From: "Rowland Croucher" Newsgroups: aus.religion.christian Subject: Re: The questions of existence > "Chris Ho-Stuart" <> wrote in message > . > <> Chris: reasons theists have given for > > believing in God. > > > > Some have an experience which they attribute directly to God, and > > a personal interaction with God. Rowland: Others have similar experiences which they attribute to other > causes/entities... > C: Some believe in God because they trust the witness of others (or > > of the bible) to God's existence. > R: Ditto of anything/anyone beyond our immediate senses... > > (The Bible BTW doesn't set out to prove God's existence; simply assumes it - > see Genesis 1:1) > > C: Some believe in God because they infer the existence of a creator > > from a universe, or other phenomena. > R: Includes the notion of a 'first cause'. (Why can't there be an infinite > regression of causes?). Nature? Wot about 'red in tooth and claw' - can't > see God there... > > C: I am not, in any of these threads, attempting to refute theism, or > > God's existence; so I am content to present the above as reasons > > people have for belief, without needing to refute them. > > > > On the other hand, I do not myself believe in God, and I do not > > in fact think any of the above is a particularly good reason for > > belief. > R: I (a Christian) agree... > > <> > C: However, I am not now a Christian; I am an atheist. I don't deny > > my past experience; but I do attribute it to different causes. > R: (Raises an interesting question about whether a person is a Christian 'cos > they think they are; or not a Christian 'cos they deny they are... Not > simple). > > 'Experience' I agree is a very slippery concept - and dangerous in some ways > when used in Christian apologetics... As a counsellor I come across all > kinds of persons' 'peak experiences' - their aetiology is many and > various... > > <> > > As I've written here before, it seems to me the best reason for believing in > God is proferred less frequently than any other by both theists and > atheists - Jesus of Nazareth. > C: Cheers -- Chris > R: [Sorry I can't respond more frequently to these interesting threads. I've > added a two-day-a-week pastorate to my already full week. But I'm lurking]. > > -- > > Shalom! > > Rowland Croucher