Presuppositions of faith

It is a fact that religious faith is based on many unproven presuppositions

We were born and lived within an environment of faith; so, we take it as a "normal" thing in our lives. We believe many things without wondering why we believe them. I was so sure about my own faith, that for many years I never wondered whether my beliefs were true or not. But I think that we should investigate and make our faith as "rational" as possible.

This means that we shouldn't take for granted the "truths" that we were taught, but we should analyze them; and, although the beliefs of faith can not be proven, nevertheless we must wonder whether it is reasonable or not to give assent to some particular beliefs.

The fact is that most of us are afraid of challenging our beliefs or to accept that our faith is not as reasonable as it should. We are so headstrong with our beliefs, that we do not accept even the possibility that they might not be true. That is why we do not want to question them, and think that they are true regardless of any consideration.

But perhaps a deeper look would make us change our mind and a little reflection might give us a different insight; this kind of reflection would help us to purify our faith. What is the use of having faith in something that might not be true?

We should not deceive ourselves and let the atheists uphold their affirmation that religious beliefs are a product of wishful thinking, an evasion of reality and a regression to childhood in the search for security. Religion should be a solid and reasonable belief, not a "sentimental wishful thinking," as some unbelievers think it is.

Behind any belief of faith there are many presuppositions that we, very often, are not aware of. When we believe something, we must presuppose, among other premises, the following.

1. We presuppose the existence God. We take the existence of God for granted; but this is a presupposition, not a proven fact. To believe in God is an act of faith, to begin with; after so many centuries, there is no demonstration that God exists; it has always been, and is, a belief of faith, a presupposition of faith, not a proven fact. Had God's existence been proven, or evident, there wouldn't be atheists in the world. God's existence is one hypothesis among others about the existence of this world.

Five more in the book

 Back to Directory