Analyze the strengths and weaknesses of using faith as a basis of knowledge in religion and one other area of knowledge from the TOK diagram.

Although faith strengthens religion, it also weakens it due to the large number of religions in the world. There are “19 major world religions which are subdivided into a total of 270 large religious groups” (Religions of the World, 2 ). With such a diverse range of religions, it is impossible to understand and have faith in all. Faith, in this sense, weakens and diminishes one’s knowledge of religion and ethics because there is such a wide variety of different practices and spiritual connections. One cannot have knowledge in all aspects of all religions; rather, one must be focused to one religion which emits areas of knowledge due to the immense amount of studying, practicing, and faith.  Having faith in one religion makes one stronger in understanding the importance of practicing their choice of religion. With the amount of faith required to support all the religions, one’s knowledge would weaken because there is too much information to consume. Due to the amount of different religions in the world, one’s perception of ethics would be contaminated because there are a variety of different sources that convey different meanings of ethics. On the contrary, the less information there is to consume, being that of one religion, the more knowledge one gains because one can focus primarily on the religion in which they wish to practice, rather than several different religions. The amount of knowledge present in all the religions in the world is staggering, and one cannot be knowledgeable in all the different faiths. With the broad number of religions, a different faith is present in each religion. With different faiths comes more knowledge that cannot be interpreted. In the midst of so many faiths in the different religions, one’s faith can weaken because their knowledge of their religions would be tainted. With contradicting faiths, one could become indecisive in choosing what religion and faith to practice, which would weaken their religious foundation of knowledge.  

Moreover, faith can surely weaken the basis of knowledge in ethics. With so many religions, there are some that do not meet the criteria of what is defined as morally right.  For example, the universal good is opposed to the subjective terms of religion. To illustrate, the faith of Satanism weakens and corrupts one’s knowledge because its practices include worshiping the devil and attacking enemies that are not to be considered “brothers”, or in other words, followers. The weaknesses of such practices are present because one’s knowledge of ethics cannot be expanded due to the constricted ways of their Satanism faith. One cannot grow in the area of ethics because they are confined in walls of unjust actions. Faith, in this sense, is weakened as a basis of knowledge. Using faith as a basis of knowledge would be considered morally unjust because worshiping the devil and harming others is not ethnically right. Likewise, faith in the religion, “Wicca”, includes the practice of “magick (spelled with a ‘k’ to differentiate it from conjuring for entertainment) in an attempt to manipulate the natural world and alter mental and material conditions” (Wicca Religions 4). Along with the practice of Wicca, there is no moral or ethical code entitled to the religion. This corrupts one’s perception of ethics because using “magick” with no ethical principle is not morally right and acceptable. Using “magick” with a set of standard, ethical principles is much different than practicing the faith without ethical principles. Without ethical principles, practitioners of Wicca are allowed to sacrifice their children in fires, practices divination or sorcery, interpret omens, engage in witchcraft, and consult the dead. Faith is intended to be practiced in terms of ethnically right ways, rather in unjust actions.  Yet, for example, an individual could have faith in their country, but there expectations of the country’s ethical decisions could differ from their faith. Additionally, one may perceive their religion to include ethically right practices, such as practitioners of Satanism and Wicca, yet in reality they do not because they do not contain moral principles that govern a person or group’s well being. Perception plays a major role in knowledge, because if one person believes that their practices religion is morally right, they will believe that it is right to follow such practices as a basis for knowledge.

Ultimately, using faith as a basis of knowledge has both strengths and weaknesses, and can determine an individual’s set of morals. Faith can strengthen religion with ways of believing and spiritual connections, more so by believing that impossible can be possible, but it can also weaken one’s knowledge due to the immense amount of religions present in the world. One cannot fully grasp their understanding around so many religions, rather than grasping their understanding around just one. Most importantly, faith strengthens ethics as a basis of knowledge because it illustrates clear examples on how to behave in society. Contrastingly, faith also serves to weaken the area of ethics because some religions practice aspects that are not morally correct. If one’s faith includes principles which allow one to be prosperous and respectful to individual’s and its society around them, this dictates their ethics and morals to be just, but when one’s faith includes principles which do not govern a person or group’s right behavior, such as the worshiping of the devil, this dictates a negative correlation between one’s ethics and basis for knowledge.

Works Cited

"Religions of the World: Numbers of Adherents; Growth Rates." Web. 13 Dec. 2011.         <http://www.religioustolerance.org/worldrel.htm>.

"The Moral System of Islam." Web. 13 Dec. 2011.         <http://www.islam101.com/dawah/moralsystem.html>.

"Wicca Religion." Religion - AllAboutReligion.org. Web. 13 Dec. 2011.                         <http://www.allaboutreligion.org/wicca-religion.htm>.