Can one choose to believe?

[Digit]

Personal testimony is only of value if those giving that testimony are reputable. The gospels are not first hand accounts, however. Their authorship is in question and neither the authors, whoever they may have been, nor the witnesses, whoever they may have been, are alive to be cross examined. So what we are left with is a story with no basis in reality, told by people who are not known, and whose credibility cannot be judged.

My point is precisely this - you can't speak to the authors so you don't think you can trust them - you have assumed a default position of distrust.

In addition, there is actually a lot to know about the authors, and scholars have made it their lives work to build up sources of information on them. I'm not sure where you are getting the idea we don't know who wrote some of them and that their reliability is in question - just because there may be a question over the Pentateuch doesn't mean by any stretch there is a question over all the books that comprise it - and - this totally omits personal revelation too.

The tools are all there, but so long as you adhere to only a single method you will get limited results in my opinion.

 

[silscr]

If we love God there is Faith, if we do not, THERE IS NO FAITH.
In the Christian Faith, LOVE is always our Guide to ALL THINGS LEADING TO GOOD. Corinthians 13 (LOVE/GOD).

Hope your day is going well today bt

How does one get faith when he lacks it?

 

[RealityPixie]

How does one get faith when he lacks it? How can I choose to believe when I do not? I have read the Bible and I enjoy reading and discussing theology. I am fascinated by the history of Christianity and absolutely love St. Thomas Aquinas. The trouble is, when it comes to the Bible, I dont believe a word of it. Now, it would be quite easy for me to say that I believe that the Bible is the word of God and I embrace the truths held within, but I would be lying, and God, if there be one would surely know it. There is no way I can see to choose to believe what I do not believe. So why would God hold that against me?

Ok so honestly I am just replying to the OP as I currently don't have the time to read the whole extensive thread....

You can't force yourself to believe anything. You can expose yourself to the ideas enough that it gradually becomes your truth (like teling a lie over and over) but you can't just say YUP! I believe it! I hope you are familiar with Pascals wager, if not, please loom it up. This is the main problem with that argument.

I like to think if god does exists, he would prefer an honest non-believer to one who talks the talk and walks the walk without a real belief. Be true to who you are.

 

[oneofchrists]

And so it goes with all of History, but the History You have lived.

 

[awosan]

You just have to talk to Him and focus on Him being there in that place, wherever His Spirit may be. You just have to talk to Him. I think that's the first step.