To majority in the realm of faith, this may be contradictory because to them faith faith can not be rationalized and there is no relationship between faith and Rationality. Contrary to this, having faith itself is Rational act. It is a calculated risk.
"Faith is not a leap in the dark expecting to land safely".Faith is not about groping in the dark hoping to catch something great
Faith is not about hoping against reason for season that is pleasing. There are a lot of things that faith is not but one thing that faith truly is, is that it's a calculated risk, a rational act and knowledge base.
The reason why this issue of faith and rationality is coming here is because of recent, we have been seeing and hearing of a lot of eerie stuffs that defies common sense been done in name of faith.
There was a time in human history when everything is left to fate in faith. You don't question, you don't reason, you don't evaluate but simply accept. This was evident in most culture then and superstition after superstition were borne out of this. Many who opposed this lost their life in the process till it came to a point where rationality could bear it any longer. From there rationality became another branch of faith known as free Thinkers . So in the end two main branch of faith appears exist; one is belief with reason the other is belief with reasons and has been in constant friction which leaves us with no choice than to find a middle ground.
We the people of faith know for sure that modern philosophy has taken a wrong turn and fallen into errors resulting in controversial philosophies that contradicts our principles of faith. It is in this light that critical discernment is required of opinions and philosophies that contradicts the Christian faith and maybe other faith in other not to fall out of faith
Theology exists to provide reasons for our faith and in-depth and understanding of it. it is a collection of sound knowledge (to a reasonable extent) that spans over a millennium expatiating on ideas, words, truth, events, etc found in the sacred text .Faith based on a person's localised interpretation of these texts is dangerous which goes to say that faith based on unsound knowledge is unsafe.
The God that have us heart to feel, fear and have faith, eyes to see, ears to hear, etc is still the same God that gave us mind to think to reason, to rationalize. Relegating reasoning will be flying a dual engine airplane with a single engine. There by overloading that engine to the point of crashing. A balanced life files on the two wings of faith and reasoning, each complements the other.
The right tool for understand the world outside the Bible is is none other than reason which denotes science, philosophy, history empirical observations, etc as opinned by Hans-Peter Gobhans. But beyond this world, beyond the reach of our senses there is a world unexplored. What we can perceive with our sense can not be all that there is. There must be more and this more is a world of the Bible and sacred texts. And to understand this world, the right tool is faith. Where the problem lies is that though we may not be from this world, a reasonably large part of us is composed of elements in this world and subject to the laws of the world. Though we are not of the world but we are in the world.
This therefore means that to fully live, we must understand both world.
It is this Understanding that make us rather than relaxing and relying on heaven to send down manna, we rely on it provide manna through the works of our hands. Rather than do nothing and wait for healing, we look forward to his healing through the herbs he created which men have learned how to extract to produce medicine.
I know a non-believer will say that he doesn't need to have faith for the medicine or medical procedure to work, such will need deeper understanding of of Placebo(Nacebo) effect and explain why same medication and procedure works for some and not on others. In fact, taking the drug with confidence it will work is a big leap of faith in the process and people that produces them even if you don't want to acknowledge the inspiration that brought about the medications.
Faith is Rational not radical, most decision or action taken in faith are based on calculated risks not a leap in the dark. Faith based action are actions taken in situations where the consequences of action and inaction are same with difference only in the timing the consequences takes effect but chosing the option with immediate consequence due to the possibility of a positive outcome.
The life of few in the Bible that made moves which appears to us in the surface as being radical were actually logical. Let's consider the father of faith. Father Abraham. A man after years of waiting for the promised child with whom a great covenant was to be established, on whom the blessing and greatness was to rest on. After finally recieving of the promise after years of waiting was asked to sacrifice the child which he attempted as proof of his faith which appeared radical from one perspective but rational from the other.
This is because according Apostle Paul in Hebrew 11:19, Abraham concluded, reasoned, accounted, judged that God was able to raise him again even from from the dead. Before arriving at such conclusion or judgment he must have reason some things out. he must have thought to himself He who promised him, gave him and now asking for him, has the ability to take him back with or without my content. Moreso the plans, the greatness, the blessing promised alongside his birth can only be made possible by him who gave him that is now asking for him. So if I refuse, one way or the other I will lose him, if I do I will lose him but there is a possibility that he who insisted on Isaac before he was born as the one with whom the covenant would be established after I gave him the option of my adopted son and Ishmael can raise him back to life if obey in sacrificing and that was most probably what spured him to obey.
How about Peter who attempted to walk on water. He was in a sinking boat and was asked to come out of boat without support. If he remained in the boat, he will sink if he steps out of the boat, he will still sink. The difference is just it will a little longer time before the boat sink but stepping out is instant sinking. Why then did He step out? Right before him outside the boat was someone standing on the the waters not sinking the same person was calling him to join him on the water. So Peter must reasoned within, if the man standing on the water unaffected by the storms is calling to come, he must have the ability to keep me afloat. I rather take my chances with Him that remain here and sink.
How about Esther's famed declaration 'if I perish I perish' she had calculated the risked involved to have uttered that statement. Or is it shedrach Meshach and Abednego and Daniel who chose to die in the flesh than to die in spirit by remaining steadfast. How about the widow that gave her widow's mite as offering, she was simply contributing to the common wealth that sustains her. By law the temple was responsible for her provision, her widow's mite can not sustain her but the temple could. To her what's the point of holding unto it seeing it can't help me so she gave it out. Or is it the the woman with the issues of blood who had the option of risking her life to stamped to get to Jesus or just walk way. To her going home with my issues means that I am going to die with my issues, struggling through the crowd with my condition can end my life as a result of stamped. But through this crowd is one whose body oozes healing, if I can just touch him/or just the Hem of garment my problem will be over so she risked it. Like Esther she must have said to herself, both way death is certain.
All boils down to the option of risk dying now to live or leave to die later.
The bottom line is that faith is a calculated risk. It is thought out before it is acted out. Not out of excitement or deception. Don't let your mind rust. God is a reasoning God and he gave you a mind to reason so use it.
Thank you and bye for now.
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