(September 29, 2009 at 9:06 am)Retorth Wrote: I'm a little confused. I read a few posts on prayer-answering and it seems you must first truly believe in God before they can be answered.
And what did you take "truly believe in God" to mean? You see, that conveys a lot more than mere intellectual assent to his existence.
(September 29, 2009 at 9:06 am)Retorth Wrote: So which should come first: (1) To believe in X, then be able to see X; (2) To see X, then believe in X? I say the latter makes more sense.
Depends on what X (or "something") is standing in for. God? In other words, could your which-comes-first question be rephrased as contrasting (1) "In order to experience God, I must first believe in God" against (2) "In order to believe in God, I must first experience God"?
If so, then the latter (2).
Man is a rational animal who always loses his temper when
called upon to act in accordance with the dictates of reason.
(Oscar Wilde)
called upon to act in accordance with the dictates of reason.
(Oscar Wilde)
