It's interesting to read everyone's posts on this.
Some are saying faith is belief - but why are there two words?
Some are saying faith must exist before believing something. In which case it is a blind faith to start.
Maybe there's an other word for where I put faith. Faith to me is the conviction of a belief. In other words you have the belief and then you generate the faith to hold that belief.
As far as proving a belief or not - this is where faith steps in. Faith gets used in beliefs that are not externally provable to others.
Ask yourselfs this:
Can I believe something without faith in that belief?
(I can't - once I believe something I put my faith in it)
Can I have faith and yet not belive the idea?
(If I do this, I have blind faith - I dont' really believe it, yet)
If you have faith in a belief that is not externally provable - how much of that confidence is psersonal and part of your experience and in your feelings?
(Most of my faith based beliefs are based on my feelings and I look at my feelings as my connection to the unseen/spiritual world.)