IF GOD EXISTS, THEN HE CERTAINLY DOES NOT CARE FOR YOU AT ALL

[Simon Moon]

But I do care. If they are not true, why would I choose to believe in them? Why would I waste my time with something that isn't true?

If you cared, you'd rely on a lot more than faith. You'd want demonstrable evidence, reasoned argument and valid logic to support your beliefs.

I'll bet there are many supernatural claims, such as; UFO abductions, bigfoot, crystal healing, astral traveling, Jinn, garden fairies, etc, that you disbelieve for the exact reason of insufficient evidence, reasoned argument and valid logic. Yet you have this one belief that you continue to hold in spite of the same insufficiencies.

I don't know what your motivations are to continue your unsupported beliefs. Maybe you get a 'warm fuzzy' feeling when you believe there's a galactic father figure, maybe you fear death and want to believe you will exist forever. But you are definitely very emotionally invested in your beliefs.

Granted, I have reasonable expectations that the pilot will fly me safety, however, because I do not know the pilot personally, his experience, his past, and other concepts, I still put some aspects of faith into his flying skills. I have uncertainties about the pilot, however, I still put faith into him.

We must be using different definitions of the word 'faith'. Maybe we should decide on the definition before we go on.

In a religious context, I use the definition - belief that is not based on proof or evidence.

In the case of the pilot, there is plenty of evidence for his/her piloting skills. If you want me to list them, I will. There is no faith required to believe I will arrive at my destination.

What's funny is that sometimes I question my beliefs. I try to use the same level of evidence and logic in these religious beliefs. It's not like I lock away all of my "uncertainties" into a particular box and refuse to analyze them. I work with my faith, test it, and challenge it.

But you're not testing your beliefs against reality. You're testing them against your existing faith.

I sincerely believe that faith and doubt run hand in hand. Yet, even with my best tests, my best challenges, my best reason, I still come back to it.

Yes, because you want to continue to believe in spite of insufficient demonstrable evidence, reasoned argument and valid logic.

If your 'best tests' aren't asking for demonstrable evidence and reasoned argument, then you are not critically analyzing your beliefs.

Seems paradoxical doesn't it? Almost irrational? And yet, I still believe it.

Not 'almost' irrational, It is the definition of irrational.