(April 1, 2012 at 3:33 pm)oxymoron Wrote: Certain aspects of the world suck, for sure. Not all of it. And we get a million chances every day to make our lives a bit better. We already live far longer, far more secure, far more healthy lives than even our recent ancestors. The one thing that has made our lives better is science and engineering. 1800 years of prayers and hocus-pocus did sod all to life expectancy. Suddenly, with the invention of safe surgery, antibiotics, sanitation and disinfectants, people start living longer across all social stratas. Polio had its blighting ass kicked not by faith, but by medicine.
Since when should "belief in things not seen" (the OT's definition of faith, not mine) "explain reality"?
Vaccines destroyed polio and lots of other diseases including the much worse smallpox. Vaccines (and pasteurization) were "invented" by Louis Pasteur, a Christian. Many advances in Science, Technology, and medicine were the result of research by Christians. We do more than just pray. Oh, and praying started at least 6,000 years ago.
Ever been to Haiti? We type happily about things like this while people butcher one another and starve to death. I've been there. I've seen it. It's not depression. It's reality. Try explaining yourself to an eight year old boy who watched his father macheted to death. I believe his name is Andrea (they speak French in Haiti). I'll never forget the look in his eyes.
Belief in things not seen would be belief in an unseen reality, and it is the NT not the OT (Hebrews 11:1).
God is also described as compassionate and merciful, slow to anger, taking care of orphans. God is angry because we ruined the world we were supposed to take care of. Those people he slaughtered thought it was a good idea to sacrifice their children to the gods, and that really makes God angry. A world "downstairs" apart from his anger over sin would be with the worst of man's inhumanity and the lack of God's mercy.
"There is nothing so powerful as truth, and often nothing so strange." Daniel Webster
