In my re-reading, I realize that it appears I’ve said I agree with with the substance of the comment (49), including the definitions, which I’ve not yet thought much about.

I personally find virtually nothing wrong with this.

While I agree with Thomas Parkin (50) that many conversations with divers Mormon thinkers may help one to understand the way we think, I don’t believe it is such a burdensome requirement, especially for someone acquainted with religion generally, and specific religions in great depth. In other words, while a man from your (Catholic) background may not share each and every aspect of any particular definition of faith with Mormons, there are certainly parallels and similarities that inform a person and allow them to opine intelligently and respectively without being censured for being completely off the mark.

As an aside, I think the Lectures on Faith are very interesting, but I question how much the average member of the LDS Church actually relates to those passages.

I think you would have to have many conversations, with types of thinking Mormons not often found on the Bloggernacle, as well, before coming up with any meaningful idea of how Mormons view faith.

I’d strongly recommend reading Joseph Smith and company’s “Lectures on Faith” which would, if nothing else, show that the way Mormons have historically framed faith is quite different than how a science centered atheist is likely to frame it, as well as being substantively different from how most religionists frame it.

Cool. ~

I personally define:

knowledge = belief with evidence
hope = belief in a plausible hypothesis without evidence
faith = belief in an implausible hypothesis without evidence
trust = belief despite (seemingly) contradictory evidence

By my definition, it seems that some of what LDS call faith is actually some mixture of hope, faith, and trust.

I would split hairs with you a little on this one. I personally cannot foresee a time when faith will not be required. If there is meaningful free will I believe faith is an essential aspect of community, action, relationships, etc. In my view there will never be a time when we will not need to have faith. (Though on some issues it seems faith can become a knowledge, as differentiated in Alma 32. Still, I don’t see it as being an either faith or knowledge proposition. I see it as a “faith and knowledge” thing.

This is common. It has happened to me a few times, and in the last couple years in a devastating way. However, near the end of the troubles, I can almost see the man I’m meant to be. Something that would never have happened if I had had the success that I hoped for. ~