Optimism Equals Faith?..or Not!

Wow this is a great discussion .I think it has no simply yes ,no answer .I think both spiritual and non spiritual persons can have faith and optimism. However I believe that that persons who believe in a higher spiritual power will have more reason to be optimistic than those without .That is the very definition of faith ,believe in things that are not yet perceived ,consequently if you can believe in things you haven’t yet seen ,it is easy to be optimistic. On the other hand persons without faith maybe optimistic but their optimism is usually more easily shaken as it is not grounded in any belief system. The slightest disappointment usually turns to pessimism for these person while someone with faith will see this a minor bump in the road.

no that is simply not true, pessimists are no less faithful than optimists, they just see life differently. there are many optimists that do not even believe in God,

Very interesting perspective there. I never thought of it like that. Like you I don't really belong to any specific church, yet I believe in God, and I have faith that all will work out as it should. I am basically an optimist and always try to look for the good. I have a hard time around pesimistic people. I think you are on to something about them not having faith in anything. If they did have faith in a higher power or God, they wouldn't be so negative all the time. Great observation.

No yours is like the glass yousee it half full the other person sees it half empty. BUt then in a way they still feel soething just not a strong.

You know, I'd never looked at it this way before but I think you might have something here. I'm like you, I'm not so much for organized religion either, I consider my faith to be a private and personal thing. My prayers may not be perfect according to someone who goes to church every Sunday and I may not have read the whole Bible but I do believe also. I think it makes sense that if someone believes in nothing they would be pessimistic, right? Annie

Both optimism and pessimism are a function of faith. Faith is believing in what you can't see or perceive. If you believe that you will be rich tomorrow, that is an act of faith because nobody actually knows what tomorrow will be or bring. On the contrary, if you feel that you will die tomorrow, this is still an act of faith. Extending faith to the realm of religion, it is wrong to tag a person an unbeliever simply because he/she does not believe (or have faith)in a particular religious doctrine. He surely believes in something else, which is his/her own item of faith. Thus, a Muslim should not call a Christian an unbeliever, and vice versa. Both of them have faith in what they believe in.

Hi Whiteheather, I would say that Pessimist have a shakey faith, they do not believe in the extra bit that exists....! I would term myself as an PessiOptimist. I belive in a power but would not tag it. I must accept it in any form and would question its existanxe anytime, coz I guess I have a right to know that! I'm also kind'a person who would not much go with priests or preachers but would rather go with 'Human Beings' and would love to be one and a better one with every passing minute! Take care!