A Scientist reflects on Religious Belief

[Jeremy E Walker]

Which means you acknowledge that faith is not enough and that you should have reasons to believe.

It is enough to trust that God has spoken to us in His word and no one will trust that God has spoken to us in His word without a reason for doing so.

 

[Archaeopteryx]

It is enough to trust that God has spoken to us in His word and no one will trust that God has spoken to us in His word without a reason for doing so.

Which again affirms that faith is not enough.

 

[Usus Vox Tractus]

Which again affirms that faith is not enough.

Heb 11:1 Now Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things unseen.


Sounds to me that living faith, authored by God as a gift to you, is experiential proof of what you believed. Then you know.

 

[Jeremy E Walker]

Which again affirms that faith is not enough.

Not for me.

I don't believe in stuff that I do not have good reasons to believe in.

 

[Archaeopteryx]

Not for me.

I don't believe in stuff that I do not have good reasons to believe in.

If there are good reasons to believe something then you don't need to believe by faith.

 

[Jeremy E Walker]

If there are good reasons to believe something then you don't need to believe by faith.

I disagree because I am using the word faith to signify something different than what you mean when you use the term.

 

[Archaeopteryx]

I disagree because I am using the word faith to signify something different than what you mean when you use the term.

What are you using the word to signify?

 

[Usus Vox Tractus]

I disagree because I am using the word faith to signify something different than what you mean when you use the term.

You should both be asking if the meaning of faith you are using is the same meaning used by the writers of the bible.

 

[BL2KTN]

The word for faith in Koine Greek simply means "active hope/trust". It is a noun-verb hybrid in the original language.

 

[Usus Vox Tractus]

The word for faith in Koine Greek simply means "active hope/trust". It is a noun-verb hybrid in the original language.

Context will tell you more.

Heb 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of the unseen.

It is the result of an experience of Divine reality. That is why it is a gift from God. It is not something we self create.

 

[bhsmte]

Context will tell you more.

Heb 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of the unseen.

It is the result of an experience of Divine reality. That is why it is a gift from God. It is not something we self create.

It very well could be something you self create, to satisfy a psychological need, just as those who believe in other Gods or other religions, could create their own.

The mind is more than capable.

 

[Jeremy E Walker]

It very well could be something you self create, to satisfy a psychological need, just as those who believe in other Gods or other religions, could create their own.

The mind is more than capable.

The human mind is not capable of producing only that which can be produced by God.

No man can come unto Christ unless the Father draws him.

 

[Jeremy E Walker]

What are you using the word to signify?

Trust in and commitment to.

 

[Paradoxum]

Prove it.

I'll give a simple explanation of my position, and then if you have questions you can ask.

1) Morality is partly a way of acting.
2) Morality is a universal good or bad, that applies to all people.
3) A universal good or bad, that applies to all people, would be considering the subjective good or bad for all individuals equally.
(eg: My wish not to die is equal to your wish not to die).

4) One of the most important parts of this morality would be respecting peoples choices over their sphere of sovereignty (eg: It is their choice what they do with their body and mind... this would disallow things like murder, rape, and assault).

 

[bhsmte]

The human mind is not capable of producing only that which can be produced by God.

No man can come unto Christ unless the Father draws him.

You far underestimate the human mind.

 

[Jeremy E Walker]

I'll give a simple explanation of my position, and then if you have questions you can ask.

1) Morality is partly a way of acting.
2) Morality is a universal good or bad, that applies to all people.
3) A universal good or bad, that applies to all people, would be considering the subjective good or bad for all individuals equally.
(eg: My wish not to die is equal to your wish not to die).

4) One of the most important parts of this morality would be respecting peoples choices over their sphere of sovereignty (eg: It is their choice what they do with their body and mind... this would disallow things like murder, rape, and assault).

You misunderstood my request.

When I said "prove it", I wanted you to give me some empirical evidence that is verifiable/falsifiable that shows that your belief is true. You know, something "sciencey", something measurable and observable.

Give me some empirical proof. If you cannot, then why should I believe it?

This is what atheists who are empiricists ask me all the time, so I am just throwing it back at you.

Prove it.

 

[Jeremy E Walker]

You far underestimate the human mind.

Read carefully what I wrote. Then comment.

 

[VProud]

I believe that everything that can exist should be, fundamentally, describable with mathematics.
So, if God were to exist, I would consider him to be provable via mathematical models.

Just because we don't know how yet, does not mean it cannot be done.
If there's one rule of science I've learned, it would have to be: "Never say never."

Hence the 2045 initiative, NASA recent FTL drive, etc, etc.