“The Preponderance of Faith”

“The Preponderance of Faith”

Perhaps you've heard the statement "preponderance of the evidence."  The point of the following is that without 100% proof, there is a gap that is only filled by faith.  Thus, from the cold empiricist to the existentialist, faith is to be found in any and all systems of knowledge.

George H. Smith[1] in his book, Atheism: The Case Against God and writing of The Skepticism of Faith argues that skepticism in the study of the origins of knowledge will eventually lend aid and comfort to religious claims and turn against the atheist.  Quite a claim for a libertarian atheist.

The point is this.  For the one who is skeptical of the theist and who asserts that his claims of reality cannot be proven in total, then he is simply observing what is true of any and all roads to reality.  Both sides of the atheism-theism question to some degree must rely, not on the facts but upon his belief.  To rely upon one’s belief is to put trust in that belief—that is put faith in that belief.

Just to be clear, since atheism cannot be reliably proven, then such requires some degree of belief beyond what proof that may exist for the claim.  Therefore one can conclude that atheism requires faith.  So while the atheist points to the theist and joyfully demands proof, what he fails to see is that his own position is equally fragile.  Fragile because it cannot be completely and totally substantiated.

This holds true for the Rationalist, as there are matters that cannot be discerned through one’s thinking no matter how much intellectual prowess one might posses.  As well it holds true for the Empiricist for there are matters that cannot be scientifically proven nor explained no matter how much science is applied to the question.

Whether it be Naturalism, Idealism, Materialism, Existentialism, or any of a number of other “isms” it is as it is in theism.  There simply is no iron clad, 100% verifiable way in which to prove the veracity of any of the aforementioned systems and any others that you might care to include in the discussion. 

The simple point is that without some degree of trust/faith, one cannot legitimately embrace any truth system.  So then, how does one comes to believe in this idea or that notion?  In its simple form, it is a matter of one’s choice.   What then do you choose to believe?

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[1] Author, editor, and contributor to numerous publications is an atheist and libertarian thinker.

"On Proving God"

On Proving God

The skeptic demanded, “Prove to me that your God exists!”

What does “prove” mean?  Does it mean show a formal proof?  Does it mean to set up a control experiment?  Does it mean to gather a body of evidence, examine it closely, and then form some conclusion? 

Just what does it mean to “prove” that there is God?

Many Things Cannot Be Proven

Think about it.  There are many, many things that one cannot prove.   A person cannot touch, taste, feel, hear, see, or smell “love” yet who would argue that such does not exist?  The same is true of “gravity.”  Has anyone touched gravity?  Can you see it?  What does it taste like? Yet like love we know that it is very real.

The point is that there are many, many things that a person cannot experience with the five physical senses or prove with some theoretical calculation, and yet in the common body of knowledge we know that such things exist.  

How About One’s Thoughts?

If one applies the “experience criterion” to thoughts, they too are unprovable.  One’s thoughts though very real cannot be experienced by any of the five senses and yet who can legitimately argue that such are not real. 

Well sure, one certainly can measure electrical impulses and chemical reactions in the brain but are those thoughts?  Of course they are not!  They are simply electrons and molecules in relationship with one another etc.  That being so one would be hard pressed to prove the existence of consciousness by the existence of those physical observations.

So Can You Know For Sure?

Materialism is the notion that all is physical or as they say, "material" in some form or another.  This idea is the substance of arguments among philosophers but has little validity in the real world of most people.   

Most rational people know that there is much in life that cannot be known and experienced through the five senses.  Most know that there are elements in reality that are not indeed cannot be governed by the physical laws with which man is acquainted.  Even without the senses there is an inner awareness that there is more than the physical. 

In short there are many things that cannot be rationally explained without the existence of non-material and alternate realities.  So here are a few questions...

Questions

If one can agree that there is a non-material reality then there comes a question.  It is this.  What are the limits of that non-material world?   

Is it limited to that which functions in the mental processes of man?  The example referenced above is that of love.  There are others such as joy, fear, hope, kindness, etc.

Or…

Is it limited to that which functions in the mental process of man and as well that which functions in the physical world?  An example here is the aforementioned gravity.

Or…

Is there more?

In Summary

In sum, here are the points…

If you can accept that there is something beyond the material world…

If you can accept that there is something beyond the non-material part of man…

If you can accept that there is something beyond the non-material parts of the physical world

Then is it possible that existing in that non-material reality is God?

Jesus certainly said so when He said,

  “God is spirit and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” John 4:24, NASU

The Most Heinous Slavery Ever Known To Man

The most heinous slavery ever known to man is not the human trafficking of young girls, the enslavement of Christians by Muslims, the enslavement of Africans by Westerners, the enslavement of American Indians by those of other tribes, or any of a number of other periods when one peoples enslaved another people.  Read on and you will find out the enslavement that underlies all others and thus is the most heinous unknown to most men.

Perhaps you have notice that people will sacrifice much in order to achieve freedom and stability.  It may be in some kind of transaction, it might be in relationships, it could be in some emotional issue, it might be in a health issue, it could be in any of a number of other venues in life that people seek freedom and stability.  Some have even referred to it as closure.  This is such an important issue that many will even suffer the loss of materials goods, physical capability, position, etc. in order to find the peace of freedom and stability.

The reason may well be found in the word tension.  In fluid and changing situations there is a loss of control and an attendant loss of freedom and stability.  That need for stability creates a certain tension and often that tension is found to be difficult if not intolerable.   Of course knowing that to be so, there are those who for some pathological reason or another, go about seeking to disrupt and control others by creating and fostering tensions in the various relationships venues of their lives.

Yet there can be a solution to the instability and tension and it is all found in two questions or conditions.  First is the question of the trustworthiness of the person with whom one is in relationship.  The second is in the type of relationship one has with that person.  Of course the most trustworthy relationship is a genuine relationship and such a relationship can be no more genuine than when it is with Jesus Christ as Lord.  Be aware that there are a number of facsimiles but only one genuine.

Then assuming it is a genuine relationship, the question then is what is the quality of that relationship?  For it to work properly, the relationship must be one of implicit trust. 

The epitome of a trust relationship is to give another complete control of one’s life, material goods, relationships, and even the internal faculties, to include beliefs, attitudes, and thought processes. 

 The only place that such a relationship can be found to be completely and totally trustworthy is in one’s relationship with Jesus Christ.  It is as the one who comes to Him humbles himself, surrenders to Him as Lord.  The actual word is for Lord in the Scriptures means master or one who has supreme or ultimate authority.  Now to name Jesus Christ as Master means to acknowledge Him as an owner and, well you guessed it that makes the genuine, real deal, follower of Jesus that which He owns.  Said another way the follower becomes His slave—the slave that He bought with the sacrifice of His own life.  Thus we have the reason for His sacrificial death on the Cross.

Is this a mystery or what?  Just to think that Jesus, who is described as God living among us in our humanity, gave His life in order to buy us back from our own enslavement to sinfulness and evil.  Such is beyond our comprehension.  Some would argue what me enslaved?  Yes, for our measure is against a culture that is enslaved and thus it is normal and therefore other than the condition is unknown to us.

So here is the genuine pathway through instability and tension.  It comes when we do not own ourselves but are owned by the benevolent Master—the one who cared so very much for each of us  with a genuine love--a selfless love that He left His place of royalty and came to earth, became a man, lived among people like us, and then gave His life to pay for our sins and failures.  In doing that He redeemed (bought back from slavery to sin) each who would name Him as Slave Master and commit to be His slave.

So what is the most heinous slavery?  It is the slavery that underlies all that is evil, all that we see that is wrong with culture, religion, relationships, etc.  This enslavement to sinfulness is indeed unknown to most for man is so surrounded by sinfulness that it is the norm, not the exception.  It is the slavery that enslaves those who have not found the freedom that is available to the one who has become a slave of Jesus Christ.

"A New Year Bring New Chances"

"Lets take a chance and..."

Ever said that or been with someone or a group who decided to take a chance.  What is chance?  Certainly it is not the guarantee that success is around the corner of decision!  It is taking the opportunity for success.  It is measuring the possibilities and deciding such risk as is involved is worth it and then moving in some direction or another.

What keeps us from taking a chance?  For some I suppose it is fear.  For some it is comfort.  For some it is irresponsibility.  Irresponsibility?  That is right.  A story...

Imagine that there was a garden of the most delightful fruits and vegetables that one might imagine.  Though untended there were no weeds and the soil was so rich that plants effortlessly grew, and the fruit and vegetables were abundant.  There was a natural spring of the purest water which kept the soil moist.  There was so much produce that it would feed the dozens and dozens of families that had need.  In addition there would be so much left over, it could be sold and the monies earned could then be used to meet other needs.  

Then imagine that next door to this garden lived a miser.  He would go and harvest for his own needs but gave no thought to others.  You see the thing needed to share the produce was someone to arrange for those with needs to come and harvest the produce.  It needed someone to arrange for those who could harvest to provide the bounty to those in need, who could not do so themselves.

Yet the miser was only concerned with himself and so he built a fence around the garden and hoarded what was there.   

Now imagine that another man lives on the other side of the garden and he does all of the things just mentioned.  He take some for himself.  However, here he differs from the miser.  This man is possessed of a soft heart.   He arranges for the needy to come and harvest for themselves and others who cannot do so.  He arranges for the extra to be sold in order to meet other kinds of needs.  He begins a business and supports not only his own family but causes important to the community.

The question..."Which man would you like to be?"  Before you answer consider that years later both men are on their death bed.  One will die fulfilled and feel like life was well lived surrounded by family and friends from the community.  The other will die empty, unfulfilled, bitter, and alone.

Now change the story so that instead of a garden you have giftings, skills, ideas, and abilities.  What do you suppose would happen if in just one small area of your life you decided to share these things with others.  To give of yourself?

Maybe you are gifted in finances.

What if you took a chance on an IPO (Initial public offering of stock in a company that is going to be public)?  What if you invested in an income property?  What if you helped someone who is in a problem situation which they did not create?

Maybe you are gifted in business.

What if you took a chance, decided where need exists that opportunity exists, and began a small business?  What if you helped someone else begin a small business?

Maybe you like to learn and then teach others.

What if you took a chance and went back to school?  What if you found a struggling student and helped them achieve academic success?

Maybe you have time and material good so that you could give time to others.

What if you found a new place of service?  What if you became a volunteer at your place of worship?  Maybe you could serve at the USO, a veteran's home, the Boy Scouts, or some other place of service?  

Maybe you are well off and have more than you could ever possibly need.

What if you decided to give away more of your material goods this year?  Maybe start a charitable trust?  Maybe you could began a foundation to reach out to some need or another?  

Maybe you are....

What if you...?

About now could you be asking why?  Let me share anecdotally.

In the course of my life I've known two people who were wealthy beyond what anyone even close friends knew.  They both had inherited almost all of their material goods.  Though they did not know each other and were separated by time and miles, they both shared a common attitude and two common experiences.

The attitude was insecurity as to their financial future.  Neither could spend all of the interest their money earned  but neither would for fear that they would be left destitute.  They had placed their trust in finances instead of the Faith they both claimed.  I remember presenting a need to one of them, a need that would not have made a small dent in his wealth only to be met with a verbal if not violent response.

The common experiences?  Both of them had people unrelated by marriage or blood who sought to separate them from their wealth.  In one case it seems to me that the person died in need for the unscrupulous did succeed.  If such was not so, at their demise it was.  In the other case we (my wife and I) were able to intervene and with the help of a high powered attorney saved the considerable wealth from an unscrupulous individual who had already made some inroads.

The other common experience they both shared was that they died.  Neither took one dime of his or her wealth with them.

What is the point?  May you find this to be the year in which you take a chance in one or more of the areas listed above.