Atheists... why do you believe that God doesn't exist?

[Neo-Scholastic]

You imply that faith has no rational basis. That's not true. Religious faith is based on specific revelation. We rationally evaluate the credibility of the subject and reliability of the witness.

Perhaps one needs to have a coherent mind before one voluntarily steps aside to make room for faith. But no I don't think you can rationally argue for faith. Faith always requires a leap.

Reasonable people can disagree about the data without insults.

For sure but I still say there is no justification for bringing the bible into it. It is a hedging of faith. It is like someone who can make no use of their intuition without taking out a deck of Tarot cards. A bible may serve the same function but there is no justification for choosing between tarot cards, the bible or tea leaves. Whatever gets you in touch with the mystery will do, but all will fuck with you if you mistake the medium for the message.

I'm not talking about tarot cards or using the bible as an intuitive focus. People can use reason to compare a revealed text with other sources, like archeological artifacts and other documents, to decide whether to trust the revelation or not. You cannot say there is no evidence, but it is fair to question the evidence presented. As for me, I wish there were earlier records, more gospel accounts, and independent contemporary supporting documents. There aren't, but I consider what we do have sufficient to make Judeism and Christianity religions in which reasonable and intelligent people can follow. I have no opinion about Islam since I know to little about it. The Muslims I know are thoughtful and intelligent so I give that tradition the benefit of the doubt. In my own case I can accept the visionary experiences of Swedenborg because he was by all accounts highly respected by his peers, very intelligent, and his revelatory experiences were not accompanied by any known symptoms of mental illness. I can accept that others can come to a different conclusion.