If no, what are valid tools?
If yes, do you place any limits on what can be understood through reason?
2006-09-17 05:26:14 · 18 answers · asked by Pablito 5 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Hi Pablito. Another incisive question. I think reason is one of the most essential tools. We can not truly believe in something if we are forced to suspend our critical thinking. That is not faith. That is emotional tyranny.
2006-09-17 05:30:51 · answer #1 · answered by Isis 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Unfortunately reason is not a valid way to understand God. The only real tools that we have that make us Logical and Intelligent are not valid in the use for understanding God. The only thing that is true is that God is beyond understanding. If, however, we assume that there is no god, and that the universe is spinning along on it's own, then the universe becomes understandable through reason.
2006-09-17 12:30:38 · answer #2 · answered by Wonder Weirdo 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, reason is a valid tool for understanding God. But it all depends on what kind of God you are defining. The physical Universe is the only God I have come up with using reason. It has created us and has always been here. So, there's your God.
2006-09-17 12:29:06 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
No. Thomas Aquinas argued that the only statements you can validly make about God are what He is not. To qualify as reason thinking must make sense to other people and be amenable to some form of validation or refutation. This then becomes Science and God gets pushed out. God has to dwell in those domains that reason cannot reach. This has been seen many times in the history of knowledge as areas in which God was felt to be located are purged of religion by reason.
2006-09-17 12:38:43 · answer #4 · answered by IanAndPaula 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Reason is a valid tool for believing there is a God. Your eyes take in creation. Your ears hear. Your mind uses your senses, and this is reason.
The act of faith is used to believe there is a God. The act of faith is also used to believe there is NO God.
Reason can be used to believe in anything for which your senses provide evidence.
2006-09-17 12:37:53 · answer #5 · answered by ? 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, reason is the best tool. I have 2 books that were written by former athiests to recommend to you. They both decided to disprove Christianity and Jesus Christ through reason. They both came to the same conlcusion. All the evidence points to the fact that Christianity has to be true. However, understanding that Christianity is true through reason is not the same as being a Christian. Only those who recognize and accept Jesus Christ as their redeemer will be saved. In other words, don't just reason it, experience it.
The 2 books are:
Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis
The New Evidence that Demands a Verdict by Josh McDowell.
2006-09-17 12:32:50 · answer #6 · answered by SearchForTruth 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Oh, heavens, no... applying reason is absolutely the WORST thing you could do. If you do that, you won't believe anymore.
"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
2006-09-17 12:31:25 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
God said 'come let us reason together'. So yes, with a qualifier, Not Every Thing Is Made Known To Us. That is where faith come in.
2006-09-17 12:30:53 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I would say no, it seems inherently illogical to me to believe in god.
Since he doesn't exist, there are no valid tools.
The only thing I can think of that would be limited would something for which we have no valid explanation, but is still observable, like human behavior or something like that. Eventually we may understand it better, who knows?
LOL, I glanced at "mere xianity" and it was full of logical fallacies. Proves my point more than it's opposite.
2006-09-17 12:33:08 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
According to Buddha reason is the only tool for understanding divine truths. Emotions lead us to seek truth-reason helps us discern truth from falsehoods.
2006-09-17 12:29:38 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋