(February 14, 2013 at 6:22 pm)Ryantology Wrote:(February 14, 2013 at 6:13 pm)TheLameMayWalk Wrote: If God did this, then there would be no challenge to remain faithful. We'd all hold a belief in God because we would all think he was real. That would eliminate the "faith" element in Christianity.
I have never heard a convincing argument as to why a 'faith' element should be necessary. Because, of course, the 'faith' element is just another way for you to CYA when people ask tough questions about your god.
When you realize that faith in Yahweh spontaneously appeared in a single location in the world and stayed there for thousands of years, the artificial nature of the whole thing is obvious. Not one single cult of Yahweh appeared anywhere outside of Mesopotamia. When people living at a sufficient distance from there started making up their own religions, they invented different gods with different characteristics, and their claims are no less valid than yours.
Also, P1k.
I still don't have an answer to the "what makes your religion more valid than others" other than the element of faith. But I will work on a more constructed response to that inquiry.
I guess it helps me (from your POV), but faith is a very crucial element in religion. It seperates those who truly believe from those who believe for the sake of believing. The people in the latter group do not truly worship Him, but believe for their own good and for their own salvation.
ronedee Wrote:Science doesn't have a good explaination for water