(March 7, 2017 at 11:32 am)SteveII Wrote:(March 7, 2017 at 7:53 am)BrianSoddingBoru4 Wrote: Belief in God is irrational by definition. It requires faith, and faith is the antithesis of reason.
Boru
No, I think belief in God may have irrational components (those beliefs that are entirely faith-based) but overall is rationale. This is further evidenced by a systematic theology that makes sure that everything (within the religious framework and in the natural world) in the belief system is coherent.
Here is an example: Jesus forgives the crippled man of his sins. The pharisees grumble. Jesus said, "what is easier, to say to a man your sins are forgiven or to tell him to take up his bed and walk?" When the man gets up and walks, it is perfectly reasonable to infer a supernatural power is at work. Further it is rational to believe the explanation of that supernatural power given my the person doing it (especially in the context of multiple miracles and the overall ministry of Jesus).
But it's not perfectly reasonable to believe that it actually happened only from a 2000 year old book.
"The last superstition of the human mind is the superstition that religion in itself is a good thing." - Samuel Porter Putnam
