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Facts and Belief

Reader comment on item: The Perilous Path from Muslim to Christian
in response to reader comment: Randomness, Chaos, Demonstrations of Humanity that Cannot Define; Neither Control Its Destiny

Submitted by David Ryan (United States), Jul 15, 2021 at 22:32

Thank you for your comments on belief, or more broadly faith, and its roll in salvation.

I came to believe based on facts informed by science. I call this Christian deism. So much of what passes for science today is actually opinion and politics based on political assumptions, chief of which is that there is no God and their are no miracles. Jesus used miracles as evidence of His power and authority and, unlike most religious founders, did not rely on words alone to reach belief. When one is asked to explain miracles scientifically, this is amenable in several respects. First is scientific evidence that the miracles described in fact occurred. Second is the nature of such miracles as a physical manifestation. Third is the means by which such miracles are effected in physical reality. And fourth is how miracles are the province of the Almighty and not subject to our manipulation, or "Thou shalt not tempt the Lord, thy God". (Deut 6:16, Mat 4:7) Scientifically, all of creation is a miracle, despite all attempts to portray it otherwise through theoretical guesswork, and thus miracles have a scientific context in which to occur.

Fortunately I found the scientific approach to belief embraced by the Jewish and Christian Bible in several places and not just because "God said so." If one believes because God said so, one should at least have scientific evidence that God in fact said it.

Psalm 19:1 "The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork. 2 Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge. 3 There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard."

1 Thessalonians 5:21 "Prove all things; hold fast that which is good."

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Reader comments (21) on this item

Title Commenter Date Thread
Questionable [181 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
Glen SpicerDec 28, 2021 23:55277773
1Dear Afghan people consider Christianity, Hinduism, and Judaism [336 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
PrashantAug 28, 2021 01:02273713
Afghanistan New Flashpoint to Reinvigorated Claims of Islamic Supremacy [211 words]M ToveyAug 28, 2021 15:31273713
1Muslims do not suddenly start to believe in Jesus. Misguided Christians' wishful thinking. [60 words]DavidJul 20, 2021 08:52270130
Seeds of Gnosticism Still Rooting Two thousand Years Later [142 words]M ToveyJul 20, 2021 13:16270130
1I also doubt that Muslims are converting out of Islam [124 words]PrashantJul 21, 2021 09:36270130
1Skepticism of Conversion has Eternal Consequences [254 words]M ToveyOct 7, 2021 16:50270130
Post Script to True Belief versus False Belief of Convenience Sake [123 words]M ToveyNov 24, 2021 17:58270130
1I hope they convert because they see Islam's blunders [170 words]PrashantJul 15, 2021 22:20270020
1Is it Harder to Convert or to Revert - One Does Not Blunder into Islam IF One Knows What to Look For [342 words]M ToveyJul 19, 2021 15:49270020
2Silence of the mainstream media [58 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
Reynald de ChatillonJul 15, 2021 01:14270005
Ignorance of Versus Ignoring Recognition of Truth [174 words]M ToveyJul 15, 2021 15:32270005
1Mr. Pipes has done us a great service [57 words]MalcolmJul 14, 2021 02:49269992
4Defection from Islam coincident with increased internet access [191 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
DaveJul 13, 2021 09:53269975
Unintended Consequences [51 words]David RyanJul 13, 2021 15:26269975
Where do the visions come from? [61 words]Malcolm SmithJul 12, 2021 18:48269962
Supernatural Conundrums - Precarious Manifestations of Human Psyche [603 words]M ToveyJul 13, 2021 11:49269962
Nothing Is Supernatural [157 words]David RyanJul 13, 2021 15:54269962
Randomness, Chaos, Demonstrations of Humanity that Cannot Define; Neither Control Its Destiny [158 words]M ToveyJul 14, 2021 23:34269962
Facts and Belief [290 words]David RyanJul 15, 2021 22:32269962
2Thanks To Dr. Pipes for This Perspective of Differences in Faith Versus Religion [139 words]M ToveyJul 12, 2021 18:12269961

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