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Recent content by John54

  1. J

    An Honest Question

    OK, I've read Mere Christianity, and as I said above certain assumptions bother me. Here's the first one. In "Right and Wrong as a Clue to the Meaning of the Universe" Lewis argues that deep within every human being there's a Natural Law of Morality - and he maintains this must have come from...
  2. J

    Can I have both Faith and Reason?

    You've illustrated one of the main things that bothers me about Christianity. If I wanted to construct a belief system that nobody could question, I'd build into it various features. One feature would be the one above - testing the foundations of the system is forbidden, and anyone trying to...
  3. J

    An Honest Question

    Thanks, jbug. John
  4. J

    Can I have both Faith and Reason?

    That's an excellent point, ebia - but I don't think it's correct. If science was ever confronted by evidence that pointed clearly towards a supernatural cause, it would have to conclude that supernatural causes may exist. It would have to change its basic assumptions, and live with the...
  5. J

    Can I have both Faith and Reason?

    It's diminished amongst the section of the population that best understands the explanations of those natural processes - scientists. There are many emotional reasons for wanting God to be real. As I've said elsewhere, I feel them myself. And of course, the idea of God gives easy answers to...
  6. J

    Can I have both Faith and Reason?

    It was a well-designed experiment, Criada. A total of 748 patients with coronary artery disease who were to undergo percutaneous coronary intervention (a type of stenting procedure) or elective cardiac catheterization with possible percutaneous coronary intervention were enrolled at one of...
  7. J

    An Honest Question

    There are a few assumptions that concern me. When I've read a little more, I'll probably post a question or two. John
  8. J

    Can I have both Faith and Reason?

    But the point is, the necessity for God is gradually being undermined by science. If we ever reach a point at which everything we currently attribute to a supernatural God can be explained by natural processes - God will be an unnecessary theory. On the contrary, what was being tested in...
  9. J

    Can I have both Faith and Reason?

    The kind of experiment conducted here, Criada: http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2003/10_october/15/does_prayer_work.shtml John
  10. J

    Can I have both Faith and Reason?

    Science has demonstrated how life evolves from simple forms to more complex ones - but we don't yet understand how the first living matter arose from non-living matter. If that problem is eventually solved, would that really strengthen your faith in God, Criada? Even though it would remove one...
  11. J

    Can I have both Faith and Reason?

    I'm afraid that's just the Argument from Popularity, LH. Just because an idea or belief is held by large numbers of people, that doesn't make it true. Millions of people believe in astrology. Millions are Marxists. Millions used to believe that slavery was perfectly OK. The belief that...
  12. J

    Can I have both Faith and Reason?

    Do you believe God answers prayers, ebia? If we lived in such a universe, it would be an easy matter to test that theory using standard scientific methods. The results would indicate the reality or non-reality of god. That's simply not true. God can be treated as a theory, just like other...
  13. J

    An Honest Question

    OK, I've managed to get hold of a copy of Mere Christianity and have started reading it. Interesting so far. John
  14. J

    Can I have both Faith and Reason?

    Thanks to all for the responses and the reading suggestions. I appreciate it. We can study what believers claim to be God's effects, ebia - and the knowledge gained can lead to conclusions. Nobody has ever seen a black hole, not directly. But black holes have observable effects on the...
  15. J

    Can I have both Faith and Reason?

    I understand your point, parsa, but I think beliefs that don't connect with reality are dangerous. It may be true that Fred's belief that the world is flat does no real harm (although it'll make it difficult for him if he wants to become a cosmologist) - but once we accept the fundamental...