Of all the beliefs you hold, the most dangerous...

[sexobon]

How about a quasi-traditional name like "SecondWind."

[Shawnee123]

Originally Posted by sexobon

How about a quasi-traditional name like "SecondWind."

Ha! I would sound like a fart who can't quite win the fart race!

[kerosene]

The beliefs I use to hold:

- People are all really just good inside.
Revised to: People pretty much suck, unless they want something from you.

- If you work hard and be honest, things will work out well for you.
Revised to: Sucker!

- Most people just need to be loved.
Revised to: Some people think they want love. Some people really just need a kick in the head.

- There is always opportunity in adversity.
Revised to: There is always opportunity for further adversity in adversity.

- I can do anything if I am motivated and have time.
Revised to: Dang, lots of things hurt, these days. Now, what did I have for supper last night?

[xoxoxoBruce]

I'm glad to see you're not bitter or cynical.

[kerosene]

Eh, it's probably just a phase. I am sure I will be back to my usual peace loving hippie self, soon.

[classicman]

put down the lighter and step away from the pipe...

[Lamplighter]

No Classic, that's the Caterpillar

`One side will make you grow taller, and the other side will make you grow shorter.'

Alice in Wonderland Chapter 5

[classicman]

lighter = lamplighter. add pipe = (lamplighter + pipe) = you are the catepillar.

[Aliantha]

Originally Posted by Undertoad

...are the ones you *want* to believe in. Because they reaffirm how you believe the world works, and without that framework you become confused, or lost.

Those are the beliefs you will accept without testing. And strangely, those are the beliefs you hold that you are most likely wrong about.

(me too)

I think my belief system has changed a lot during my lifetime depending on my circumstances at the time.

I always thought people were good and had my best interest at heart, and I still believe that, but I think there's an extra bit on the end now. People are good and have my best interest at heat, as long as it's in parallel to or convergent with their own interests.

I don't think it's cynical to think that way. It's completely understandable even. We as human beings are far too self important when it comes down to our place in the world. Sure we're at the top of the food chain, but we still can't survive without all those things under us. Even knowing that, we still think we're more important. Really, I think we should be humbled.

[classicman]

Not at all. You are wrong - READ the definitions repeatedly posted from multiple sources.
Here's another -

Faith, according to Webster, is "firm belief in something for which there is no proof," and
Belief is a "conviction of the truth of some statement or the reality of some being or phenomenon
especially when based on examination of evidence."

[xoxoxoBruce]

She just said she had reasonable evidence.

[footfootfoot]

Latin

Etymology 1

From fīdō (“I trust”) < Proto-Indo-European *bhidh-, *bhoidh- (“to command, to persuade, to trust”).
[edit] Noun

fidēs (genitive fideī); f, fifth declension

1. faith, belief
2. reliance
3. confidence, trust

Related terms

• fidēlis
• fidēlitās
• fīdō
• fīdus

Etymology 2

From Ancient Greek σφίδη (sphidē).
[edit] Noun

fidēs (genitive fidis); f, third declension

1. chord
2. the gut-string of a musical instrument
3. (plural) lyre, lute, harp (by extension)

What I find interesting about this word and its origins are the related meaning of Chord: one of which is "A straight line between two points" Which can describe certain types of faith, especially the "I have faith in God" type. It is a straight line between those two points (I and God) with no stops along the way to explain or justify one's faith.

What is really most fascinating about all these words are the subtle shades of meaning that each word offers, how a word is commonly used, or popularly used often has more to do with memes than with a sudden pan-cultural need to express a concept like Zeitgeist (mid to late 80's) or Bespoke (lately) The same goes for faith, I'm sure.

[monster]

I don't care what you call it or where it stems from. All I asked was

Originally Posted by monster

Why would you believe something you don't know to be true? Or at least have a reasonable amount of evidence?

And I still don't have an answer. I know what people call it, I just don't understand why they do it.

and I asked in response to the OP

Originally Posted by Undertoad

[the most dangerous beliefs]...are the ones you *want* to believe in. Because they reaffirm how you believe the world works, and without that framework you become confused, or lost.

Those are the beliefs you will accept without testing. And strangely, those are the beliefs you hold that you are most likely wrong about.

I don't accept things without testing/proof/evidence. I don't understand why some people do.

[footfootfoot]

Oh, well, I wasn't really addressing your question, but I will make a guess about it and that is that for some reason it makes people who are uncomfortable with uncertainty feel better about things they are uncertain of.

I suspect it has to do with the way their brains are set up. You know, just like we proved in the other trhead that people with short bodies can't reach tings that are high, I think that people who's brains can't handle uncertainty need to have faith.

But I don't know if that's true or not, but I suspect it is. Belief might be strong.

I didn't even understand the OP's question, so you've got me there.

[Griff]

Originally Posted by footfootfoot

...I think that people who's brains can't handle uncertainty need to have faith.

Maybe if religion ( or military indoctrination or...) is applied at a certain time of life, you don't develop the capacity to handle uncertainty?