where does it say in the Bible that to believe in Christ, one must not use his/her reasoning?

Question

and intelligence?

if there's nothing in the Bible that say that, why do Bible-fundamentalists don't exercise their reasoning and use their intelligence (assuming they have)?

Answer 1

What reasoning and intelligence?

You can't use what you don't have.

Answer 2

Bible fundamentalists are using their reasoning. The problem is that they rely TOO STRONGLY on their own reasoning.

For example, take John 3:5: Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit."

I could reason all day about what that passage means. Maybe the water is amniotic fluid. Maybe being born of the Spirit is having an ecstatic experience with God.

The key to correctly reading the scriptures is to find out what they meant at the time they were written.

Here is what Justin Martyr wrote in the second century, about 250 years before the contents of the New Testament were finally decided on by the Church:

"As many as are persuaded and believe that what we [Christians] teach and say is true, and undertake to be able to live accordingly, and instructed to pray and to entreat God with fasting, for the remission of their sins that are past, we pray and fast with them. Then they are brought by us where there is water and are regenerated in the same manner in which we were ourselves regenerated. For, in the name of God, the Father . . . and of our Savior Jesus Christ, and of the Holy Spirit [Matt. 28:19], they then receive the washing with water. For Christ also said, ‘Unless you are born again, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven’ [John 3:3]" (First Apology 61, A.D. 151).

Cheers,
Bruce

Answer 3

No, of course not. The bible encourages human intellection.
God, being the author of reason, cannot have any aversion to human intellectual endeavor.

However, one must distinguish between what one is able to know through reason, logic, science, etc. and what is revealed to us. Revelation about God has been revealed to us because the human intellect is limited in scope. Therefore God came down to us, we whom could not approach God by reason alone. Reason has its place even to ascertain God's existence (unmoved mover argument, metaphysics, and various other reasons to believe in God), therefore it is not completely futile in that attempt, but God provided a clear revelation so that all may be saved, the very intelligent and the very simple minded. Beyond revelation he actually humbled himself so as to become as one of us, for love of us, that is what we christians believe. He reveals to us His nature and love, some attributes of which reason alone cannot attain.

Answer 4

That came from either Martin Luther who said "To be a christian you must pluck out the eye of reason." or Benjamin Franklin who said " To see by faith you must shut the eye of reason."

Why in the world does this get a thumbs down? It makes no sense that something that is a fact gets a thumbs down. Look it up you'll find out that it's true.

Answer 5

Aren't we the bright one tonight? Seen your avatar here for a while. I'm curious what an intelligent person such as yourself might do for a living. I might want to change to that field just to improve myself.
Does it really work calling people dumb? I mean, do they really look up to you if you brow beat them enough? So many people are doing it, it must be fun as well.
The Bible does not call believers to suspend the ability to reason. It calls for faith to grow, and that faith can only grow through reason. I'm sorry you don't understand this basic, simple truth.

Answer 6

I thought about answering this question. I'm not going to try because I realized there is no intent to really learn anything by asking. This is nothing more than criticism presented as a question.

Surely there is someplace else you can vent your ideas against Christians without taking up space here on answers.

Answer 7

Proverbs 3:5 " Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not unto thine own understanding ". 3:6 " In all thy ways acknowledge him and he shall direct thy paths ".

Answer 8

There's no one in the bible that it says that. They are are being roboted around.

Answer 9

If they draw different conclusions from you, does that necessarily mean they aren't using their intelligence?

Answer 10

We choose to Believe in Christ.

Everybody has that choice.

Choose Heaven by accepting the gift of Salvation That He offers

or

choose hell, by rejecting Him.

It's as simple as that!