Faith

This is an excerpt from a post on one of my class' websites (following is my response):

"You have seen and believed; blessed are those who believe without
seeing." It seems to me that Christianity should be putting emphasis on believing *without* reason rather than trying to come up with scientific and logical arguments to help along their belief in God. And yet all the way back to Aquinas we have people trying to argue why it's rational to believe in God-- I find that a bit troubling. Faith, in my opinion, is one of the virtues of religion (it seems like it'd be pretty difficult to love God while viewing him as a thing to be proven rather than cherished); rabid evangelism, on the other hand, is a vice. What cause do we have to try and prove God scientifically or logically besides trying to get converts who aren't interested in having faith? Maybe I'm missing something, but it seems like getting people to believe in God because he's the logical answer seems like a cheapening of something that's supposed to be spiritual.

the arguments for faith go much farther back than aquinas... MUCH MUCH further back... I know at least to augustine's teacher ambrose, and though I can’t call off all the other early Christians who did likewise (Clement from the late 2nd century, Ignatius of Antioch from 50-110 possibly fit this), I know the arguments of faith go much much further back and I'd argue that it goes even to the bible in various verses...

For example your quote, comes from:

John 20

24 Thomas, called Didymus, one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came.

25 So the other disciples said to him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them, "Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger into the nailmarks and put my hand into his side, I will not believe."

26 Now a week later his disciples were again inside and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, although the doors were locked, and stood in their midst and said, "Peace be with you."

27 Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving, but believe."

28 Thomas answered and said to him, "My Lord and my God!"

29 Jesus said to him, "Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed."

30 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of (his) disciples that are not written in this book.

31 But these are written that you may (come to) believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through this belief you may have life in his name.

most people read verse 29 and assume Jesus denies the need for proof... but read further... verse 31... "But these are written that you may (come to) believe" the YOU was first and foremost the immediate audience of John (which by the way isn't us), the original audience could weigh the truth of the author's words by going to Jerusalem or hearing from Jerusalem... the author is offering proof, saying hey this is what happened... something the original audience could actually seek to verify, by seeking to find opposing views coming out of Jerusalem. (This was a relatively big deal due to the rapid conversions occurring amongst the Jews…).

So knowing that it’s being offered as proof, we can next question, does the realm of acceptable Christian proof only consist of testimonies? This very passage argues against that… Read back at v.26-27… what does Jesus do? HE COMES KNOWING THAT THOMAS DOUBTS AND EVEN OFFERS THOMAS THAT WHICH WOULD CONVINCE HIM, PHYSICAL PROOF!!! Personally, I find that AMAZING! God coming to offer even us skeptics exactly what we need to see to believe… If God’s willing to stoop so low as to offer proof, why should we be so high-minded to turn down his offer… how would the passage go if Thomas was like “I’ve seen you and touched you, but I’m not accepting that as proof of your existence, I’m going to have faith, and that’s how I’m going to accept your existence, and frankly Joe, my faith says you weren’t resurrected.”

Also, it is arguable that the “supernatural” faith that can believe in God without seeing is in fact only given to a few…

1 corinthians 12:

4 There are different kinds of spiritual gifts but the same Spirit;

…

7 To each individual the manifestation of the Spirit is given for some benefit.

8 To one is given through the Spirit the expression of wisdom; to another the expression of knowledge according to the same Spirit;

9 to another faith by the same Spirit; to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit;

This seems to imply that the “gift” of faith is given to specific people for specific reasons… but also note, the gifts of knowledge and wisdom is given to others, and I’d think that wisdom is needed to discern Truth from evidence, and the benefit of wisdom and knowledge can very well be a greater belief in God.

Some of us (including myself) need proof… God created the world; He had to have left His mark. (That’s always been a Christian argument for evangelisation.) And I’m not below turning proof down… that’s how I understand things… God knows this… and that’s actually how He came to me… and showed Himself in a way I could not deny.