Is the pursuit of knowledge an anti faith endeavor?

Question

When we ate from the tree of knowledge, we were cast out of Eden for having done so. Being "aware" of ourselves... we separated ourselves from God, covering our bodies and hiding.

I wonder about all our human traits... our curiosities and stubbournness. The same "free will" we cherish seems to be a sharp rock we cut ourselves on when we make poor choices and give into our human impulses. I percieve it as a learning tool in which natural conciquences are implimented. A karmic learning tool that teaches us more about the way we should and shouldn't think and act.

But why are we punished for obtaining knowledge that is necissary to gain in order to avoid the pains of natural consiquense? Is there some perpetual dissillusionement in the way we gain and use the knowledge we aquire? How does faith and knowledge coexist?

Answer 1

I believe it was F.F. Bosworth who said that "faith begins where the will of God is known."

Let's bring that down to a purely human level. If I don't tell you anything, you certainly can't believe what I have told you. Because I haven't told you anything. Now let's say that I wrote you a letter and promised you something in the letter, but you never opened the envelope and read it. Can you believe what I have promised you?

In the same way, we can't have faith in what God's will is, if we don't know for certain what His will is. Fortunately, He has made His will known to us - at least on a broad scale - in His written word. We know from the knowledge contained in the Bible that God is not going to ask you to break into a store and steal something, or to lie to your parents. In the same way, we can expect Him to provide for our needs, or know that it is His will to heal our bodies on the basis of what the Bible says.

So in that sense, you can see how that knowledge is essential to faith and not contrary to it. The danger comes in when someone becomes a learner, but not a doer. James talks about being "doers and not hearers only." The very definition of faith is a belief in something that is not obvious to the 5 physical human senses, which guides your behavior. Sometimes faith causes us to make choices that are not easily understood by others who are not aware of what we are aware of. But anyhow, faith is not just believing, but believing and thus doing. James also said that "faith without works is dead."

So you can have knowledge of truth, and believe that truth, but not be acting on that truth - and actually be worse off for it. Because to be unresponsive to the truth you know and believe, is to have dead faith and a hardened heart. Some people become theological think-tanks, but their spiritual life is not activated. That's no good from where God is standing. That's when knowledge becomes a bad thing.

It says in Proverbs, "knowlege puffeth up." That is to say, I can get really high on myself if I know a lot of information - to become a "know it all." But when I come to a place of realizing that I am not profited by that kind of attitude (and especially when I can realize how very little I truly know in the grand scheme of things) then I can concentrate on handling the knowledge correctly rather than getting "puffed up."

Apparently, it wasn't in God's plan for us to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and since we have eaten from it, we have been learning about good and evil ever since. He would have greatly preferred Adam's obedience, to all the generations of suffering that one decision has produced.

I think the Lord wanted us to live in dependence upon Him, to rely upon Him for everything. That road was wholly dependent upon obedience to His commandment. We had a shot at that and blew it. Now, we have to learn how difficult it is to take care of ourselves, and to try to acheive balance in a world that He alone could hold in balance. Mankind has to do it's best to solve its own problems - and it has continuously fallen short. The compensation for that falling short has been passed down the line to the point that we now have problems on our problems, and we don't seem to be solving any of them. Eventually the Lord is going to return and restore order to this planet in the way that only He can, and then man will have rest again.

It's a matter of who the source is. God is the limitless source. We are the weak and limited source.

Answer 2

"Is the pursuit of knowledge an anti faith endeavor?" ... Yes.

Logic, reason and critical thought see through religion, and recognize it for what it is; i.e., religion cannot survive the glaring light of rationality. This was well understood by important figures in religious history. This is why the early church destroyed all the 'tainted' (non-canonical) writings, which were in conflict with dogma... Greek philosophy, medicine, mathematics, astronomy, engineering... all the good stuff. By this means, Christianity dragged humanity directly into the Dark Ages.

Just to illustrate the point, let's see what Martin Luther, the 'father' of protestantism, had to say about 'reason' and secular knowledge:

"Reason must be deluded, blinded, and destroyed. Faith must trample underfoot all reason, sense, and understanding, and whatever it sees must be put out of sight and ... know nothing but the word of God." ~ Martin Luther

"Reason is the greatest enemy that faith has; it never comes to the aid of spiritual things, but -- more frequently than not -- struggles against the divine Word, treating with contempt all that emanates from God." ~ Martin Luther

"There is on earth among all dangers no more dangerous thing than a richly endowed and adroit reason... Reason must be deluded, blinded, and destroyed." ~ Martin Luther

"Reason should be destroyed in all Christians." ~ Martin Luther

Answer 3

Actually, it wasn't knowledge that god Adam and Eve in trouble, it was lack of wisdom. They were too easily decieved, because they had never heard a lie before. Likewise with all of us - it isn't knowledge that causes us to make bad choices, but lack of wisdom.

As stewards of the earth, it is REQUIRED for us to gain knowledge, both of our creator, and of the creation. Faith is strengthened by knowledge, and it is a weak "religion" which would discourage its followers from questioning and seeking answers.

Answer 4

Wow...I was thinking about this today coming home from work...really I was..

As I recall knowledge is what got us crossways with the Lord and yet we spend endless hours trying to solve the riddles of the Universe in the pages of the Bible. Probably shouldn't be doing that so much.

My opinion of course, but I like to believe I'll know in my heart before my I will know in my head.

Answer 5

good question. perhaps the pursuit of knowledge in order to "outshine" or "one-up" God is what He deems as uncool. that, and/or listening to some other entity whom isn't God, or to things which aren't God. Perhaps we are unwittingly seeking out backwards, ancient, harmful truths which were "dead" in Eden (but somehow necessary) as a backward hobby in order to "disprove" the Scriptures?? I will be following this to see what others say. God Bless. Jesus Christ is Lord

Answer 6

IMHO it's the nature of theism. The suppression of curiosity leads to a lack of knowledge, which leads to a lack of alternatives to the dogma that a particular church wants you to follow.

There's a reason the story of the tree of knowlege of good and evil is one of the first in the bible. God doesn't like you to learn too much.

Answer 7

Many people do seem to be afraid to further educate themselves. How many people have read essays written by well known and highly respected scientists, agnostics and atheists?

I've studied many sides of the issues, and I still have a lot more to learn. How many Christians can claim the same?

Answer 8

Knowledge is something you know, faith is an assumption, something to which you have no proof. Wisdom, and knowledge are the bane of faith, the only way to advance ourselves is to accept this, and put faith aside.

Answer 9

Human nature was created by god when they said Let Us Create Man In Our Image.

But sin nature is not human nature at all.

We were designed to live with god but by sining we were seperated.

The is why Jesus Christ (The Word), came to earth as a man.

Answer 10

Well, finding out the natural mechanisms of something and assuming it happens because magic/God/it just does okay ARE kind of mutually exclusive...