To have faith is to be human. Humans are relational beings. We relate with beings and things. One of the strongest foundations of relationship is faith. How do I know the bus I'm boarding won't be involved in a road accident? What are the chances? How do I know the food I'm about to eat isn't poisoned? What about my relationship with persons? How do I know I wouldn't be hurt by them? Somehow, I relate with them still. We all need faith in things and beings. And this faith should be evidence based. The only difference between having faith in God and people is that; for God, the faith in him is limitless, while the one we have in things, ourselves and other beings is limited. The reason being that God is not subjected conditionalities but man's will is very limited, he may dissappoint. Things get expired. They dissapoint too; the car may break down on the highway. The plane may crash. The house may collapse on me. I might be hit by a stray bullet. Somehow, we trust still. Living is impossible without it.
.
However, I find it a bit nauseating when one is mocked for having faith, whether in a man, thing, or God. Especially when this faith is evidence based. I believe strongly that blind faith is dangerous. That is; faith that can't be questioned—Faith not based on any evidence—reason. No one should be forced to inculcate certain doctrines or acts without reasons to. Man is a rational being. Any worldview that present faith as simplistically the antithesis of reason is dangerous. Be it naturalism, christianity, marxism, Islam. We've witnessed terrorism by Islamic extremists, the millions of lives annihilated by the naturalistic and race supremacy views of Stalin, Hitler, Mao, the atrocities done by church in the dark ages. Now, we've come to realised that any ideology which poses to be a worldview must be subjected to giving reasons for such a worldview.
.
The naturalist needs faith as much as the christian. Many atheists, skeptic or agnostic would deny this, but it is a fact. They belief they are a product of a mindless unguided process—cosmic flukes. Then if this is true, why should I trust a being who is a product of chance—unguided natural process? After all, his judgment of things can't be accurate. He, as much as everyone else, has a right to doubt the cognitive reasoning of his faculty. Therefore, the atheistic scientist must have faith in the consistency of the universe before embarking on any experiment. American philosopher, Thomas Nagel posited thus; “Evolutionary naturalism implies that we shouldn't take any of our conclusion seriously, including the scientific world picture on which evolutionary naturalism itself explains." This only reveal a major flaw in the evolutionary worldview. This worldview destroys the foundation on which it is supposed to stand. Hence, they need faith to somewhat believe in their cognitive reasoning and in the consistency of the universe.
.
The christian faith is not a blind one. A well thinking Christian knows this. Though, some of it adherents exhibits blind faith but that is not the kind of faith Christ displayed neither is it what the scriptures portray. Blind faith is what makes one believe sowing of seed and prayers is a replacement for hardwork and proper planning. It is what make some loathe drugs and exercise, perceiving them as carnal while preferring only supernatural means of healing and health as though it wasn't God who created all the means. And many others.
The christian faith is not blind because it is evidential; evidence of Jesus' historicity and resurrection. Evidence of various prophesies of Jesus by different men who never met each other at different centuries all recorded in the scriptures. Evidence of the historical accuracy of the scriptures, even though some persons are at disagreement on how the book of Genesis should be interpreted. 1 John 5:13:
“These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God."
.
To have faith is to be human. The christian faith is evidence based. And not a fairy tale.
Tomorrow—episode: Science vs Faith? Are they incompatible?
