Pages

Monday, May 23, 2011

Philippine Atheists and Agnostics Society Inc

 

Photobucket

 

 

The problem in a “reason vs. faith” topic is we sometimes face semantic difficulties. It is more of a “what is the definition of faith you are using” kind of a problem. To escape the problem, believers seem to assert that religious faith is very different with faith per se. According to believers, faith, like reason are methods of acquiring knowledge. So there! Reason and faith are not the same but different systems. Some say that faith is above reason. Others like most theologians today accept faith as compatible with reason…but faith is…as they say, the last recourse. Everything that reason cannot explain must rely to faith. While some believers insist that reason, assist faith (liberal Christians are more into this kind of faith.)

Nevertheless, whatever is use; well…faith is still not reason.

Let me illustrate this using a theist’s own illustration. (more…)

4 comments:

  1. ah... the intersection of faith and reason. for some, it seems such a tragically difficult choice to make. :/

    ReplyDelete
  2. Your critique of faith may be accurate to scripturally unsound protestant denominations, but the Catholic Church clearly teaches that faith is like trust - we trust God to act a certain way - faith is trusting God's word as he revealed in the NT and post-Apostolic miracles.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Neither faith nor reason are adequate to the task of navigating religion. It's much the same as a person who learns that kneeling or standing and talking to God don't necessarily amount to the same thing as praying.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hi Griggsy, I should not have called God a square circle. The Bible defines who He is. We come to know Him through studying His Word. He reveals Himself to us according to our faith. Having faith in God gives us access to Truth, because God is Truth. Having faith in science leaves us lost spiritually. We must submit ourselves to God in order to gain true knowledge. All else is information.

    ReplyDelete