I've been told this by a few Christians. To have faith, you must discard reason. You must BELIEVE. To me, that's like believing you can fly, without ever really flying.
2007-09-16 11:19:14 · 20 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Read Genesis...
It requires you to totally disregard anything rational to believe that any of it could possibly be true.
Two people, through incest, populated the planet.
ALL animals on the planet, in one boat.
People turning into salt.
Animals that talk.
The sun and moon created the day AFTER plants!!!
and so on, and so on...
2007-09-16 11:24:10 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 2⤋
This is a question of epistemology. Epistemology is a philosophical discipline concerned with what it means to "know" something, and what is the relationship between the knower and the known. Typically, atheists and theists have battled philosophically within this discipline. Atheists believe in the supremacy of reason for understanding the world, and theists may also believe in reason, but are forced to attack its' epistemic supremacy in order to supplement faith.
Remember this. When something is rational, faith is unnecessary, and when faith is necessary it is always irrational. So yes, there is conflict between these perspectives. I can provide more info if you like.
2007-09-16 18:26:22 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
There is a whole INDUSTRY (Christianity) whose BUSINESS it is to create whole generations of adults who are, at once, gullibile, irrational, willfully ignorant, self-deluded, intellectually dishonest, droolingly stupid and hypocritical... and willing to tithe 10% for having their cognitive dissonance held in check through regular doses of holy bullshit.
Religious 'shepherds' KNOW that their 'flock' (sheeple) are scientifically ignorant and incapable of critical thinking... because they've been PROGRAMMED to be ignorant. They KNOW that they are suspicious of 'scientific' sources , and find them to be intimidating and incomprehensible... because they've been CONDITIONED to distrust them. These puppet-masters KNOW that their flock (victims) will seek their 'knowledge' from 'trusted' sources... the very-same puppet-masters. When the sheeple hear things like 'scientists claim that humans and apes shared a common ancestor, in the distant past', they experience 'cognitive dissonance'... this information is in conflict with the 'truth' that they have believed for their whole lives. So... where do they go to resolve this cognitive dissonance?... Scientists?... NO! They go to their 'trusted' sources... the sources who KNOW that they have been taught WHAT to think... they have not been taught HOW to think. Sources who KNOW that they can lie, obfuscate, misrepresent with impunity... with absolutely NO RISK that their minions will seek out independent, peer-reviewed corroborating information.
They do their jobs very well indeed. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xKDKq_PPbk&mode=related&search=
"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
"Reason should be destroyed in all Christians." ~ Martin Luther
"To be a Christian, you must 'p l u c k out the eye of reason'." ~ Martin Luther
"There is on earth among all dangers no more dangerous thing than a richly endowed and adroit reason, especially if she enters into spiritual matters which concern the soul and God. For it is more possible to teach an @§§ (donkey) to read than to blind such a reason and lead it right; for reason must be deluded, blinded, and destroyed." ~ Martin Luther
2007-09-16 18:28:42 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The christians who said that to you were WRONG. Faith does require reason. And your silly analogy shows that you need to brush up on your reasoning skills.
2007-09-16 18:51:48 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Reason is the antithesis of faith. They work in totally opposite ways.
2007-09-16 18:36:13 · answer #5 · answered by Subconsciousless 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Reason? Faith? Both words used in the same sentence?
2007-09-16 18:23:45 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 1⤋
Those Christians have not put the proper amount of study into the matter. I use my reason and it affirms and confirms my faith. If you actually know what is going on in scripture you can see that it is correct.
2007-09-16 18:23:32 · answer #7 · answered by mrglass08 6 · 2⤊ 2⤋
“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”
Matin Luther
2007-09-16 18:25:42 · answer #8 · answered by Brendan G 4 · 3⤊ 1⤋
I have plenty of reason because I am sure that God exist
and my Faith in that reason saves me.
2007-09-16 18:26:17 · answer #9 · answered by elaine 30705 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Yes it sure can. I have reasoned that there is no god but I have faith that my life is unfolding as it should. Just like I have faith that I will wake up every morning.
2007-09-16 18:24:06 · answer #10 · answered by Vintage Glamour 6 · 2⤊ 2⤋