Quote:
Originally Posted by Froix
I see what you're saying here and I disagree with it. You believe 'beliefs' are our own choice and I don't believe they are. That's clearly where we differ. You mentioned the lack of outside forces that alter my beliefs but I think there are and it's called proof. If I didn't believe in aliens and someone showed me a real live alien I have no choice but to believe. I may want to believe in some things but I feel 'wanting to' isn't enough.
I honestly believe in what I believe in without any doubt if I'm being honest with myself.
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Froix,
I understand your point of view a bit better now.
So you are concerned with a lack of proof and, as such, cannot believe. I accept that. I was actually using the term belief as it relates to faith. Faith is a belief without proof, and since it is clear that there is no proof of an afterlife, any belief in it would necessarily require faith. As such, I was confused because you stated that you couldn't believe in an afterlife which I took to mean that you couldn't have faith in it. Since you are equating belief with proof, then you are simply stating that nobody has proven an afterlife to you.
What I wrote is true from a standpoint of faith. What we believe (or take on faith) is indeed our own choice, however if you are a person who requires proof for everything you believe, then you are disclaiming faith. Unfortunately, there are many problems with this.
I have held to be true that all human beings have some faith. Perhaps not in a religion, a God or an afterlife, but in something (I've never met a person with whom this isn't true, but it is possible, although unlikely, that you are the first). We all believe things we cannot prove, so we therefore all have experience in faith. As such we can choose to exercise faith in any area of our lives. If we choose not to (e.g. choose to believe only what is proven), that is our right, but in doing so, we simply are making a choice. That said, if we only believe what is proven, then we believe in very, very little. Most of science is unproven theory. Proof is very rare, in and out of science and yet there are those who claim to only believe in what is proven without actually knowing how little is proven.
For the record, I cannot prove that God exists. I cannot prove that Heaven exists. In fact, I believe that it is impossible to prove either of these things. I can make a strong case for the existence of the supernatural (using science facts and laws), but that isn't the same. Still, I have faith that God exists and I have faith that Heaven exists without any proof.
-- Jeff
