From: timk@world.std.com (Tim King)
Subject: Re: Fact?
Organization: The World Public Access UNIX, Brookline, MA
Date: Sat, 25 Jul 1992 06:12:34 GMT

Angela Zimmerman <AMZIMM01@ULKYVM.LOUISVILLE.EDU> writes:

>fact: Something that actually exists; reality; truth

>How can you know for a fact what God is thinking?  You can quote the
>bible all you want but how can you *know* as *fact*?  It's impossible,
>especially since God is not a being that exists beyond a shadow of a
>doubt.

I don't know what other thread started this one, so I don't know if what
I have to say is going to be applicable or not.  I also am not trying to
step on anyone's toes here, but it seems like the real questions are
(1) How do we know God is real and (2) How do we know that the bible
is His word.

Perhaps I will make a series of posts to further substantiate my claims
that (1) God is indeed real and (2) the bible is indeed the infallible
word of God.  I am writing on this subject because these two items are
two of the essentials of the christian faith.

In any case, faith is the foundation upon which these facts are built.
Funk & Wagnalls defines "faith" as 

    1. Confidence in or dependence on a person, statement, or thing as
       trustworthy.
    2. Belief without need of certain proof.
    3. Belief in God or in the Scriptures or other religious writings.
    4. A system of religious belief.
    5. Anything given adherence or credence.
    6. Allegiance.

With faith as the basis, we don't need proof in order to accept God as real
and the scriptures as authoritative.

Now, you say, faith does not establish that God is actually real or that
the bible is actually completely and totally from Him.  However, might I
point out that the definition for "fact" does not include the necessity of
proof.  A fact is anything that exists, is real, or is true.  It is not
necessary to prove something in order for it to be a fact.  God exists
regardless of whether the atheist accepts this or not.

Funk & Wagnall's (sorry, it's the only dictionary I have handy) adds to the
definition of fact:  "Something asserted to be true or to have happened."
If this is a valid definition, then certainly faith is a valid premise on
which to base the factuality of God and the scriptures.  However, our faith
is not only in the assertions of ourselves and other christians.  It is also
in the assertions of many generations of godly men and women, some of
whom wrote concerning their acceptance of these facts.  Furthermore, our
faith is in the assertions of God Himself, portrayed both through His
people and directly in Jesus Christ.  With these statements to further
support our assertions, it is quite easy to justify one's faith in God.

I would also like to point out that many of the things we accept as fact
are not provable.  Science is based upon a host of assumptions which can
not be proven but from which are derived every scientific law we have.
Mathematics is likewise derived from such postulates.  In law, the truth
(verdict, or fact) of a matter is constructed based upon such things as
witness' testimonies, documents, articles, and consistency.  A similar
technique is used to form mathematical or scientific postulates.  In
future articles, I intend to show that the christian has similar evidences
on which he can base his faith.

To sum up, the christian faith is not a system of beliefs which have been
randomly and haphazardly thrown together.  It is based on the truths that
God is and that God has given us the scriptures as a bit of insight into
His mind.  These truths were likewise not randomly assembled but are
systematically justifyable based upon acceptable evidence.  And because we
can make these statements, we can live a godly life in relationship with
Him, which is what He created us for.  Otherwise, we would be on our own.

'Til next time!
-Tim
-- 
Tim King                  |-_      |
Dedham, MA                |  -|    |    Make mine music!
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