Faith & Skepticism

[Abbey Normal]

Since the subject of faith, proof and reason has come up, here are some great quotes on the subject:

My favorite, from St. Augustine, is in response to the skeptical Academics. St. Augustine said: "Understanding is the reward of faith. Therefore seek not to understand that thou mayest believe, but believe that thou mayest understand." (apparently paraphrasing Isaiah 7:9)

I also like this one: "To wisdom belongs the intellectual apprehension of things eternal; to knowledge, the rational apprehension of things temporal."


And St. Thomas Aquinas summed it up very well:
"To one who has faith, no explanation is necessary. To one without faith, no explanation is possible."


Finally, Oswald Chambers:
"Faith is deliberate confidence in the character of God whose ways you may not understand at the time."

 

[Powerman]

Adults!

 

[manu1959]

i have faith some will not belive what i tell them to be true no matter the proof i put before them

 

[Mini]

"I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else." - C.S. Lewis

 

[manu1959]

"I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else." - C.S. Lewis

excellent quote....what if you are blind?

 

[Mini]

Well in that case I suppose we would have to make a move from sight, to touch, hearing, or one of the other senses, haha.

 

[Abbey Normal]

I can feel the sun on me with my eyes closed...

 

[Powerman]

Well in that case I suppose we would have to make a move from sight, to touch, hearing, or one of the other senses, haha.

God can not be found using any of the 5 senses. Some claim to "feel" the presence of God but your mind is a powerful thing and can play tricks on you. There is no doubt about that. Perhaps the most amazing thing about God is that literally 100% of everything is made up by fallible men and fallible men still believe it to this day. It's lunacy if you ask me.

 

[GotZoom]

Powerman = No Faith.

 

[Powerman]

Oops

 

[Powerman]

Powerman = No Faith.

Right...faith is believing in something BECAUSE there is no proof for it. Lunacy would probably be a better word to describe that. It's silly that otherwise intelligent adults believe in any of this.

 

[Annie]

God can not be found using any of the 5 senses. Some claim to "feel" the presence of God but your mind is a powerful thing and can play tricks on you. There is no doubt about that. Perhaps the most amazing thing about God is that literally 100% of everything is made up by fallible men and fallible men still believe it to this day. It's lunacy if you ask me.

This is your opinion? Or you have authoratative source? You state it as fact, so I'm wondering.

 

[Powerman]

This is your opinion? Or you have authoratative source? You state it as fact, so I'm wondering.

All of the bible was written by man. But we are told that the bible is the inspired word of God. If one thing in the bible is wrong that means that the entire book has absolutely no credibility. And there are thousands of contradictions and falsehoods in the bible.

 

[Annie]

All of the bible was written by man. But we are told that the bible is the inspired word of God. If one thing in the bible is wrong that means that the entire book has absolutely no credibility. And there are thousands of contradictions and falsehoods in the bible.

I am referring to this: "God can not be found using any of the 5 senses."

 

[Powerman]

I am referring to this: "God can not be found using any of the 5 senses."

It hasn't been proven to happen yet so until I see proof of it happening then I won't believe it. I've never met anyone who has seen, smelled, heard, tasted or felt God nor have I ever heard of such an occurence happening other than the bible. Like I said there are some who claim to have "felt" the presence of God but that's just their mind playing tricks on them.

 

[GotZoom]

It hasn't been proven to happen yet so until I see proof of it happening then I won't believe it. I've never met anyone who has seen, smelled, heard, tasted or felt God nor have I ever heard of such an occurence happening other than the bible. Like I said there are some who claim to have "felt" the presence of God but that's just their mind playing tricks on them.

Even if you did meet someone who told you they "felt" God, you would just say their mind was playing tricks on them.

 

[Powerman]

Even if you did meet someone who told you they "felt" God, you would just say their mind was playing tricks on them.

Right I probably would because I know that's how it works. How come no one has ever seen him. And if someone has then why not the rest of us? Does God love that one person more than us?

 

[Annie]

It hasn't been proven to happen yet so until I see proof of it happening then I won't believe it. I've never met anyone who has seen, smelled, heard, tasted or felt God nor have I ever heard of such an occurence happening other than the bible. Like I said there are some who claim to have "felt" the presence of God but that's just their mind playing tricks on them.

So, it's your opinion, not fact. Ok.

 

[Powerman]

So, it's your opinion, not fact. Ok.

But it is a fact that no one has ever seen God. Oh wait. Jospeph Smith did. Nevermind

 

[Annie]

But it is a fact that no one has ever seen God. Oh wait. Jospeph Smith did. Nevermind

Really. How interesting. So based on something like this, you condemn all who profess faith. How small and unelightened. It's one thing to adhere to atheism, another to call all others idiotic.