Religion is more than an emotional manifestation of what we represent. God created humanity with an intellectual mind- one that is infused with the power to reason, analyze, create science, philosophy, and have enough faith to believe in an entity that cannot be seen. My closest friend is an Athiest and we have regular discussions about God and why people continue to hold their faith. If revelation, like one ones given in visions to the prophets was to be considered too much information (as it would be form a source that is presumed to be the All Knowing God), why do we strive so hard to get closer to the truth of what God’s purpose is for us? Most religions have similiar ideals for what that means, but none completely agree with one another either. This is to say, if you were approached by a prophet of today who could tell you about the mysteries of The Almighty, why we were created, and what happens when we die, would you reject it for fear of knowing/ having too much information?

[...] Michael Patton on why too much information won’t destroy your faith. [...]

Hornspiel,

I don’t know Greek, but I do know Spanish. In Spanish, there are two words for the English verb “to know.” Saber is the verb used for knowing facts. Conocer is the verb used for knowing a person, or knowing a city because you have been there and walked its streets. The verb used in John 8:32 in Spanish translations of the Bible is conocer.

Knowing the truth isn’t just knowing a list of true statements. It is knowing the Truth personified in Christ. It is Jesus Christ who sets us free, not knowledge of a list of theological assertions.

I don’t understand how a person can justify accepting a claim on faith.

Take for example: bucharest is the capital of romania, the holocaust killed ~6m jews, jesus died by crucifixion. These are all considered to be factual due to the preponderance of evidence supporting these claims. No faith required.

Take also for example: Muhammad flying to heaven on a winged horse, Methuselah lived to 969 years of age, the miraculous healing waters of Tlacote, Mexico. There is insufficient evidence to support these claims being true. So, some people accept that they are true because of faith.

It seems like faith is used to inappropriately accept claims with insufficient supporting evidence.

It would be just a bit overreaching to say that Christianity never had to deal with other views around it. It grew up in Paganism, and many Christians since the 7th century have had to live surrounded with Islam. Surrounded with Athieism is a new thing though I’ll grant.

[...] Can TMI destroy your faith? [...]

Excellent post, Michael.

It is harder for the previous generation to relate to the more post-modern generation. For the dad in this scenario, questioning is really not healthy. But, in today’s world, it is ok. And we can see questions are ok in places like the poetic-wisdom literature of Scripture (Psalms, Job, Ecclesiastes).

I believe that questions can help challenge what needs to change and help confirm what needs to stay. So questions are good, even healthy. But, without other certain healthy aspects in our lives, those questions can lead to a tailspin of despair, depression and other such things. Those aspects I mention are things like a healthy church body that believes in really relating not just meeting, shepherds that really believe in relational shepherding, strong family, strong spouse, some solid Scriptural foundation, etc. Of course, we don’t always have each of these. But having some of these can be helpful in times of questioning, hurt, pain, etc.

Thanks CMP

Could it be that questions tell us more
Than answers ever do?
                              Michael Card

You shall know the truth
And the truth will set you free.
                              Jesus Christ

What does it mean to “know the truth?” Is it with secure confidence like the father in the story above. Is it with the ironical humility of the Christian mystic balladeer? Is it something else?

Wow Mike, its like looking at an instant replay. . . and Random Arrow, you raise a good point, but the dissonance is just our way of saying TMI! For the believer, new info always slows us down, the same way tall grass will slow a mower; but we chew it up and spit out and go roaring off again, I think the real problem is the obscurantism. I have met many brothers and sisters who just shrug their shoulders, and mutter something to the effect, “I guess I’m just not that smart”, rather than saying, “Tell me more about this.”