Faith vs. Reason

"'It is my firm conviction that man has nothing to gain, emotionally or otherwise, by adhering to a falsehood, regardless of how comfortable or sacred that falsehood may appear. Anyone who claims, on the one hand, that he is concerned with human welfare, and who demands, on the other hand, that man must suspend or renounce the use of his reason, is contradicting himself.

There can be no knowledge of what is good for man apart from knowledge of reality and human nature — and there is no manner in which this knowledge can be acquired except through reason. To advocate irrationality is to advocate that which is destructive to human life.'

In the book Atheism: The Case Against God, author George H. Smith writes from the perspective that reason is the primary mode of processing all components of existence, and, therefore, faith. Smith concludes that though religious faithful think that they can rely on their faith to explain the world, religions rarely can be used to explain the world better than reason.

For many, no intersection between reason and faith exists. However, some Christians use the field of apologetics, a method of defending faith through the construction of reasoned arguments, to reinforce their beliefs. In both The Case for Christ, and The Case for Faith, Lee Strobel examines whether or not it is rational for people to accept the life of Jesus as presented in the Gospels. The books are immensely popular and are some of the best examples of apologetics books.

To both atheists and agnostics there is no connection between reason and faith. Adherents to faiths which contain miracles are viewed as irrational and illogical. At best, they are misguided by the faith systems to cling to, at worst they rely on faith as a crutch to keep them alive.

Still others who are faithful look at faith without it being bound to rationality. They feel that faith shouldn't have to make sense to people, and that to believe in it requires a person to suspend their rational belief and to rely on faith alone.

1. What is the role of reason in regards to faith? Can faith be examined through the eyes of reason? Should faith be examined in a different way?

2. Looking back on the previous weeks disscussions, is it rational for someone to have faith in any metaphysical religion (Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, ect.)? Should faiths be discounted because of the unreasonable things they suggest (water to wine, resurrection, metaphysical reality)?

3. Should the believer of a religion rely upon the creation of reasoned or factual defenses of faith?

4. If God is communicating with believers, why do people not all agree about questions regarding faith? Isn't it reasonable to believe that God would be sending people all the same message?"