Question about "faith"

[John 6IX Breezy]

Tell you what, next time you're at church, peddle your faith™ there, see if your fellow cultists think that christian faith is a chair kind of thing? You won't, because it isn't, and you know better. You're taking a doomed position because you want to argue with atheists about the reasonableness of your superstitious beliefs.

Here's a quote from one of the founders of my church; it's possibly the most widely read and distributed book within my church, first published back in 1892:

"God never asks us to believe, without giving sufficient evidence upon which to base our faith. His existence, His character, the truthfulness of His word, are all established by testimony that appeals to our reason; and this testimony is abundant. Yet God has never removed the possibility of doubt. Our faith must rest upon evidence, not demonstration. (E.G.W., Steps to Christ)

The reasonableness of faith is nothing new. Perhaps that is why I'm so good at substantiating my arguments with references--it was engrained in me by my church.

---

As far as faith being an action, a protection against emotions, and trust in a proposition, here's an example from another popular Christian book, written back in the 1600s: Pilgrims Progress.

"The lions were chained, but he saw not the chains. Then he was afraid, and thought himself to go back; for he thought nothing but death was before him. But the Porter at the lodge, whose name is Watchful, perceiving that Christian made a halt, as if he would go back, cried unto him, saying, Is thy strength so small? Fear not the lions, for they are chained, and are placed there for trial of faith where it is, and for discovery of those that have none: keep in the midst of the path, and no hurt shall come unto you" (John Bunyan).

Note that the proposer being trusted was the man named Watchful. Note that his proposition was that the lions were chained. Note that his merit comes from being the Porter at the lodge. Note that faith was enacted by walking past the lions. And note that the emotion of fear was the cause of doubt, not reason. "Faith is the art of holding on to things your reason has once accepted, in spite of your changing moods” C.S. Lewis.