Do you believe; and why?

[Nebuchadnezzar]

(05-15-2019, 08:27 PM)Lucidus Wrote: Thank you for the response. 

I agree that there is no empirical evidence, and I find that to be a huge problem for such audacious and extraordinary claims. I simply cannot place stock in testimony that is anecdotal and/or emotional in nature. It's simply too subjective (as you alluded to) and can be easily mistaken. I simply can't rationalize a belief in something for which there is no reliable or verifiable proof.

The "faith" thing has always been somewhat of a curiosity to me, as it pertains to religious context, not faith in the colloquial sense. I see it as the suspension of rationality in order to justify the wish / hope that it's true. 

My position has never been to declare that there is no God; only that I see no evidence to think it's the case or justify belief in it. For me personally, I see no reason to believe that a God exists until it can be demonstrated to be the case. Personally, if it can't be demonstrated, I feel non-belief in such a proposition is the justifiable default. 

Since you don't believe it it may mean nothing to you but I have to say that even after the Hebrew saw the plagues in Egypt, saw the parting of the Red Sea, saw water come from rock, was fed every morning with Mana and every evening with fowl, they still rebelled. From Judges, Kings and Prophets, they still turned from God. Even after all the miracles performed by Jesus Christ, the Jews still rejected and it wasn't until the execution of Stephen that Salvation was preached to the gentile.

By the way, I hate televangelists and all those con men out there. Like the guy who said that God wanted him to have a private jet or those that say if they send them $100.00 they will pray for them. How about these fake faith healers? If they could actually heal, they should be down at Children's Hospital curing children left and right.

I'm ranting and on different topics, sorry.