Why do some religious people chastize others for using logic to quesiton the Bible?

Question

I ask this because I often ask Religion and Spirituality questions in an attempt to figure out the truth, figure out what merit the Bible has, etc. Almost every time I ask a question where I want someone to explain an inconsistency I've found in the Bible or Christain dogma I get an answer akin to, "Well all I know is that Jesus died for my sins, why do you have to use all this logic to try to disprove that?" My question then is...why did God give me logic? I'm not trying to incite hatred; I don't try to incite hatred with my other questions, either. I'm just trying to understand things.

Answer 1

Falco is a hard act to follow, but I'm enjoying this, so here's my contribution:

I stopped at "Why do people chastize," because the tendancy certainly doesn't stop with using logic to defend the Bible. People chastize others' beliefs of just about any subjective thing: how to raise a child, how to manage finances, whom to vote for, which kind of diet is best. Chastizing in this realm is a defensive behavior and the defensive behavior comes from fear that what they believe may not be true. This classification of "the faithful" doesn't like their beliefs being challenged, because their foundation could be destroyed. I wonder just how faithful these people are.

But there are others who don't seem to be threatened by logical questions (certainly not the fundamentalists). There are two types. To illustrate the first, I'll share a personal experience. I was raised Catholic in a fairly modern church, by Catholic standards. One of the things I most enjoyed were sermons from a very special priest who constantly questioned the actions of those in the scriptures and who questioned his own faith from time to time. It was immensely relieving to both know that I was not alone in my struggle toward faith and that it was actually healthy to question scripture. Sadly, he is no longer alive and most other priests I've met are somewhat dogmatic. It is also fascinating to read the essays of Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, a priest/human paleontologist who abandoned the book of Genesis in favor of a metaphorical interpretation. In essence, his intellect, his logic led to a belief that life was a combination of evolution and creation. How's that for controversial?

The second type of believer who doesn't mind logical questions to explain inconsistencies are the blindly faithful. They don't care what other people say, they don't get defensive, they just believe what they believe. Sort of a lemming mentality, but if it works for some... this belief sysem seems to be the basis for intelligent design.

The issue I have with those who refuse to allow logic into the debate about the Bible or religion in general is this: God gave us intellect (in varying degrees). Intellect allows us to choose, to sin or not. To believe or not. To question, to learn, to think and apply. In other words, we are born with free will. Free will in itself is not a sin, it is a tool we can use to work for us or against us. Free will and intellect are what allows one to believe in the first place. And many need intellect to continue to believe. They question the scriptures not always to discredit, but to understand. With understanding can come a greater appreciation for the lessons we learn in the Bible.

Answer 2

Hi - I understand how frustrating this can be. Of course my answer to you will be from a Christian perspective. Christians (for the most part) believe that we are born sinners. One might say, but I am a good person, I don't sin.

Remember, we believe God is perfect, therefore unless we are perfect, we will fall short in his eyes, no matter how hard we try to be perfect, thus we sin. So because we believe that we are sinners, we also believe that human logic and reasoning can be flawed. We once reasoned the world was flat, and we believed once that the earth was the center of the universe.

Therefore our flawed reasoning may not be correct in theological matters and we turn to Scripture (the Bible) as a guide.

God gave you a brain, it might be logical or it might be good at math or whatever. Brain power is as diverse as can be. He also gave you freewill to accept what you choose and turn away from what you do not choose. You will use that logic and reasoning in your daily life, making decisions, just getting through the day. And questioning the things you believe, but as a human being it will never be perfect. Reason and logic are not always correct, just like anything else.

Somewhere along the line, if you believe in God, you have to do sp with faith (defined as the evidence of things not seen). Unseen - how can I??? Well, there is air, we can't see it, there is gravity, we can't see it, yet it is there. Within the realm of that faith you will develop a certain set of beliefs. A lot of Christians, myself included, believe that the Bible is inspired by God and so I use that as my guideline.

Some things can't be reasoned out. Especially emotions, love, trust, faith. Why we love someone, but not someone else or whatever.

Now I know a lot of people or atheists will call this crap and quite honestly, I am okay with that. I am not a beat you over the head kind of Christian. And if I am wrong about my beliefs, I've hurt no one and had the comfort of my God for a lifetime - even if in my own mind.

I'm sorry this is long. My husband is a Lutheran pastor, so it's subject matter I enjoy talking about. And I take no offense at questions, if you want to contact me.

Answer 3

Lol your right.... a lot of people, religious or not, do not know the bible or any other holy books very well. Thus when you ask pointed questions they do not have any proof or answer. As to why God gave you logic, God gave you logic so that you may find and choose the right path I would say. Remember Adam and Eve? They ate from the Tree of Knowledge and gained knowledge of good and evil. Agency, is what it is called in my church. Agency means the ability to think and choose for yourself. It is important that you DO ask questions. Questions are the only way for you to find the truths you need. And if all else fails, take it before the Lord. "He who asketh, shall receive". By all means do not listen to those who would tell you "Well all I know is that Jesus died for my sins, why do you have to use all this logic to try to disprove that?" or anything like that. We were meant to question and find the truth, why else would God give us logic and agency? Feel free to ask questions man. I am LDS and if you want to ask me anything about your faith feel free. [e-mail]. Good luck :P

Answer 4

Some people are under the impression that the bible is a matter of faith not understanding. You cant know what God is doing and almost blasphemy to try to understand it. However in my belief, everything can be understood and it is more wrong to not know the reasons of how and why. In my personal studies, the more I understand, the more I discover the plan and picture is much bigger than any of us really dreamed of. Also the further I feel religions are from what it is all about.

You have most people in the world who wonder where dinosaurs fit in the bible and how Cain got his wife so forth. The answers were always there, religions just gave a one sided belief that interfered with knowing those answers.

For most changing understand means redefining beliefs and religions. This will always be opposed and guilt and fear will be used to scare people into staying where they are.

Answer 5

It's an interesting question. Logic when used to question God, or "God's word" - which, let's not forget is precisely what some people think the Bible is, crosses the line from 'tool of creativity' to 'trap of the devil'.
Essentially, logic seeks proof that things are a certain way. This is the very antithesis of faith, which is the belief in something unseen. And, to be fair to them, many Christians are sick to the back-teeth of having to 'defend' their faith from those who seek to force logic upon them. Y'know...like me.

The real problem here is that some Christians think ALL of the Bible is uniquely God-inspired and can't be questioned on any point. That means if you allow the concept of logic to disprove any one point of the Bible's contentions, then the whole edifice shatters - if logic can triumph over faith in one article, then faith becomes a weakened strut on every other point. So you get the "don't THINK about it, accept it on faith" generalised reaction. there are also of course those who believe logic was "the knowledge of right and wrong" and that in gaining it, we fell from God in the Garden of Eden, so it should never be entirely trusted. Logic was the weapon of the Serpent, they say, that led Eve to sin, and logic led Adam to share that sin with her.

So there's a tradition of seeing logic as the enemy of faith and the enemy of obedience to God. Your follow-up, which of course makes perfect sense, is analogous to a much older question - why did He give us free will, if He was going to get all upset if we exercised it. Why give us logic if not to ask questions?

Essentially what this does is tap into a conflict as old as religion itself - those who questions have always been an uncomfortable presence for those who don't - this is part of what's at the root of the dispute between science and religion. It's also the type of logic you use that is likely to annoy those who trust to their faith. Questions can be asked of God, or asked of the universe. This is the difference, essentially, between theology and science. If you bring the answers the universe gives you and use them as the basis of questions for God, many believers think this is "cheating" somehow, or missing the point, as if you're using 'insider information' from the universe - physics, chemistry, biology etc, to make God justify himself...which many believers feel he really doesn't need to do.

Tricky, innit?

Answer 6

I don't chastise anyone for using logic.Logic is good sometimes but
sometimes logic is down right defuse.There has been times when I was working on my motorcycle and Logically I knew that if I put a cheater bar on my wrench I should be able to break it loose BUT when I tried it
I broke the post off in the head.
You can not logically figure out God because his thoughts are so
far above our head we could NEVER logically or any other way figure them out.Since if you break one law it makes you guilty of all the laws
in Gods sight.Perfection is Gods standard so when I tell one of those [white lies] in Gods sight I was guilty of murder.The ONLY MAN THAT
LIVED A PERFECT LIFE,DID NOT BREAK ANY OF GODS LAWS WAS JESUS.Jesus was a man just like us EXCEPT GODS BLOOD
FLOWED IN HIS VEINS PERFECT BLOOD free of Adams SIN thus
capable of PAYING THE SIN DEBT OF MAN.That is why Jesus came
to seek and save the lost.God has accomplished a way for man to the
reunited into Gods Family.It is FREE to man but costly to God.It is a gift from God all you have to do is BELIEVE that Jesus is Gods Son and will save you by FAITH receive Jesus as Lord.
In Christ in LOve,
TJ57

Answer 7

I would say that many people cannot recognise honesty from sarcasm, in this type of forum. Others may not have the biblical back ground to actually answer your questions, and simply defend it in the best way they know how.
I, as I read thru the forum, try and pick out people who are actually asking a question, and I try and answer it but, by the time I'm done typing, there are five hundred answers already there...from the goofy, to the informed, to the angry or ambivilent.
So, if I see one of your questions, I will try and answer it, to the best of my ability.

Answer 8

Another good question.

In my opinion, quoting scripture is only valid for someone who already believes in the validity of scripture, otherwise you might as well be quoting from a cookbook.

Now to your question. We can't act as if "logic" has all the answers, because it doesn't.
-Logic can't explain the very real implications and feelings that go with being in Love.
-Logic can't touch the human experience of Loss.
-Logic can't begin to solve Greed.
-Logic can't even come close to explaining Addiction.

Actually, the only things logic can answer are the fact based questions we pose. Unfortunately, those are seldom the questions that truly impact our lives.

The Bible is full of questions and answers, but it's also filled with contradictions, paradoxes, and mystery. Coming to an understanding with these is where the "human" element comes in, because God knows we are not logical creatures.

Answer 9

Some, not ALL people chastize others for using logic to question the bible because they are not PERFECT. We are living in a wicked system.

Answer 10

As a Christian I wonder the same thing.
Holy Scripture is given in human language. To determine what it says we need to apply the rules of language, such as grammar and logic. It is right to use reason as a servant of the text, but the guidance of the Holy Spirit is essential for it proper understanding.