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According to one philosophical website, Faith “is when one accepts a statement as true without evidence for it, or in the face of evidence against it.” 

They go on to say that “faith nullifies the mind…faith is an act of mental destruction…” Faith goes against logic, reason, rationality. I, however, am not so sure. I consider myself to be a person of “faith”, and of a particular faith – that based on the belief that Jesus Christ is my saviour, that he is God, came as a human, lived here on earth, was crucified, died, buried and rose again. Through what he did, I have salvation, and am called a child of God. According to that website, I am therefore deluded, a non-thinker, committing mental destruction. 

Of course, if someone calls me deluded I am going to want to oppose what they say… either that, or I must be locked up somewhere so as to not cause destruction to the fabric of society!

Now, are there people out there that do have faith due to no apparent logic – yes of course, just as there are people of different “faiths”, beliefs, political inclinations etc. 

So what does the Bible say about Christian Faith? Is it irrational? Does it nullify the mind and cause destruction?“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen…By faith we understand…”Hebrews 11:1-3

The Christian belief does not call for “blind faith”, but urges people to think, to increase in understanding. In Acts 17:10-12, Paul encounters some Jews in the synagogue (a place of interaction with Torah, a place of thinking). The people there do not just jump in with “blind faith”, but search the Scriptures, testing whether what Paul was sharing was correct…as a result, they rationally make a choice to believe, based on understanding.

Paul, later in his letter to the Thessalonians, urges the believers to listen to the prophets, “…but test everything…” (1 Thess 5:21)

Surely, to TEST something, is to hold it up to scrutiny – it includes a logical, rational process, rather than an irrational, destructive one.

How about the Old Testament? What does that say?

Just take a look at the book of Proverbs. A book devoted to wisdom, understanding, instruction, knowledge and learning. We are told that inclining our “ear” to wisdom, understanding is a pleasant and good thing. 

Proverbs 4:7 says “The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom, and whatever else you get, get insight.”

So if the Christian faith is about irrationality, is destructive, I wonder why so much in the Bible points towards using the brain we have been given, that encourages the process of rational engagement with God? I find nothing in scripture, or within my personal faith that forces me to “nullify my mind”, quite the contrary. 

I am glad about this, since I find myself to generally be a thinker!

Related posts:

1. What is faith? (Cont'd)
2. >Is Faith irrational?
3. The Evidence for Faith
4. >In defense of Free Speech…and my faith
5. Hopping on board the atheist bus