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[Earthquake Damage]

I was under the impression that its existence has neither been proven nor disproven, and that it only "exists" to make our current astronomical models work.

While you might describe a layman's belief in dark matter with "faith", using that word to describe the scientists who understand the hypothesis is inaccurate at best, disingenuous at worst.  "Faith" is a pretty loaded term.  A suitably loose definition might apply, but there are unfortunate implications, intended or otherwise.

I assume, of course, that dark matter is still a viable theory.  I honestly don't know if it's been discredited or not.

[Criptfeind]

Technicly speaking by your explination then String 'Theory' is not infact a Theory, to be defined as a Theory in scientific terms it has to have been tested atleast a few times and proven true is said tests, or atleast somewhat plausible.

Pifff....

...

What? I mean yeah but what? Who is talking about the validity of it as a theory? Just using it as a example of conflicting views.

[ChairmanPoo]

The asininity doesn't come from the proven-disproven status of the existence of dark matter (which is not relevant in this context), but from strawmanning a scientific hypothesis (any scientific hypothesis) as something that is to be taken on faith. The scientific method doesn't work that way. That you lump "scientists" as an homogeneous group accepting this "Dark Matter Faith" (and presumably others) as some kind of religious canon is just a free bonus.

[ECrownofFire]

You don't "believe" or have "faith" in a theory. You can think that it's the most likely to be correct, but "faith" implies that it's the only possibility. A theory is simply one in many possibilities. Also, I like to remind people that even gravity is still "just a theory". We still don't know anything about it except what it does.

[Phmcw]

Having faith in a theory is a distinctly bad idea that may or may not lead you to eat your hat.

[Mindmaker]

Indeed. It made me more miserable, than I actually had to be as a kid.
I remember being a believer for quite long. Until I was 14? Maybe longer.

[fqllve]

I've never been a believer.

I did have the stereotypical teenage crisis of (non)faith though. Where I tried on different religions to see if one fit. I was hungry for some kind of meaning, but I could never bring myself to truly believe.

[Mindmaker]

I didn't have much of a choice. Having polish roots and growing up with your grandmas and uncles stories of how they have been fighting the devil night after night, kinda makes your 'default mode' a believer.

[Willfor]

This is the point where I regret deciding to defend a flippant comment, as some people seem to have taken it more seriously than I did.

[ChairmanPoo]

Indeed. It made me more miserable, than I actually had to be as a kid.
I remember being a believer for quite long. Until I was 14? Maybe longer.

Don't worry, I'll turn you back into a believer! Just watch this video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tBqdKGiqnI

[CoughDrop]

Don't worry, I'll turn you back into a believer! Just watch this video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tBqdKGiqnI

Errgghhgh!

I now... have the urge to kill... people in red uniforms...

[Rilder]

Indeed. It made me more miserable, than I actually had to be as a kid.
I remember being a believer for quite long. Until I was 14? Maybe longer.

Don't worry, I'll turn you back into a believer! Just watch this video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tBqdKGiqnI

*Watches*

[fqllve]

I didn't have much of a choice. Having polish roots and growing up with your grandmas and uncles stories of how they have been fighting the devil night after night, kinda makes your 'default mode' a believer.

I didn't have much choice either. Religion just never came up during my childhood. To me God was always some vague concept from movies that I lost interest in before even Santa Claus.

We never get a choice in what we believe until adolescence, really. That's why it's so common for people to reevaluate their position around that age.

[Aramco]

I've never been religious. My parents wanted me to be Catholic, but I never was, not once in my whole life. Well, technicaly, a few years ago, I tried being religious. That lasted ~5 minutes.  I've just never understood how any religious figures could possibly have existed. Now, interestingly, the only religion which I've ever understood (Though I am not a part of it) is...

...

Buddhism. That's right. I said it.

[fqllve]

I'm just waiting until we get some militant atheist parents who turn their children to religion. That will be the height of comedy.