You gotta have faith, faith, faith

Moshe writes:

My faith in the God of Israel is valid for a number of reasons, not the least of which is that I am unaware of a better (IMHO) proven explanation of our existence and purpose. Science is unable to tell us how existence began, and it doesn't even aspire to tell us how to live our lives morally.

Valid because human beings rely everyday on conclusions reached by intuition that they cannot prove. As I wrote on another thread, none of us can "prove" that our consciousness is not just part of a dream from which we will some day wake up from.

Valid because of the effect it has had on the world. Before Judaism, for example, there was no belief that we could improve the human condition. (See Cahill's "The Gifts of The Jews").

Valid because from it emerged the idea of the equal worth of all human beings.

Valid because of the martyrs who have endured fire and water to uphold that faith.

Valid because, if 150 years ago, I would have told a logical positivist of my conviction that God would restore our people to our ancient land, he would have taken out his ruler and mocked that idea as unprovable, unreasonable and delusional.

Valid because if I told a logical positivist in 1980 that my faith told me that the Iron Curtain would topple,and the Jews behind it freed, because no nation could forever suppress its people's spiritual yearning and survive, he would similarly have discounted my faith. (Note in this regard that the former Soviet Union did not lack for scientists).

Valid because if we eliminate God's providence as a reason, the chances of our people still being here would be infinitesimally small.

Valid because, when I see a random act of kindness, devoid of self interest, I know I see the image of God in the person performing it.

Valid because of the sense of awe one feels, or should feel, at the fact that we exist at all, and at our very consciousness of that fact.

Because, as a noted theologian once penned, "To have faith is not to capitulate, but to rise to a higher plane of thinking. To have faith is not to defy human reason, but rather to share Divine Wisdom".

Valid because faith is the last best hope we have. No city that endured was ever built on mockery, cynicism and scorn.

Valid because we live ultimately neither by the sword nor by the scientist, but by the spirit.

Wow. Powerful and uplifting! Or a load of bs? Let's see!

I am unaware of a better (IMHO) proven explanation of our existence and purpose. Science is unable to tell us how existence began, and it doesn't even aspire to tell us how to live our lives morally.

Huh? True, there's no proven explanation of how the Universe began. But that doesn't mean you should go and believe any unproven theory! And true, Science has no relevance to how to be moral, but so what? That doesn't mean you just invent some moral God out of thin air.

Valid because human beings rely everyday on conclusions reached by intuition that they cannot prove. As I wrote on another thread, none of us can "prove" that our consciousness is not just part of a dream from which we will some day wake up from.

Here we go again. You can't prove you exist, so I can believe in God / Jesus / Mohamed / Little Green Aliens / Fairies without having to prove that either. Do people really think this nonsensical argument has legs?

Valid because of the effect it has had on the world. Before Judaism, for example, there was no belief that we could improve the human condition. (See Cahill's "The Gifts of The Jews").

a) I doubt that's true, and b) argument from consequences and hence invalid.

Valid because from it emerged the idea of the equal worth of all human beings.

Yeah, and also the idea that if you don't believe in the one true God, you DIE you infidel scum.

Valid because of the martyrs who have endured fire and water to uphold that faith.

Terrible argument. People have martyred themselves for every crackpot religion. Japanese suicide bombers martyred themselves for Japan and by extension Nazi Germany.

Valid because, if 150 years ago, I would have told a logical positivist of my conviction that God would restore our people to our ancient land, he would have taken out his ruler and mocked that idea as unprovable, unreasonable and delusional.

Eh. Silly.

Valid because if I told a logical positivist in 1980 that my faith told me that the Iron Curtain would topple,and the Jews behind it freed, because no nation could forever suppress its people's spiritual yearning and survive, he would similarly have discounted my faith. (Note in this regard that the former Soviet Union did not lack for scientists).

Stupid.

Valid because if we eliminate God's providence as a reason, the chances of our people still being here would be infinitesimally small.

Rubbish.

Valid because, when I see a random act of kindness, devoid of self interest, I know I see the image of God in the person performing it.

Or the image of evolutionary altruism.

Valid because of the sense of awe one feels, or should feel, at the fact that we exist at all, and at our very consciousness of that fact.

Atheists always go on about having awe at the universe. Read 'The Sacred Fire'.

Because, as a noted theologian once penned, "To have faith is not to capitulate, but to rise to a higher plane of thinking. To have faith is not to defy human reason, but rather to share Divine Wisdom".

So we should believe in God because a 'noted theologian' wrote that Faith is sharing Divine Wisdom?! You have reached new levels of bullsh*t my faithful friend.

Valid because faith is the last best hope we have. No city that endured was ever built on mockery, cynicism and scorn.

True, assuming that when you say 'faith' you really mean 'optimisim and hope'.

Valid because we live ultimately neither by the sword nor by the scientist, but by the spirit.

Err, what's that got to do with faith in God?

Conclusion

So was it uplifting or bs?

I would say, about 98% BS, with 2% uplifting. And that's being generous.