Facts and Belief

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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