Continuing a weekly case for the existence of a Creator; and laying some ground rules. Some believers might object that the mystery of God is beyond all human understanding, that we must take everything on faith. But to say some things must be taken on faith does not mean everything must be believed without reason. Still, some believers are almost seem to embrace unreason, an attitude which would have amazed medieval monks. I don't think I'll get that too much from Buddhist and Hindu and Shinto believers, but addressing some others…. Old Testament: Psalm 37:30: “The mouth of the righteous man utters wisdom” Proverbs 1:7: “Fools despise wisdom” Ecclesiastes 2:13: “I saw that wisdom is better than folly,just as light is better than darkness.” New Testament: Matthew 10:16: “be ye therefore wise as serpents” 1 Peter 3:15: “be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you” James 3:17: “if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God” Qu'ran: Qu'ran 2:269: “he to whom wisdom is granted receives indeed a benefit overflowing;” Qu'ran 3:191: “Those who honour God in meditation, standing or sitting or lying on their sides, who reflect and contemplate on the creation of the heavens and the earth” Qu'ran 20:114: “Increase me in knowledge.”
Well, the creator precedes us assuming linear causality, yes. I'm not sure that you can, but that's probably beyond the scope of this discussion. Incidentally, if an individual has a mystical experience, that isn't evidence even to that individual (for the reasons you gave).
justinlapoint at 3:04PM, March 28, 2015
As an ordained minister and a cartoonist, this comic intrigues me. The comic creator is a very thoughtful person.
irrevenant at 10:12PM, Sept. 13, 2014
Well, the creator precedes us assuming linear causality, yes. I'm not sure that you can, but that's probably beyond the scope of this discussion. Incidentally, if an individual has a mystical experience, that isn't evidence even to that individual (for the reasons you gave).
alschroeder at 9:10AM, Jan. 19, 2014
No. If there is anything, he/she/it preceded anything to believe it by a few billion years.
Hogan at 8:22AM, Nov. 10, 2013
"We believe, therefore he/she/it is"...