How do Christians manage to maintain the suspension of disbelief that belief requires of them?

Answer 1

They don't think

Answer 2

If I interpret your question correctly you refer to some of the seemingly "head in the sand" roles you see accompanying belief. I will use the example of early sciences where there were postulates which later were later shown false when more was learned with the invent of the microscope. Non Christians often look upon faith as blind (well okay, some Christians seemingly are blind followers, blind to "postulates" as it were) however there is more to Christianity than the facts as an analitical mind sees them. The part that analitical/ non belivers miss is the part that involves feeling. I have feelings whose source is outside of myself which tell my heart when something is true, all the material evidence in front of me doesn't matter at that point because the feeling is chosen by me as the governance... and this grows, the more I listen to it the clearer it is and the more it guides me, i=and it has shown to be right, but I needed to trust FIRST. To others it may seem as a suspension of disbelief as you phrase it, but to me I am operating with more understanding (because I have a microscope showing me more of the picture as it were )of what is really going on, basing then my future decisions by empirical evidence from past experience, the outcomes of my life and how it causes me to feel. Hope this assists you in understanding more, for I am an analitial mind with firm faith

Answer 3

Your question doesn't make much sense, I'm afraid. Unless you are asking "How do Christians manage to maintain their beliefs in the presence of so much negative evidence for their beliefs; isn't that a denial of reality?"

If THAT is your question, then the answer is simple. We are not in denial of reality. We have each recieved a set of convincing evidences that have led us to our conclusion(s) of the truths of Christianity. To accept these proofs is not a "suspension of disbelief" anymore than it is to accept that 2+2= 4. We accept the evidence and the proofs.

So far, non-believers have not been able to produce the right negative evidence(s) to force a turn of opinion. Quite a lot of the "evidence" proposed is itself based on biased opinion and historical inferences, not research. Such will not turn a mind already set; it is too weak of a force. Think of it as a mental version of the force/inertia equation, and perhaps you will understand.

Peace.

Answer 4

Do you mean how can Christians listen to all of the scientific claptrap about how God can't exist and the Bible can't be true and still have a positive faith?

I don't know how other Christians do it but in addition to having a close relationship with God through prayer and the Spirit of Christ who dwells in me, I investigate these claims and find that they are all based on unsupportable theories that wouldn't hold up in the scientific business world where people demand that the scientists produce repeatable, observable and reproducible phenomena that establish cause and effect relationships by repeated experimentation before they are going to invest one penny in trying to make a business investment based upon what some scientist says.

Then I point out that not one passage from the Bible has ever been proved to be factually incorrect but that scientific theories come and go as new discoveries are made and new insights are gained through research. Why should I invest my eternal destiny in the theoretical musings of some fallible human being when wise people who have to be accountable to their stock holders wouldn't do it with something as transitory and easily replaceable as money?

Check out the Answers button @ http://web.express56.com/~bromar/ and type in "DNA double helix" in the search box and you will see an illustration of one of my points based totally upon science and without one quote from the Bible.

Answer 5

It's not so much a suspension of disbelief as faith. A belief in something they cannot experience directly. If you have that faith then it affects the way you interpret the events and experiences in your life.

Answer 6

It is a gift from God.

When a person gets to a point when everything he tries has failed to bring him peace or a satisfied soul, then he will turn to God and say, OK, I give up. What do I need to do to do things your way.

He says, "Nothing, it's already been done. Welcome home."

Then his peace is there, and disbelief in the importance of the things of this world engulfs him like sweet truth. And there you have it.

Answer 7

When a person says he/she has faith there isn't room for contradiction.Can a well send forth both bitter and sweet water at the same time?? Didn't think so either!!

Answer 8

Easy. Their belief is based more on emotion than reason. Humans have been emotional animals far longer than rational ones.

Answer 9

Really good meds :)

But in all fairness, it's not just Christians. All people of faith are faced with the same problem.

Answer 10

Faith that something greater exits beyond themselves. Faith is rarely if ever based on fact, that's why it's called faith!

Answer 11

Your question make no sense.