith, agreement with God, who he is and what he has done, opens it.

You can be objective, vehemently deny the existence of God and on and on... the God who made you and I as we in his wisdom will never force us to him.

But life comes through faith...

Who are we to determine what others should believe?

Not all religions are based on power. You would do well with a little more research.

Faith is NOT belief without proof. That is not faith, that is superstition. You sat in a chair to type your question on a computer. Did you question whether or not that chair would hold you up? No, you never gave it a second thought because "faith" has to do with "trust". In other words, you had faith in the designers of the chair, the materials used to construct it, and the history that it has never broken when you placed your full weight upon it. Faith in God is based on those principles as well.

Faith is choosing to believe the evidence as given and not trying to rationalize it away to suit your own position. Hebrews notes the following regarding faith...

"Faith is the substance of things hoped for."

OK, materialists, what is a substance? It is something you can physically hold--it is a reality. The word "hope" is not "I hope my car won't run out of gas." but rather, in the Greek, it means, "I'm running out of gas, but there is a gas station--I now have hope." So faith is the reality of that which gives salvation.

"The evidence of things not seen."

Do you believe in atoms? Have you seen atoms? Why do you believe there are atoms? Because you have evidence. Evidence of things not seen. That doesn't make you a moron. That makes you a chemist and a physicist.

Hebrews 11:6

But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

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Blue Sky below wrote me and asked for my proof regarding the existence of God. Because of a Report Troll that has my answers deleted at every turn, I cannot post the link to my evidence. So rather, go to my 360 and click on the link "Proof of God". It is there you will find my argument regarding the existence of God.

um...no...and it's Joseph Smith, not "John Smith"...silly

faith is not based on absence of truth it's based on knowledge...

Having faith is a lot easier than doing the hard, patient work of science.