A debate has been going through my mind as to whether Faith or Freedom is stronger, as Faith enriches you, gives you strength and sometimes courage, the desire to protect your freedom, your way of life is also a form of strength and courage too.
So which is stronger? The desire to be free or the following of your faith?
I’m not sure what you’re asking.
Faith can be religous or it could be faith in your country to do the right thing. Faith in yourself. The desire to be free is strong but does that mean the desire to do whatever you want, or does it mean protecting your personnel freedoms while asserting others rights to have those same freedoms. We’re not that good at the latter. Most of the time we want freedom only for people who we percieve to be in our particular group.
Interesting though to consider your question in light of “you shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free.”
Faith as in religion.
I’m not sure how to seperate the two. If faith in the religous sense means accepting a bunch of bogus doctrine handed down from mislead leaders then I would say freedom was stronger. I claim freedom from religion as well as freedom of religion.
In the truest sense I think faith and freedom are tied together. The desire for freedom will lead to faith and faith will then lead to freedom.
As an atheist my gut reaction is to say that Faith is illusion… but then illusion can be powerful. Being righteous gives you “power”. If by stronger you mean give a person the ability to do something I’d say faith… not that they will do anything reasonable or justified due to faith.
If you have freedom… its a given… and you don’t value it as much. Freedom can be taken in very subtle ways. Most that are free think its normal and I certainly doubt it makes them stronger.
Well… wierd question… wierd answers…
You are a biological computer who labels your memories, sensory inputs and outputs of your limbic system with sounds or shapes called words. I’d suggest that the label “stronger” in this case is a category error.
By this definition all human things are illusions.
Anyway, Freedom is an end result, not an internal force. At least, not usually, so it’s rather hard to compare.
I have no idea why anyone would attempt to tie-in religious faith as a necessary component of morality and the willingness to stand up for same. Never mind the purely subjective “enrichment” part, are we to understand that those of us that hold no belief in sky-pixies lack the courage and the strenght to act upon our personal convictions?
If so, I find said notion rather puerile.
Cheap answer: Depends on the person.
Longer answer: I don’t like your conflating religion and faith here. I have faith in humanity, faith in myself, faith in science, faith in observation as a method of learning about the universe, AND faith in God. No one of these gives me any more strength or insight than any other, really.
On the other hand, Freedom isn’t always something that gives you strength. Perversely, it can often take it away–I’m much more productive when I’m locked into a single task than when I have to spend time choosing an activity or direction. DESIRE for Freedom can give tremendous strength.
I propose rephrasing your debate as Desires vs. Beliefs, then. And even then, I’d still say it’s a intensely personal call as to whether you get more power from what you desire or what you believe.
I think they’re orthogonal.
What is freedom? Is it the lack of restraints from outside, or the individual’s willingness to be free? Someone can be free and have faith or choose to let ones faith remove your freedom (by enrolling in a cult) or choose to not have faith.
Now other’s faith can hurt your freedom. I suppose the freedom of others to question could hurt one’s faith. But in general I don’t get the question.
There are no atheists in foxholes. But then again, there are no believers in political prisons, either.
(Ha! Get it!? I know. There are some who would disagree. It’s a joke.)
Faith is 17.2% stronger than freedom.
Money.
Seriously, to me freedom is stronger. Even if I knew there was a hell I would still drink, smoke and watch as much porn as possible.
Religious faith is non existent to me.