Recker's World
The Veracity of Faith
Often we hear the argument from Christians, that if Jesus wasn’t real and he wasn’t what he claimed to be then there would be no way the disciples would be willing to die as martyrs for their faith.
Supposedly… all though there appears to be no real strong evidence, the disciples all died horrifically because of their faith in Jesus. Why would they do this if Jesus wasn’t resurrected? Therefore, he MUST have been resurrected. He MUST have been the son of God… as if there is no other possible explanation.
It’s boggles my mind that this argument is even being used, especially after 9/11. We saw Muslims, so strong in their faith, so adamant that their god is real and their beliefs are right that they drove plane loads of innocent people… and themselves… into buildings. If we are to use the argument Christians have used time and time again about the disciples, then we should also apply that argument to Muslim extremists. Why would they sacrifice their own lives and the lives of innocents if their god wasn’t real? If Mohammed wasn’t who he claimed to be?
But let’s not just stop at muslim extremists. Let’s look at cults.
Time and time again we have seen people in cults doing crazy things for their faith. Even setting themselves on fire or poisoning themselves. All for their faith!
We have cults with leaders claiming to be Jesus reincarnated and people blindly following them, allowing themselves to be sexually abused, imprisoned and even killed because of their faith in these charlatans. We have cult leaders being exposed as sexual predators and paedophiles, yet, many of their gullible followers continue to follow them. They continue to believe in these assholes and the lies they tell them, even long after those leaders have died.
Does that mean their faith is founded?
Of course not! Clearly just because people exhibit great faith and allow themselves to be manipulated by so-called holy people, does not mean that their faith is justified or that the gods or leaders they follow are divine or sent by God. It does not mean that their leader was risen from the dead or reincarnated.
Christians make a big deal about faith. The bible makes a big deal about faith, but as we see time and time again, faith can lead you down the garden path. It can lead you to believe absolutely ridiculous things. And it can make you adamant in those beliefs. With faith, like these cultist and members of various religions, it can make you overly confident about your beliefs – adamant even. It can even make you INSIST that the god you believe in is real and your beliefs are true. It will make you say things like “I KNOW my god is real,” just like almost everyone from every religion and cult throughout history. Every version of Christianity, no matter how nutty or obscene has adherents insisting they are right while everyone else is wrong.
Faith, clearly is not all it’s cracked up to be. Faith can make you do ridiculous things and believe in ludicrous nonsense. It can lead you into ridiculous religions and cults. It can lead you into sexual and physical abuse, while having you think it’s not sexual and physical abuse. It can lead you to giving your life stupidly for worthless causes and even horrific deaths.
It’s quite clear that the veracity of ones faith is in no way a validation of anything one believes to be true, no matter how much one might want to believe it.
