the impossibility of believing?

Question

I have known some, who have alleged as a reason why they have forsaken the Christian faith, the impossibility of believing. Many doctrines (say these) are made necessary to salvation, which 'tis impossible to believe, because they are in their nature absurdities. I replied, that these things were mysteries, and so above our understanding. But he asked me to what end could an unintelligible doctrine be revealed? not to instruct, but to puzzle and amuse. What can be the effect of an unintelligible mystery upon our minds, but only an amusement? That which is only above reason must be above a rational belief, and must I be saved by an irrational belief? ... You all agree that the belief of your Trinity is absolutely necessary to salvation, and yet widely differ in what we must believe concerning it; whether three Minds or Modes, or Properties, or internal Relations, or Oeconomies, or Manifestations, or external Denominations; or else no more than a Holy Three, or Three Somewhats... If I should be persuaded that an explanation of the Trinity were necessary to save my soul, and see the Learned so widely differing and hotly disputing what it is I must believe concerning it, I should certainly run mad through despair of finding out the Truth...

– William Stephens, An Account of the Growth of Deism in England (1696), pp. 19-20

Answer 1

And why not believe in Zeus? Makes just as much sense.

And then why believe in a god at all...


This is an argument against Christianity and in favour of deism is it not?

Answer 2

You are not speaking of God...but of man. Man has created the hundreds of religions that have come upon the earth. Nowhere in the Bible or any other religious text (to my knowledge) does God request that people follow a specific ritual. Everything that is done in today's churches is a direct result of someone's interpretation of the words written by someone else. For example: the sacrament of Communion. According to the Lutheran church, they do this because the Bible says "Do this in remembrance of me"...yet, nowhere does it say that Christ told all people everywhere and for all time that they are to do this etc. It is assumed that because He did it, and he told the deciples to do it, that it means that we are all to do it.

Seek God alone...and he will lead. Do not be caught up in the musings of man.

Answer 3

are you wanting me to write, that's the difference between faith and what you can prove? But why a quote from the late 17th century?

Answer 4

if Muslims have their quran and Christians have their bible then why can't anyone say that quran is the holy book?what's the proof of the bible having it as the holy book or the word of god to most of the people and not the quran?