How does a rational, scientific person - who is sceptical about all sorts of spiritual matters - explain their belief in God? My best friend, a lecturer in Maths, is sceptical of anything that is not proven, but she is a devout Christian. I find the two at odds with one another.
I am not asking anyone to justify their beliefs here - I am wondering HOW you reconcile miracles with hard fact, and what thought process is involved.
2007-07-31 17:34:37 · 17 answers · asked by Wildamberhoney 6 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Yes, I know the Einstein quote, before anyone asks: Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind.
2007-07-31 17:35:20 · update #1
Soul shaper: Well, I agree...
2007-07-31 17:46:17 · update #2
What if science's ultimate discovery is the total paradox of existence, ie that matter is made of nothing at all and that all matter and energy is non existent.
What if miracles are hard fact?
Faith is something you feel in your heart and our faith can lead us to do extraordinary, even "impossible" things even if we're atheists. There is no proof that love exists. But everybody who's ever been in love knows it is real.
Some things don't need to be reconciled, proved, disproved or justified. They just need to be accepted as a part of somebody's life.
2007-08-01 07:32:13 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Wow!! You do come up with some UNanswerable questions don't you?
Like you I find it hard to see how she can say one thing is not possible because there is no proof, yet accept something because people have taught it is so for 2000 years. There isn't even any historical proof that Jesus existed and yet millions 'believe' in him and accept him as the Son of God!
Why? Perhaps if her fellow scientists ever figure out what 'thought' is we'll have an answer till then we must remain in the dark!!
2007-08-01 00:46:12 · answer #2 · answered by willowGSD 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I consider myself a sceptic who has great faith in science and generally does not believe in things like miracles. However, I do believe that there is a Divine presence in the world, and I believe this because I have had personal intuitive encounters with that presence on a sustained basis.
Is the presence really there? Perhaps. Even if it is, do my own experiences constitute proof for anyone else? No. But I will persist in engaging that perceived presence because doing so brings me pleasure and fulfillment.
(For the record, I was a happy and ethical atheist for many years before my first experience of the Divine presence persuaded me to investigate theism again. I have no fear of death -- didn't when I was an atheist, either -- so fear itself is not a factor in my decision to have faith.)
2007-07-31 17:59:04 · answer #3 · answered by prairiecrow 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
I was skeptical too until I realized that I have been having spiritual experiences since before I was 6 years old. I had an out of body experience when I was about 16.
So with me, that got rid of the doubt that I had with those. Then when I was 24 I trusted God, and that was as spiritual as I can handle. I didn't have a 'typical' conversion into belief to say the least.
So now it's illogical for me to doubt spirits, it's illogical for me to try to explain God away. It would be very illogical for me to not be a Christian.
I found out that God chooses who He gives proof to.
2007-07-31 17:41:44 · answer #4 · answered by Christian Sinner 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I am a scientist who has never believed in God, but who does believe in Good.
The principles upon which most religions are based are wonderful and should lead to a humane world. But man becomes involved and surrounds the principles with dogma and ritual, which quickly become more important than the principles themselves. The church - any church - is the worst enemy of religion.
I cannot accept the omnipotent, omniscient creator of all things, but I respect those who do.
2007-08-01 03:53:22 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
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2016-11-10 21:18:00 · answer #6 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hebrews 11:1-3 says: "Faith is the assured expectation of things hoped for, the evident demonstration of realities though not beheld. For by means of this the men of old times had witness borne to them. By faith we perceive that the systems of things were put in order by God’s word, so that what is beheld has come to be out of things that do not appear."
I don't have to reconcile miracles with hard fact. No hard facts available contradict Biblical miracles. God isn't bound by the laws of nature.
In addition to this, the innumerable prophecies in the Bible that have been fulfilled are evidence in the eyes of many of the divine authorship of the Bible.
2007-07-31 17:41:39 · answer #7 · answered by Epitome_inc 4 · 1⤊ 2⤋
Amber,
I am also a former Mathematics Instructor. I was a Mathematics Major and Physics Minor in my BA program. I have no problem with my belief in GOD. I see no other way for everything to have happened so that life could ever have come to be without GOD'S Presence. I could not imagine life just springing up from nothing, Could you?? I have also seen so many wondrous things in my short lifetime that GOD must be here with us! Have a wonderful week.
Thanks,
Eds
.
2007-07-31 17:41:36 · answer #8 · answered by Eds 7 · 2⤊ 2⤋
I studied biotechnology in college and it only made me more in awe of the creater, when you take everything down to the molecular level and watch how everything works together and what a masterpiece all living things are, it is just amazing and beautiful and so well designed that only a great intelligent power could have masterminded it. We are the greatest miracle as well as all life be it animals, plants, air, water, mammals everything.
2007-07-31 17:42:55 · answer #9 · answered by Carpathian Mage 3 · 2⤊ 2⤋
Brainwashing is more powerful than you think. Most people don't have the intestinal fortitude to shake it off. Even some rational scientific people such as your friend.
2007-07-31 17:44:11 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋