The default position...

[Awkward Fingers]

Yes. Only when and where the supernatural choose to demonstrate. Eg. Earthquakes, Sunami, volcano eruptions, flooding, faith healing, raising the dead, fulfilled prophecies, appearance of angelic beings, etc.

Ok lets grab one of those examples.
Why do you think volcanic activity is a result of supernatural action?
What part of an erupting volcano shows that a supernatural force did it?

 

[Willamena]

Terrrible analogy. This is about BELIEF Legion, not whether something really does or does not exist.

The PROBABILITY that there is life elsewhere in the universe is indeed a complex equation.
However whether an individual believes there is life elsewhere in the universe is not.

Belief and whether an individual believes are different things. Belief hinges on whether the world is true.

 

[lstan135]

Because the bible says that God, the creator of heaven and earth is in control of everything and nothing can happened without His divine and soveriegn approval. The bible is the Word of God inspired by His Spirit and written by God's chosen people. Many great scientists, atheist, scholars and theologians have tried to disprove it but ended up becoming a believer.

 

[Curious George]

Because the bible says that God, the creator of heaven and earth is in control of everything and nothing can happened without His divine and soveriegn approval. The bible is the Word of God inspired by His Spirit and written by God's chosen people. Many great scientists, atheist, scholars and theologians have tried to disprove it but ended up becoming a believer.

Oh, well in that case...lol.

 

[Bunyip]

Belief and whether an individual believes are different things. Belief hinges on whether the world is true.

LOL No Willa, belief and 'whether somebody believes' is what 'belief' means.

 

[Bunyip]

What is supernatural cannot be proven by the natural. It is only by faith and personsal experience and personal encounters that one can be truly convince.

Well if that is true, faith is a bad thing. It leads people to believe things for bad reasons.

 

[lstan135]

Why do you say that? Faith in God who knows all things, in control of all things and judges all things is the best thing anyone on earth could ever do. Because God has the powet to reward, punish, love and forgive the good and the bad, the righteous and the unrighteous and do what is best for mankind, the only thing we could put our faith in is to trust Him.

 

[lstan135]

Why do you say that? Faith in God who knows all things, in control of all things and judges all things is the best thing anyone on earth could ever do. Because God has the powet to reward, punish, love and forgive the good and the bad, the righteous and the unrighteous and do what is best for mankind, the only thing we could put our faith in is to trust Him.

 

[Bunyip]

Why do you say that? Faith in God who knows all things, in control of all things and judges all things is the best thing anyone on earth could ever do. Because God has the powet to reward, punish, love and forgive the good and the bad, the righteous and the unrighteous and do what is best for mankind, the only thing we could put our faith in is to trust Him.

Because faith (as you describe it),is the alternative to reason and responsibility.

 

[lstan135]

Ah......then who is to decide what is the ultimate reason and responsibility that are best for mankind besides God?

 

[Curious George]

@istan135

The same who is to judge God.

 

[Willamena]

LOL No Willa, belief and 'whether somebody believes' is what 'belief' means.

That's incorrect. And impractical.

 

[Bunyip]

That's incorrect. And impractical.

Sure Willa, 'belief' is not about whether a person believes or not. Good for you. I'm sure that makes sense to you.

 

[Bunyip]

Ah......then who is to decide what is the ultimate reason and responsibility that are best for mankind besides God?

Well if not us, nobody else is going to do it. That is what I mean by taking responsibility, as opposed to faith.

 

[Guy Threepwood]

Ok lets grab one of those examples.
Why do you think volcanic activity is a result of supernatural action?
What part of an erupting volcano shows that a supernatural force did it?

Earthquakes, volcanoes, meteors used to be popular atheist arguments for 'bad design' until we knew they were all crucial to our life on Earth, and there are still phenomena we don't yet understand that are labeled 'bad design' -- atheism of the gaps?

 

[lstan135]

U r right. But r we perfect? Look at history. How many nations have waged war against one another thinking they r right? God has given rules/laws n guidelines to his chosen people n yet they broke them over n over again. Therefore when He carried out His judgement, people will have to turn to Him for forgiveness n wisdom to govern and strength to resist n overcome the evil forces of the world.

 

[Bunyip]

U r right. But r we perfect? Look at history. How many nations have waged war against one another thinking they r right? God has given rules/laws n guidelines to his chosen people n yet they broke them over n over again. Therefore when He carried out His judgement, people will have to turn to Him for forgiveness n wisdom to govern and strength to resist n overcome the evil forces of the world.

Well that is the problem, everybody seems to have a very, very different idea of what God's laws are - which has been the cause of many wars.

 

[Willamena]

Sure Willa, 'belief' is not about whether a person believes or not. Good for you. I'm sure that makes sense to you.

Whether or not you believe has nothing to do with belief, right. Belief is about whether the world is true. It's a topic of epistemology, not ontology.

 

[Bunyip]

Whether or not you believe has nothing to do with belief, right.

Wow!

 

[Willamena]

Wow!

I guess it's also about what you like.