Do Christians really believe that human logic is sinful or evil when applied to religious doctrine?

Question

If we are made in the image of god and given the ability to reason and think, how can god then condemn us for using the very faculties we were designed with?

Thus, when a christian will not study his religion outside of his church but will condemn contradictory criticism as blasphemy instead, is not said christian ignoring god-given curiosity and logic?

I open this question also to all religions.

AlinutaUK: You say I am stereotyping. My quandary is, how can anyone be a Christian is they really read the new testament. Jesus is full of contradiction. The new testament does not hold up to reason.

Jesus said repeatedly that he would not and does not judge people. (John 8:15, John 12:47).

He also said repeatedly that he does judge people. (John 5:22, John 5:26-27, John 9:39, 2 Corinthians 5:10)

Jesus also contradicts himself when he said that people should not trust him if he bears witness of himself. (John 5:31). Then he says that people should trust him because he bears witness of himself. (John 8:14, John 8:18).

Jesus also lists many incongruous ways by which people can enter heaven.

I can give many hundreds of examples from the Old and New Testaments that are contradictory. Perhaps you are blinded by your love that you do not see the truth.

Answer 1

"If we are made in the image of god"
OR
If 'god' is made in our image which is much more credible.

"Do Christians really believe that human logic is sinful or evil when applied to religious doctrine?"
Yes ... Martin Luther said it best with: 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.
.

Answer 2

Well...in my opinion, as a chritstian, you are wrong.
I had an interest in finding more about other religions and I have been logical in my thoughts too.

Many people think christians just believe what is told to them....which is not true.
I don't believe we are condemned for what we think, because that is why we have the brain....we are condemned for what we do...

In my religion, I've been told the 12 apostles were sent in different part of the world to preach the word of god (it might be true or maybe not) and that is how it's been formed various religions.

However different they all are they have one main figure :GOD....and that is a fact.

Also, many believers do accept and try to understand science...BUT...are many things that will always be inexplicable in religion or science.
By stereotyping you think we are not looking around us or resent everybody else...which is not true...

Answer 3

Thanks for opening this topic up to me. My religion is Atheism.

Damned if you do damned if you don't

The problem is, any time that you apply Logic to a religion or cult, an uproar breaks out amongst their members. Remember in history class the "The Galileo Affair", where the church condemned Galileo - the planets, solar system, etc... That's a perfect example.

Everyone tries to intemperate the bible, or some religious document, to cater their needs. They'll even twist the information if needed. This bizarre trend has existed for many centuries. The current fad is the Muslim terrorists, twisting the Quran, by forcing themselves into a holy war to guarantee a spot in heaven and 72 virgins named Bubba. That is not what the Quran teaches.

Answer 4

No, the viewpoint you're presenting is (and historically has been) held only by a vocal minority of Christians. There have always been good Christian thinkers who are ready to apply the God-given faculty of reason to doctrine. Peter Abelard was one of the best, going so far as to say that Faith actually comes from doubt. You have to question first, so that you can arrive at answers then come to a state of belief.

Peace to you.

Answer 5

No, christians do not believe this. In fact christians apply logic in their reasoning and arguing and hence certainly don't believe that it is sinful or evil to do so. The early christians used logic in their arguments to win people over to christianity. The logic in their arguments revealed the truth of their message to intelligent people. Example: Acts 17v19-29 St. Paul reasons to Athenians that their 'unknown god' is God the Creator.

Jesus himself used logic in his preaching. Example: Luke 11v13 If evil people give good things to their children then logically God who is totally good will so much more give his Spirit to those who ask him.

The Roman Catholic Church in its definition of dogmas applies logic in order to determine what is true and what is not. One example is that God created the world. Part of the reasoning is that the world works intelligently: the moon revolves around it in such a way to create tides that contribute to a perfect ecosystem for the sustenance of life. Also the world is inherently beautiful which implies that it was designed rather than it just fell together by chance, and its designer has an appreciation of beauty because its designer is beautiful in himself. Other dogmas are explained in the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

Your issue might possibly be with the fact that christians often accept something in faith first and then try to reason it through logically afterwards. The reason we often do this is because no christian in him/herself can know absolutely everything about christianity, but will accept that some theologian has at some point in time over the last 2000 years managed to figure it out.

A christian may not be able to explain the logic of a belief him/herself but if he/she had the time and resources to look it up could find the answer.

A lot of modern day thinking is just that: modern. It has not stood the test of time, whereas Christianity has been around for 2000 years and its dogmas are still believed.

We've made some excellent and fantastic discoveries through science in the last few centuries yet none of these have really disproven any christian dogma. In fact a lot of discoveries have enforced what christians believe and what is found in the bible.

You are right. God did give us all the faculties to reason and apply logic, to study and understand the universe and its wonders. It is good to be curious about it all.

In response to your addendum: Jesus does not contradict himself. Look at what he says carefully. Jesus did not come into the world 2000 years ago as a judge because his time had not yet come for that. However God has given him the role of judge of the world, so that when Judgement Day comes Jesus will be the one to judge all people. Your Corinthians passage states that clearly. Jesus' role as judge is a future one. That's what all Christians believe.

In John 5v31 Jesus cites a legal paradigm of the time that if one testifies on one's own behalf then that testimony should not necessarily be accepted. A testimony would normally require someone else to testify on one's behalf. However, Jesus, because he is the Son of God sent by the Father, does not have to follow that rule, as he says further in the same passage in John 5v34, and then again in the other passages you mention: John 8v14, 18. He mentions in John 5v31-33 that John the Baptist testifies to him anyway, though he needn't have done because Jesus does not depend on human testimony.

When quoting scripture it's important not to take single passages out of context but to examine the whole gist of what's being written and look at it in its social, legal and historical context. If scholars in the 41st Century were to examine our 21st Century writings we would expect them to do the same, wouldn't we?

Answer 6

I would venture to say that there are SOME who simply hide in the comfortable walls of religion who don't study what they believe AT ALL. Then there are those who find comfort in ignoring the real world and find ways to use the Bible to create an unpracticle approach to things (this group being a bit larger). However... to attempt to use our logic and philosophy in understanding the things of God is dangerous. We were given these tools to understand how to operate in, menipulate, and control the environment around us to make it as best as it can be and to help us to be the best we can be according to God's will. But the things of God are to be understood by whoever has been around from the very beginning with full knowledge. This list would inlcude only the following: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost. These three are the only three that bare record in heaven. These three are our access to understanding of things eternal and being our limited comprehension. 20 years from now doctors are going to be looking back on today and saying "what were we thinking, we were so ignorant" about decisions and breakthroughs that we now are shouting as the best ever. However, God holds the blueprints to the human body, to the world around us, to his plans and proposes, etc. I hope this answers your question

Answer 7

I am a Christian and I agree. However I would suggest that people try and find schlolarly criticism not just pop historians with an agenda. I would also suggest your philosophy apply to those outside of the sphere of religion. It is my belief that truth is not injured by honest enquiry. Honest being the operative word. To suggest there is some virtue in never asking questions isn't logical. If this were true then we couldn't really blame anybody else who believes differently if they don't ask questions.And it is a good defense agaist extreme cults who keep their followers in the dark and thereby protect themsleves from ever being exposed by forbidding them from ever looking outiside their own tight grasp. Deception works best in an atmosphere of darkness.

Answer 8

There is spiritual wisdom, and natural worldly wisdom.

I think that Paul spoke about both pretty well in 1 Corinthians 1:
18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written:
"I will destroy the wisdom of the wise;
the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate."

So I have no idea where you stand in all of this. But the world is so sure that it's right with all it's "Science". But here is the thing about that. Here, you almost NEVER got a scientist. Here you get layman, and worse. Scientists are too busy for this site, especially for this part of the site.

So what we get here is wanna be's. Those that think that science is saying something, when that's not at all true. At places like this, science apparently 'proved' Evolution. A real scientist will not say something so idiotic and presumptive.

Answer 9

Ah, this is a very good question that many Christians need to ponder.

I personally believe that one's faith should evolve along with mankind's understanding of all that we know. If a Christian's beliefs and knowledge is limited to what is literally written in the Bible then that Christian is only creating confusion or denial in his/her own heart.

Peace,

AAD

Answer 10

I'm not sure what church you've interacted with, but churches I've gone to have all lauded apologetics as part of the curriculum of understanding our faith.

Apologetics being the capacity to examine and logically defend Christianity.

I won't bother quoting chapter and verse for you, but the bible says we should be ready to give people a reason for the hope that we have, and also, the bible says that people who examine the teachings of Christianity to see if they are true and make sense are "more noble" than people who just accept it without thinking...