That's why I try to refrain from making dogmatic statements such as, "I know this or I know that ... "
However, I do state, without equivocation, that I BELIEVE.
Syl and Tec, I respect that attitude. It forces me to rethink my original statement on faith.
Tammy: I believe with my mind, but I think I believe as much if not more with my heart.
Tammy: I would have to say that my acknowledgment of believing that he did not exist would be roughly the same acknowledgment that a die-hard atheist gives that God might exist. He knows God doesn't exist, but without absolute proof, he can't state it with absolute certainty.
This is what I mean by "know" in the relative, almost metaphorical sense. To have strong faith in Jesus... requires those who possess it to know in their hearts, per se, that Jesus exists and loves them, does it not? Whether you utter the word know doesn't really matter as far as my original post is concerned. It may only be something you "know" deep down inside. Is that inaccurate?
I want the input of those who have faith but I'm trying to measure responses for objectivity and that's very difficult to do. I think if I hadn't started with such a strong assertion, perhaps the replies wouldn't be evasive-ish.