I can't imagine not believing in God. (page 6)

insearchoftruth4

Some songs say it best...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F86ifH-6stI

insearchoftruth4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F86ifH-6stI

If you are getting married and you have evidence that your mate has been trustworthy and faithful to you, then you can have faith in his vows of future fidelity, based on his prior record evidence. I have faith that google maps will get me where I'm going, based on the evidence that google maps are usually correct.

And yet it is still faith. You may base it on something, but really, people are not faithful all the time, and it's not something that would be evident on the wedding day. Google maps has made mistakes. So that is simply faith. You have weighed the probabilities, and decided what the likely outcome was going to be, then you had to have faith that it would work out that way. You really have no evidence that it will.

Now I check google maps, and then I second check other sources for a better way. Google maps is not perfect. And I've come to accept, that no matter how good a person is, no matter how faithful they seem or how faithful they may want to be, they make mistakes. I may put faith in the unknown based on knowledge I have, but I always understand that faith may be misplaced. So even with evidence, when predicting the future, there is a leap. There is no certainty.

With the kind of faith it takes to believe in a god, there is not even as much evidence of such that google map or a new spouse may have already given. It is trust in what has not proved itself. There is no way to second check, there is nothing you can show someone else, there is nothing there but faith. It is not careful faith. It is not a hope that based on past evidence things will work out. It's blind.

If there was evidence, there would be no need for faith. I cannot be absolutely certain that a person will never cheat, so it takes faith. I cannot be absolutely certain that google maps will get it right every time, so it takes faith. There is no evidence for the existence of a god, so it takes faith. If there were evidence, why would you need faith?

tec

Faith IN someone... is not the same as faith that this someone exists. How can you put faith in someone you aren't even sure exists? But if you are sure that someone exists... then... you can put your faith in them. Or not, as you choose. All based on what you know of them, and what you want to do with that knowledge.

Peace,

tammy

NewChapter

Or not, as you choose

It's not exactly a choice. It's a conclusion based on evidence. Now if you are saying that faith is a choice, then I agree. It is a choice. You choose to have faith in something without evidence. But for me, because I have looked at the evidence, torn it apart, I CANNOT believe in a god anymore than I can believe in unicorns and fairies. I cannot force myself to believe if I take the evidence seriously. I can't make it so. Some can push away evidence, or look for things to confirm their bias, and they may be able to have faith that way. But for those that take the evidence seriously, they just can't suddenly decide to believe. I can't stand in my kitchen and suddenly decide I'm going to believe in wood nymphs----but if I didn't take the evidence seriously, I may go looking for proof of their existence, and because I want to I will find it. I can't do that. Others can.

tec

You can choose to put faith in someone and in what they tell you (by believing them, and following them and their teachings)... or not. Based on what you know of that person.

That is what I spoke about.

It would seem to me that your post is still on faith as to whether or not to even believe that God exists. Some people do choose to do this... or not to do this. Others follow evidence... so that it is not a choice, but simply a conclusion. The same as you state that you cannot believe... I cannot NOT believe. Because of evidence. (so I am not one who chooses to have faith in something without evidence... never have been; never have stated anything to this effect)

But believing in the existance of Christ and God (or rather accepting and acknowleding)... still leaves me a choice beyond that: a choice as to whether to place my faith in Christ and what He says (and therefore also God). Or not. And a choice as to whether to follow Christ (and therefore God). Or not.

Peace,

tec

I am also off to bed. See ya's tomorrow.

Peace,

tammy

Black Sheep

I have faith that google maps will get me where I'm going, based on the evidence that google maps are usually correct.

There is a major intersection just down the road from me that every GPS has wrong, and if you do what they say you can't turn around for a couple of miles. That is only one of many mapping errors that I know of in NZ and Europe.

Considering that the god I was raised with was going to kill me (SOON) because I could never bring myself to believe enough of the rubbish that came out of Brooklyn to submit to baptism, realising out that gods were just inventions of men was a breath fo fresh air.

startingover

There you go again Tec. This was on another thread and I think fits here regarding your comments about faith.

" And that isn't the convenience store I robbed anyway."

Should read:

"And i didnt rob a convenience store. Its a store thats smaller than a grocery store and carries a variety of basic needs, including common food items, sometimes attached to a fuel station and usually at prices slightly higher than normal market value. But it wasnt a convenience store, dear one. Peace to you!"

goddidit

"I could never believe that this life and this world is all there is.......what the hell is the purpose of life?"

What is the purpose of eternal life?

I can't imagine not believing in God.

Share this