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Originally Posted by SecretMethod70
Of course, I believe it is also necessary that, in doing so, one is sure to get arguments from BOTH sides. I think that the act questioning faith the way most people undertake it can be more accurately described as researching all the counter-arguments to faith. Since I don't believe that one can actually have faith without questioning it first, simply researching all the counter-arguments is not questioning faith but, rather, solidifying lack of faith.
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by SecretMethod70
Since I don't believe that one can actually have faith without questioning it first, simply researching all the counter-arguments is not questioning faith but, rather, solidifying lack of faith.
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While i agree wholeheartedly the second part of your statement, the first needs some clarification if u pls. The basis of faith is wholehearted belief, whether or not there is objective or empirical justification, so to question something before accepting it is akin to asking for evidence. Which defeats the purpose of faith. Do you have faith in religion, even if someday the artifacts are proven to be false? Will your faith be shaken should you find out one day that the answers you have gotten through "questioning it first" are not entirely correct?
In addition to that, it seems that we have taken a lot into our hands by subjecting religion to rational discursion. True, discourse strengthens faith, but fatih strengthens faith, too. The fundamental difference between one who asks questions to obtain "actual faith", and one who asks questions to strengthen his/her faith, is the plainly obvious fact that one had faith to begin with and one didn't.
Of course then there would be many things to question. How does a person who was not borne into a religious family seek to 'find' his faith? Do we develop faith out of nothing? Is our capacity for faith inherent in us?
One big subset of which deals with these issues asks whether we are born with our minds a 'tabula rasa', a blank slate. Which brings me to the baptism issue. It is heartening that there is at least someone who believes that baptism is not a necessary rite for catholics. I would go so far as to claim that in fact, no rite is necessary for any religion. Just take for example a person born on an island somewhere in the pacific with no church or men of God nearby. He lives and dies without a concept of any mainstream religions. In fact he believes that the most majestic sight ever happens to be the stars in the night sky. And so that's wat he believes he should respect.
Now, apart from happening to face upwards when he considers Creation or any concept of philosophy or theology, he is as Christian or Catholic or anything else as i am a martian. Will he go to heaven then? Did he have faith in God?
ok i'm digressing...
back to questioning faith. What i'm driving at is the fact that questioning is not for the faithful. Affirmation is for the faithful. Questioning is for the curious