Believing despite a lack of 'hard' evidence

A few questions for the religiously inclined.

Please answer each question in bullet form, this makes it easier to read and follow.
If a question does not apply to you, put n/a (not applicable) in the list.

1. Why do you believe despite a lack of any concrete evidence?
   
2. If you believe there is concrete evidence, please post the best example on which you base your entire faith.
   
3. If you were raised in a religious environment, do you believe this had an impact on your reason for believing.
   
4. How would your life change if your religion was categorically proven to be nothing but thoughts of fancy (ie. all heresay and fantasy)?
   

Not bashing anyone or anything, just trying to understand.


[edit on 4-6-2009 by warrenb]

Not religious, in the normal accepted way. However, isn't religion based on "faith", thus no concrete proof is needed?

Just saying.

Originally posted by warrenb

Why do you believe despite a lack of any concrete evidence?

There's tons of evidence but the "establishment" keeps it covered up.

Originally posted by warrenb

If you believe there is concrete evidence, please post the best example on which you base your entire faith.

There are over 16 "non-christian" ancient sources for Jesus Christ. They speak of Him walking the earth, doing miracles, being crucified and resurrecting.
www.garyhabermas.com...

Originally posted by warrenb

If you were raised in a religious environment, do you believe this had an impact on your reason for believing.

No. You can look at the universe and world and see that someone created it. Something cannot come from nothing. That is a logical statement.

Originally posted by warrenb

How would your life change if your religion was categorically proven to be nothing but thoughts of fancy (ie. all heresay and fantasy)?

Then there would be no hope. But the good thing is that we do have hope because Christ did raise from the dead.

Originally posted by warrenb
Not bashing anyone or anything, just trying to understand.

You are a very respectable person. Your not far from the Kingdom of God.

Thanks,
TT

[edit on 6/13/2009 by texastig]

[edit on 6/13/2009 by texastig]

oh there is a ton of evidence. Padre Pio a catholic preist in the 1900s lived 50 strait years with a stigmata scientist tested and said he should of died within weeks of the amount of blood loss, but he lived 50 years with it.

but no, you never hear about him in this country, he's never taught in catholic school even. My aunt didn't know about him until she was several years into her faith.

Satan always tries to cover up the truth or submerge it.


vids.myspace.com...


watch that whole video, I mean don't just galnce at the first ten minutes, actually sit down for an hour when you have the time, and really listen to the facts behind some of the miracles.

God bless you and I would share more about my personal life, including my grandmother seeing Christ walk in her bedroom, (she's a saintly woman) and completely sane, but it;s too much to share right now, the things AI have seen in my life would take up 20 pages on here.



peace,.

I know the truth from my own personal experience. Of course my experience was for me, it is no good for you. Everyone should have their own experience and understanding. Religion is based on accepting what authority gives them, I am not in favor of religion.

But you mention "hard" evidence. Can you please elaborate on what would be hard evidence that would prove god? What would be hard proof that could be presented to people?

If some man/being appeared to you and claimed to be god, then would that be proof? How would you know it wasn't someone using technology and such? etc.

In order for their to be a "lack" of hard evidence, we must assume there is in fact "hard" evidence that would prove it. So what would that be?

reply to post by warrenb


Why do we search for evidence and proofs in the first place?
Isn't it because we believe something to be either true or false?

Saying there is an almighty God just because a flame old book tells you so, gives you no credit, unless this faith awakens your urge to study and investigate it, seek it out and actually search for knowledge and reliable evidence. If Ultimate Good exists it can be proven. If it doesn't, that can also be proven. Whether you believe in God or not, nothing can challenge Pure Light or Ultimate Truth. God will show up sooner or later leaving no questions about him unanswered, if we are to believe the Good Book. And he comes when we have proven ourselves worthy.

If your opponent is humanist science, then carry out your work acording to scientific method, if God can be proven, science will be able to recognise him. If your enemy is Biblical Theology, carry out your work according to Biblical and related method. "The wise will be tested through their own knowledge and will be investigated through their own laws" and "Like you yourself judge others, you will be judged yourself".

[edit on 14/6/2009 by Neo Christian Mystic]

Why do you believe despite a lack of any concrete evidence?
Belief requires no evidence, because its not necessarily empirical. It just happens.

If you believe there is concrete evidence, please post the best example on which you base your entire faith.
I have nothing concrete, but I believe because of the infinite mysteries this universe provides us. Might not be religion per se, but I think there's more than our simple science going on out there.

If you were raised in a religious environment, do you believe this had an impact on your reason for believing.
Yes, I grew up Catholic, and it is now my opinion that all organized religions are good for is poisoning minds and spirits.

How would your life change if your religion was categorically proven to be nothing but thoughts of fancy (ie. all heresay and fantasy)?
It really can't be proven wrong because I don't choose to try and tell people its absolute truth. Plus, I don't pretend to know even a tiny percent of the story

reply to post by SantaClaus


The clearst indisia of there being a Creator is how rational, conceptual, functional and beautiful the universe and life is, with all it's known laws and forms. Species adapt instinctively, and every known species is highly specialised and follows their instincts like law, as if they were programmed genetically for their puposes.

And my best indisia that the Bible is based on the Word of God and that we have been told everything in advance, is found in how modern science seems to applaude several millennia old knowledge, long before general relativity and quantum physics.

Einstein: E=mc^2
Moses: Bere# Elohim Created Shamayim and Eretz. And Ha'aretz was empty and void and Choshek was uppon the face of the abyss. And the Ruach of Elohim moved uppon of the face of the Mayim. And Elohim said, let there be Ore! And there was Ore.

Did Einstein find his elusive formula in the opening verses of the Bible?
E = (Elohim means Energies, Powers or Forces)
m (Eretz means matter and refers to the realm of physical life, contrary to Shamayim, the realm of God and spiritual life)
c^2 (Ore means Light and is opposed to Choshek, darkness).

The Bible adds other concepts into the equation aswell, which Einstein must have known about, since he was advocating some, dismissing others:
- Space-time (Shamayim means "great expance" or "empty space" or the abode of God as opposed to Eretz the abode of Man, the word Bere# means "in the beginning" or "first" and relates matter, light and space to time)
- Liquid (Mayim means liquid or water)
- Gas (Ruach means gas, air, breath or spirit)
-Dark matter (Choshek means darkness).

There is much more related o how the Bible actually have introduced concepts of knowledge we first today is starting to understand. A bunch of referances to genetics among other things.

Originally posted by warrenb

1. Why do you believe despite a lack of any concrete evidence?
   
2. If you believe there is concrete evidence, please post the best example on which you base your entire faith.
   
3. If you were raised in a religious environment, do you believe this had an impact on your reason for believing.
   
4. How would your life change if your religion was categorically proven to be nothing but thoughts of fancy (ie. all heresay and fantasy)?
   

A. N/A
B. The fact that I have a very low IQ when I was young, far lower than my peers. My parent's faith in God, and later my own faith in God, in the recent years, did the impossible and won 4 engineering competitions, 1 local, 3 global, no losses! My faith in God is still doing greatly in enabling me to learn quickly and arrive at crazy ideas and goals! I also have this ability to learn without any input of information, just by imagination!
C. Yes
D. I would still continue searching for truth. Because I did challenge my own beliefs with such and did the same thing! There should be no end to the search of truth, never stop questioning, and never stop learning!

I think child-like faith is the key

[edit on 15-6-2009 by ahnggk]

Originally posted by ahnggk

I think child-like faith is the key

[edit on 15-6-2009 by ahnggk]

Perfect.. This is exactly how I feel. I started a thread on this just yesterday (although I get a little more convoluted than that).

When we lose ability to change we are nothing but dead inside. Your body gets old, but your soul gets younger and more creative.

Just let spirituality happen. It'll do you wonders.