Are faith and reason mutually exclusive?

[Guest]

May I request more than mere discriptions and conclusions in your discussions? Certainly, if either of you gentlemen are going to confirm even a single one of your multiple conclusions regarding the "religious" you will at least need ONE premise. :crazy Or are you simply posting here to slander those who do not hold your obviously "superior position"? :bigfrown

I really do not understand your concern here. Silver Bullet has claimed religious people in general are irrational when it comes to religion. I am claiming some religious people (i.e., "a good number of the religious") are irrational when it comes to religion. That is, I am contrasting my perspective with Silver Bullet's because I believe he is overstating the case. If you would like evidence for my perspective, look at the circular reasoning being employed with in thread "The Absolute and Final Authority for Christians."

And further, I do not believe either of use intend to slander -- actually the word you're looking for libel -- religious people. That would be rather silly of myself because I am religious.

IF as the thread OP directs... you desire to logically argue for these conclusions you have blatanly made ~ consider this. None of your conclusions can be considered valid, nor even given logical consideration~ without premises. If you refuse to provide evidence and reasons for support, as moderator I will have to remove your empty words. IF as you say, you are ready to reason, do so, or desist. :yes

You do not seem to understand the nature of reason, arguments, and discussion. Silver Bullet and I already agree on many foundational premises or grant them for discussion. We do not need to spell out these assumptions to proceed. If you believe one of our statements needs more justification or you find a flawed unstated premise, then by all means point it out.

BTW Silverbullet~ The fact that your comment seeks to defer its intended slander of the mental capacities of those who believe, away from the "few acceptible religious" and asserts your slanderous remarks into a "generalized catagory of the religious" simply reeks of bias ontop of the sad attempt at reason employed in your statement.

He is not attacking religious people or their mental capacities. I think you are been overly sensitive to his statements, and thus misreading his intentions.

Edit: Added link to the other thread.

 

[Silver Bullet]

There is such a disappointing hair-trigger for censorship over here (& in the apologetics section of the forum, of all places for censorship). Several of my posts have been censored over the past few months, and most recently, I have had to face the threat of censorship. Perhaps the moderators enjoy continuing the hallowed tradition of censoring opinions that run contrary to Christianity. All I know is that (i) I'm sure they think they are doing something good, and that (ii) it has caused me to lose my "faith" in the apologetics section of this site (the only section I ever bothered to post in).

The silver lining is the interesting opportunity to watch a meme that has evolved into such a fantastic replicating machine manipulate the very hosts that it requires for replication.

I can assure you that at Sam Harris' website, there is no similar censorship when contrary ideas are presented.

I have enjoyed my time here, and so I would like to say a few good-byes. I have particularly enjoyed learning from Drew, Paidon, Veritas , Wavy and minnesota, to whom I will respond with a PM. Best wishes to the five of you.

And before I forget, best wishes also to JoJo, who seems very sweet & compassionate. I urge you to remember animal's words JoJo, that if you really & truly open your heart and mind, you can have a wonderful relationship, filled with the mystery that I know you love, with Thor.

SB out.

 

[Cornelius]

I see the words "blind faith" being used. That is not how Christians have faith. For an unbeliever it would certainly look like it, but then we can really not do anything about that, can we?

A Christian's faith is not blind, because we base what we believe on a promise from God. We know that He who promised is faithful Heb 10:23 let us hold fast the confession of our hope that it waver not; for he is faithful that promised:
We cannot tell the unbelieving world about faith, because faith is a gift and cannot be understood (as you have all seen) because the natural man rejects the spiritual: 1Co 2:14 Now the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him; and he cannot know them, because they are spiritually judged.

So even if we write all that we know and explain all things in detail , the Word of God will still stand: The natural man, will not accept the spiritual things, because they will remain foolishness to him.

I am not saying we should not discuss it, because God in his sovereignty might open eyes . Who are we to judge who will see and who will not?

Posting WITH prayer works better than just posting. Another thing that the natural man will find silly