MBR

We are constantly required to use faith in order to accomplish things. Call it going out on a limb, risking your ass or whatever you want, but I believe it is quite unavoidable. But at what point does faith become perverse? What distinguishes a valid use of faith with an invalid one? Is it the subject matter? Is it the actions taken? or is it only when a person believes so strongly in it that they treat it as fact.

Tom Sawyer

If faith helps you do something positive, then it's a good thing. For instance, if you give money to charity because you think that's what <insert random celestial being here> wants you to do, then it's a good thing. If you take a risk in your life like starting a new job and you're scared about how it will turn out, but your faith that there's a higher power looking out for you, so it will all turn out OK, then faith is a good thing.

When faith holds you back or damages your life, then it's a bad thing. If a woman stays in an abusive relationship because the Bible says divorce is a sin then it's a bad thing. If you treat homosexuals/women/minorities as second-class citizens because you have some verse in Scripture that backs up your views, it's a bad thing.

Judging the usefullness of faith is pretty much a case of the end justifying the means. If it turns out good, then the faith that brought it about was a good thing; if it turns out bad, then the faith that brought it about was a bad thing.

himynameisPwn

Depends on how you define faith. When you mix up faith with the most probable cause, you can say anything requires faith. Blind faith is the case for religious beliefs, what do we do in our lives that requires blind faith?