> Thus, one may claim that the base beliefs or "axioms" are believed to be
> true by faith. However, it is one thing to believe that I exist by faith
> (since that belief is based upon the self evident belief that if I did
> not exist, I could not have the belief that I exist), or that what my
> senses tell me (I am sitting and typing) is believed upon faith in the
> reliability of my senses; it is another to claim that a whole system of
> complex beliefs like Christianity or Islam is believed solely by faith.
>
> Jeff
>
Dear Jeff:
Thanks for this concise summary; I hope it will be a useful reference for
everyone.
I repeated your last comments above. I think you stated an important
qualifier for knowledge in general; the more complex the belief system, the more
difficult it is for us to be definitive. The ongoing debates on this list are
evidence that there is uncertainty and disagreement about [at least details of]
the faith. One of the things that the Spirit does, I think, is to keep us from
blowing details up into crucial tests of the whole faith. Jesus had some
things to say about that to the Pharisees.
This is not to say that truth doesn't matter; nothing of the sort. Only
that some truths are more important -- and accessible -- than others.
"Lord, give me the faith to believe the essentials that I must believe, to
suspend judgement on the uncertainties, and to have the wisdom to know the
difference."
Paul Arveson, Research Physicist
73367.1236@compuserve.com arveson@oasys.dt.navy.mil
(301) 227-3831 (W) (301) 227-1914 (FAX) (301) 816-9459 (H)
Code 724, NSWC, Bethesda, MD 20084