Can belief in God be supported by logic?

[G L Wilson]

If God exists then God is something that's "out there."

This is a tautology.

[Ecurb]

Because it is popular doesn't make it so.

I didn't say that it did. However, you asked me for "one thing that is certain about God" -- so I gave you one. People talk about Him. (I'll grant that doesn't mean he "exists" -- people talk about lots of things. But it is relatively certain that people talk about Him.)

(One more thing, people SAY they "believe in" God -- but that is not relatively certain, since we can't actually know what other people "believe in" -- only what they say.)

[Calidore]

(One more thing, people SAY they "believe in" God -- but that is not relatively certain, since we can't actually know what other people "believe in" -- only what they say.)

And more important, what they do. The disparity between the number of people who claim to believe in God and those who actually behave as God has said he wishes them to is considerable.

[G L Wilson]

"For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace..."
1 Corinthians 14: 33

I always like a good joke.

[The Atheist]

However, I can say one thing that is QUITE certain about God – lots of people talk about Him. Also, people write about Him a lot, in books like the Bible.

You'd probably be more accurate if you said "them" rather than just the one you believe in, because different people believe in and worship different gods.

[caddy_caddy]

The place of the belief is the heart ; it has nothing to do with logic or proof.
That's Why Ibrahim (P.B.U.H) asked God to "prove " to him that He resurrects the dead, Ibrahim said " Show me how do u resurrect the dead"; so God told him " don't you believe?" ; Ibrahim said "yes but to be sure" so God gives him a proof and resurrects a dead bird .
For us to believe is not to believe only in God , but in the afterlife, the angles. How could we infer logically the existence of an afterlife or angels??!!

[The Atheist]

The place of the belief is the heart ; it has nothing to do with logic or proof.

Bravo!

And you know, I don't have any problem with that at all.

[BienvenuJDC]

The place of the belief is the heart ; it has nothing to do with logic or proof.

I do not agree. Since the 'heart' is actually the emotional portion of the mind, it cannot be separated from the logical portion of the mind. It is because of the logic and reason of all things that I believe. For there is no other reasonable explanation for the existence of matter/energy, life, consciousness, conscience, intelligence, or love. These things cannot evolve from nothing...which is the only other conclusion. For God has given us a mind in order to reason, a heart in order to feel, and a will in order to choose.

That's Why Ibrahim (P.B.U.H) asked God to "prove " to him that He resurrects the dead, Ibrahim said " Show me how do u resurrect the dead"; so God told him " don't you believe?" ; Ibrahim said "yes but to be sure" so God gives him a proof and resurrects a dead bird .
For us to believe is not to believe only in God , but in the afterlife, the angles. How could we infer logically the existence of an afterlife or angels??!!

Where did you get this dialogue?

[Ecurb]

I agree (with Bien). In religion, there's a distinction between "faith" and "belief". "Faith" is a virtue (along with "hope" and "charity" one of the three theological virtues as elucidated by the Catholic Church in the Middle Ages).

In other words, "faith" is the virtue of acting in accordance with one's beliefs. This is often difficult. If you say that you are a Christian (because you believe in Christianity), your "faith" may be tested if you will be fed to lions unless you renounce your religion. So although I'll grant that "faith" is a matter of the heart (the courage of one's convictions, as it were), "belief" is not (in my opinion).

[mazHur]

Name one fact about God.

One Fact:who are you?? You are YOU!


Everywhere I look I see myself. There I go: that bald man, this angry child, that fearful cat, that cool stone, that bubbling brook, that worm struggling for its life, that bird desperate to feed her hungry babies, that one trapped in his rage, this one anxious but fearful of finding out why. Hardly strangers! Empathy is the life of the soul, I think, because the soul that allows us to see the one in the other is the soul that finds joy.

Claudia Michele

[caddy_caddy]

I do not agree. Since the 'heart' is actually the emotional portion of the mind, it cannot be separated from the logical portion of the mind. It is because of the logic and reason of all things that I believe. For there is no other reasonable explanation for the existence of matter/energy, life, consciousness, conscience, intelligence, or love. These things cannot evolve from nothing...which is the only other conclusion. For God has given us a mind in order to reason, a heart in order to feel, and a will in order to choose.

This is an advanced stage . Although God has given us the brain to use it,not every one uses his brain to infer the existence of God my dear. I can assure you there are millions who know nothing about your syllogism ; How can you explain the belief of those people? The way you're speaking about is an advanced stage in reasoning , not everyone is able to reach this stage;


Where did you get this dialogue?

I Got it from the Quran .

[mazHur]

I Got it from the Quran .

I am not very sure about what the holy Quran says about Heart and Mind but I
recall that the Quran says about them both in a very logical sense. For example when it comes to Heart the Quran says do not corrupt it with Doubt..which in almost in all religions or beliefs is Poison! The First Condition of the Quran is to Believe, Have Faith....and everyone knows these two are NOT possible with a clean and trusting Heart! Heart does Feel but has NO reason (or perhaps has Right or Wrong Reason) for that Feeling! This makes the Heart Supreme and champion of Love and Faith! On the contrary, the Quran says use your senses, your Mind while dealing with worldly matters, struggle and even go to as far lands as China in search of Knowledge...Here the Quran explicitly emphasizes the significance of the Mind, but not over the Heart, but over worldly and material pursuits. When used positively the Mind can turn out scientific and economic miracles, but if used negatively it would become the most treacherous and self-defeating organ of all!! Jesus used his Heart and went to the Cross....Hitler used his Mind and got lost in the gutter!!

[G L Wilson]

I am not very sure about what the holy Quran says about Heart and Mind but I
recall that the Quran says about them both in a very logical sense. For example when it comes to Heart the Quran says do not corrupt it with Doubt..which in almost in all religions or beliefs is Poison! The First Condition of the Quran is to Believe, Have Faith....and everyone knows these two are NOT possible with a clean and trusting Heart! Heart does Feel but has NO reason (or perhaps has Right or Wrong Reason) for that Feeling! This makes the Heart Supreme and champion of Love and Faith! On the contrary, the Quran says use your senses, your Mind while dealing with worldly matters, struggle and even go to as far lands as China in search of Knowledge...Here the Quran explicitly emphasizes the significance of the Mind, but not over the Heart, but over worldly and material pursuits. When used positively the Mind can turn out scientific and economic miracles, but if used negatively it would become the most treacherous and self-defeating organ of all!! Jesus used his Heart and went to the Cross....Hitler used his Mind and got lost in the gutter!!

There is no argument that I can mount against what you say, none.

[The Atheist]

....Hitler used his Mind and got lost in the gutter!!

And yet Hitler was a self-described christian, while some people who actually did use their minds instead of superstition - Einstein, Rutherford, Darwin, Sagan, Turing and hundreds of others - didn't end up in the gutter, but instead left the world richer for their being.

[G L Wilson]

And yet Hitler was a self-described christian, while some people who actually did use their minds instead of superstition - Einstein, Rutherford, Darwin, Sagan, Turing and hundreds of others - didn't end up in the gutter, but instead left the world richer for their being.

In mind of heart one minds his own business.