Buffalo wrote:What is the utility of faith? Faith doesn't seem to be a principle that applied in the premortal existence, and yet we were able to be tested and make choices. It doesn't appear to be a principle that will be used in the afterlife either - faith will be replaced by knowledge. So we're not practicing for the afterlife with faith - it's only utilized in this life.
So of what utility is faith now? Faith is belief without evidence, and practicing faith in almost anything will have negative consequences. If you have faith in the wrong religion, you won't make it to the CK. If you have faith in a con artist, you will be swindled. If you have faith in a violent or perverse person, you or your loved ones may be victimized. If we have faith in pseudo-science, human progress is impeded.
So, even if you accept that the restored gospel is true, faith in most things is potentially damaging and dangerous. From a scientific perspective, faith will almost always yield the wrong answer. We don't need faith to make choices - we didn't need it in the pre-existence. In fact, the more information you have, the better you are able to make choices. We learn much more by the exercise of an informed decision after considering all the facts than we do by guessing. So free agency is really impeded by faith and enhanced by knowledge.
I would submit that faith as a religious principle is strictly an ad hoc doctrine, a theological innovation brought about to comfort believers in the face of a world that isn't really haunted by gods and demons and magic. People who don't suffer from hallucinations and don't eat spoiled food or hallucinogenic drugs don't tend to see gods or angels or hear voices. Faith is the ad hoc doctrine that explains why. Faith doesn't seem to have any value beyond that, however.
Thoughts?
Good question. Apparently God feels a person who carries faith as a part of his personality makeup is
his kinda guy. As the story goes, this earthly estate is a testing station, as God finds himself needing to sift souls.....weed out the tares. (why it's
the tares fault that it is a tare I still don't understand)
And again apparently at the top of gods list of most desirable attributes in a soul is the ability to use ones free will......to not use ones free will, and obey every one of the countless rules sent down obligingly. To play follow the leader unquestioningly.
To me, the whole system seams flawed as his reward and punishment system isn't going to give an accurate reading of the true value of souls. Many souls will be waltzing into heaven simply because they feared the whip and sought after the carrot.
This is the best way to get the cream to rise to the top, Incentives and threats?
If I ever get to run things, I think a better way to get a true reading of a souls worth would be to put em on a planet, do away with the veil/faith nonsense, don't give em any rules, don't tell em it's a test.
Curt