From: jay@oclc.org (Young Jeff)
Subject: Re: An open question...
Organization: OCLC Online Computer Library Center, Inc.
X-Newsreader: Tin 1.1 PL3
Date: Thu, 20 Aug 1992 13:40:34 GMT

sbuckley@fraser.sfu.ca (Stephen Buckley) writes:
: Young Jeff writes:
: 
: >(Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary)
: >Credulity: undue readiness of belief.
: >Faith: firm belief in something for which there is no proof.
: 
: >Faith is a virtue in Christianity.  Faith requires credulity.  How can
: >you deny it?  Will God condemn me to hell for lacking credulity?  
: 
:   belief in god is only undue for you because there is no proof in the
: means you would accept.  i accept broader parameters.  it's not undue
: for me.  

Are my parameters unreasonably strict?  So far, I have heard that
psychological crutches are valid evidence for God.  Is it unreasonable
for me to reject this as compelling?  Is this the kind of parameter
you are talking about?

: don't stop forgetting that i spent a decade convinced it was
: undue.  i didn't just wake up one morning feeling intellectually weak
: and i just jumped at salvation.  it was a long arduous process of having
: my incredulity appeased.  

Does this mean that God answered your questions or that he just
allowed you to ignore those nagging questions without feeling
like you were committing intellectual suicide?

: god can fulfill all incredulity: doubting
: thomas is the prime example.  

Thomas was appeased by sticking his hand in Jesus' wounds.  Will get
such material evidence of his existance?

: incredulity is fine because he can appease
: any amount of it.  it is disbelieving people he will not take home with him.

i.e. they are going to Hell to be tormented for the rest of eternity.
Why Hell instead of some inferior consolation prize?  I have been
prodding you for several posts to say the words, but you seem reluctant.
Unbelievers are going to Hell.  Evidently this makes you uncomfortable
or you would have responded.

: >: i spent 10 years exploring all sorts of alleged routes to god
: >: before i spent a whole year examining what jesus offered me in terms
: >: of salvation, personal healing and answering my metaphysical questions.
: >: there has been no suicide in my intellect beyond dropping the intellectual
: >: position that there can be no right answers--that philosophy was one of
: >: the most empty ones i ever held before.
: 
: >What if I don't like the "right answers"?  For some Christians the
: >"right answers" include patriarchy, misogyny, homophobia, creationism,
: >etc., etc.  I would rather flounder in a sea of uncertainty than live
: >in a castle built on a foundation of air.
: 
:   and those christians have no idea of jesus.  this is why i say if you
: want to learn about jesus, read the bible and see where it justifies none
: of the above.  i don't like those "right answers" either, that's why i
: look to scripture for how jesus is and god wants me to live.  christians
: perverting jesus message was enough to keep me from believing for 25 years
: until i found out that they were all wrong and the authentic goods were
: far more appealing, more than anything in this world.  

Since we have started an email conversation on why I don't find the
Bible inspiring, I won't repeat it here.  I look forward to our
discussion.

-- 
Jeff Young

Opinions expressed are mine alone.
Newsgroups: talk.religion.misc,talk.origins