Absolute Certainty

A Christian Apologist argues against absolute certainty when it comes to believing in God - And I agree with him.


JimC says...

Socrates always made it cleat that any of his views on the supernatural could be wrong. And that resonated with me.

Christian Apologist says...

I don't know of anyone here who doesn't acknowledge that his/her understanding of anything and everything could be wrong

JimC says... 
A survey by the Pew forum in 2013 revealed that 90% of Evangelical Christians, Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses in the USA are absolutely certain in the existence of God or a universal spirit.

Some typical statements from Evangelical Christians in that 90%...

“So, is there a God? Yes, there is. He is specifically revealed to us in the Bible and more specifically in the person of Jesus Christ.”

“I know that God is real because He has revealed Himself to us. I know that He created the World and me”

“I know that God is real because I have had things happen in my life that are not simply "coincidence.”

“I know that God is real because He speaks to me. He doesn't speak to me with His own voice, though I'm sure He has one.”

"We know that God is real because He has revealed Himself to us in three ways: in creation, in His Word, and in His Son, Jesus Christ."

You seem to represent the other 10% with your statement that...

"our understanding of anything and everything could be wrong" 

So who is right – the 90% of Evangelicals who have absolute certainty, or the 10% like yourself who have an element of doubt?

Christian Apologist says...

There will always need to be a faith element. One would need to converse with those who apparently claim "absolute" certainty to understand the basis for their claims.

JimC says...

I think it would be difficult to "converse" with 75 million people to "understand the reasons for their claims" but we can at least read what they say their reasons for absolute certainty are, such as... "I know that God is real because He has revealed Himself to us." 

Christian Apologist says...

I can only offer my perspective. I don't presume to pre-judge anyone's intentions or reasoning processes on the matter. Again, we would need to hear from those who do claim certainty regarding God's existence to know how they came to their conclusions.

JimC says...

I wonder how you would respond to a Christian who asserted that... "We know that God is real because He has revealed Himself to us in three ways: in creation, in His Word, and in His Son, Jesus Christ." Would you tell them that their understanding could be wrong?

Christian Apologist says...

I wouldn't tell them anything--I'd ask for clarification.

JimC says...

I assume you would tell them they could be wrong (because as you've said previously, anything and everything could be wrong - correct?)

Christian Apologist says...

Pick any specific points you might choose - from you or me. Anything you or I believe might be wrong. In the case of Christians, in fact, such is required--otherwise there would be no such thing as faith.

"Our knowledge is imperfect and our prophesying is imperfect. When the perfect comes, the imperfect will pass away." [ 1Corinthians 13:9-10]