The ongoing quest for knowledge and truth or the comort and security of absolute faith (as in unconditional belief in God)?
Socrates or Hamann?
The red pill or the blue pill (of The Matrix)?
2006-09-22 20:11:24 · 22 answers · asked by Aaron 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
*If* there were a "god" and it demanded belief on pathetic dribbles of "faith" for people to believe, then it is no better than a petulant child.
We would _never_ convict a person or go to war on such scant and flimsy evidence (well...there is Shrub and Iraq...) yet we tolerate militant - oops, minimalist - fairy tales from religion as "proof"?
Skepticism is why we have the fruits of science such as agriculture, TV, cars, radio, medicine, computers, printed books, clocks, space flight, etc. etc. etc.
When there was no skepticism in "science" people believed the Earth was flat, they believed in "crystal spheres", they believed the sun went around the Earth, they believed in witches, they believed jews stole/killed/ate gentile babies, etc. etc. etc.
Which sort of a world and society do *you* want to live in?
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2006-09-22 20:23:28 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Here's where people are soooo sadly misinformed. Jesus said "love your God with all your mind. " So many people over look this. The bible also encourages you to question everything. Yes, in Christianity you HAVE to have some faith for the things that are unseen, but you should NEVER blindly believe something because someone tells it to you. People who quote the verse about having faith like children in instances like this are ignorant, because that was not at all what Jesus meant.
You should have faith, but be skeptical, always of the things you don't know. you should always know what you believe and why you believe it. I would never want to wake up one day and find out i lived my whole life based on an illusion. I am a Christian because of intellect, because of logic. as are C.S. Lewis and Lee strobel. I reccomend his book called "The case for faith."
Any Christian who tells you to have faith and not pursue knowledge are NOT loving God with all their mind...
2006-09-23 03:18:41 · answer #2 · answered by Michelle 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You have to have a little of both - although I don't see why it has to be FAITH about Jesus and stuff. I think you have to have skepticism, or else a corrupt religious figure could convince you e.g. that another race or another religion needs to be wiped out. At the same time you need to have faith in humanity - that not all people are evil, and that there is some kind of balance in the world - or you'd want to kill yourself.
2006-09-23 03:16:00 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
framed your question what is yin and yang
here your question lays
to know that your quest for better is: one will always be the flux for control and then the equal reaction of the other will be secondary, so I believe you answer is given if you wanted skepticism & faith for book ends.moderation is key element to either words as meanings will each draw the same conclusions from different parallex views? but one does not go alone with out the other, so here you can know have the best of both worlds embrace them both equally and you'll be well rewarded and equally guarded
2006-09-23 03:36:15 · answer #4 · answered by bev 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I have both the security of absolute faith in God while I continue to learn through the ongoing quest for knowledge and truth.
2006-09-23 03:24:26 · answer #5 · answered by AcePrincess 2 · 1⤊ 2⤋
None is better than the other. They are two different concepts for a way to live. Some people are fulfilled by faith others by skepticism and a host of different philosophies and religions. It is pointless to compare them. they both have enthusiastic supporters who will not be swayed from the conviction. What is good for me is not necessarily good for you one man's poison one man's food.
2006-09-23 03:25:50 · answer #6 · answered by The Stainless Steel Rat 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Both have their own advantage. Skeptics do always work to find the answer to their doubts. Those who live in faith is ruled by their hearts and what they grew up with. Both are happy with the results of their efforts.
Faith is a blessing from God. To doubt is also is sign of Wisdom.
2006-09-23 03:21:26 · answer #7 · answered by Rallie Florencio C 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
The ongoing quest for knowledge and truth is what provides me a sense of security and comfort.
2006-09-23 03:15:23 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
Skepticism, naturally. Never take any claims, particularly supernatural ones, at face value. Examine, test, and investigate. Rely only on information provided by people who have proven reliable and knowledgable on the subject you are curious about.
2006-09-23 03:15:21 · answer #9 · answered by Scott M 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
dicotomies are dangerous. one doesn't have to choose either, there is most likely a third, fourth, fifth etc option.
I choose critical reasoning and the knowledge of abstracts and being able to differenciate them from concretes..
I choose
Feinberg and Allan Johnson
I choose the green pill, and the yellow pill ^_~
This certainly was a fun one to think about though...
2006-09-23 03:15:23 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋