Here’s a real shocker, not that anyone should care, but after all these years, I have abandoned my faith in Christ. True, life has been unbearable for me over the last 13 or so years. You might even say unfair. There has not been one day over this time that I haven’t prayed that God would allow me to die… but that’s not the reason I discarded my faith. Actually, this desertion of my faith took place quite some time ago. And I really have no particular reason as to why I’m going public with it now.
Just so I’m not misunderstood, I would like to give some background information on religion that I believe is not widely known. I’m not trying to influence others to abandon their faith; that’s not my job. But I am trying to expose something that all religions must admit, or live in denial of.
As I see it, religions exist to answer the mother lode of all questions: How do we get into heaven, assuming there is one? No matter which religion you choose, the answer will ultimately reduce to this: faith. Religious faith is the panacea of all eternal hopes. Yet not one religion can provide any objective, verifiable evidence that proves they are the right religion, not Muslims, not Hindus, not a one.
It was this realization that made me take a closer look at Christianity. Working with the understanding that all religions operated on the basis of faith, I had to ask myself obvious questions: Why is Christianity any different? Is it? It was my passionate pursuit for an answer to this nagging question that forced me to abandon my faith. Let me shift my focus from religion to religious faith.
It may come as a surprise to most to know that Christianity is not based on faith; it’s the only “religion” that can make that claim. Faith, and by faith, I mean “religious faith,” is the ace trump of all religions. Rather than providing objective evidence for their truth claims, religious fanatics simply retreat to the impenetrable defense of “we don’t need evidence; we have faith.” In other words, religion is not open to rational discourse or scientific investigation. As a self-imposed limitation then, all religions are based on speculation, wishful thinking, or are anti-rational.
One of the most important discoveries I made during my search for answers was: all religions require their followers to accept their fundamental, core beliefs by faith, but not just any faith, faith in unverifiable claims. This proved true in every instance, with every religion, except one. With Christianity, such foolish faith, which I now call it, is to be rejected as speculative and sheer nonsense. Christianity made no claims to being founded on religious faith, nor does it require, although it allows it, that its members accept the claims of Christ by faith.
For example, why do I say Islam (since it is a religion) is based on faith in “unverifiable claims?” Here’s why: because Mohammed’s claim to have been visited by Gabriel the angel with a message from God is not open to verification. The same situation obtains with Mormonism as well. Neither of these religious founders provided their followers with objective verification of their claims, so all one is left to do is to accept their claims by faith, or of course reject them.
This truth became an all-consuming preoccupation with me for quite a while. I simply couldn’t get this out of my mind. All religions, I kept thinking, all religions are based on religious faith… all but one that is. Christianity never claimed to be based on religious faith. But why? The answer has to do with the critical distinction between religious faith and biblical faith.
Unless the object of one’s faith is subject to verification, a verification even open to skeptics, it is not biblical faith. Jesus never asked anyone to have faith in him!!! Please reread that last sentence. Please! In case you are in a hurry, let me repeat it again. Jesus never asked anyone to have faith in him!!! Don’t ever forget that. Such a request would have been rightfully dismissed by any thinking person of his day, not only would be rejected, but ought to be rejected.
All religions before and after Jesus invariably subscribe to one dominating, universal principle: “salvation” (whatever they conceive that to be) is based on faith. But in every religion it will be discovered that religious faith presents itself as biblical faith. But the two are at polar opposite ends of credibility.
When Christ denied this universal, religious phenomenon, I was sure I was onto something. Christ made a statement that had never been said before or after. It is found throughout the Gospels, but most directly stated by Christ in John 10:37
“If I do not perform the works of my Father (God), do not believe me.”
The concept changed religion as we know it.
This seems so painfully simple as to need no further comment, but it may prove beneficial to make a few peripheral remarks.
Notice that Jesus demanded that people NOT believe him, unless he could first demonstrate to them that he was sent from God. And how does one do that? Well, not on the basis of religious faith! Otherwise, I could ask people to believe in me with equal validity as Christ!
In fact, Mohammed (founder of Islam) and Joseph Smith (founder of Mormonism) did exactly that. Their religions are based on unverifiable claims. Neither of these guys could say, “Do not believe me unless I perform the works of God.” Why? They would have been immediately exposed as frauds. (Mohammed was asked to perform miracles to vindicate himself, but he declined to do so, leaving only the “supernatural” Qur’an as his only “miracle.” Unfortunately, the Qur’an is available to the public and therefore open to investigation. That is, its claim of being supernatural is easily dismissed.)
So why did Jesus put himself in such a bind? This is where the story takes an unexpected turn.
continued...
Just so I’m not misunderstood, I would like to give some background information on religion that I believe is not widely known. I’m not trying to influence others to abandon their faith; that’s not my job. But I am trying to expose something that all religions must admit, or live in denial of.
As I see it, religions exist to answer the mother lode of all questions: How do we get into heaven, assuming there is one? No matter which religion you choose, the answer will ultimately reduce to this: faith. Religious faith is the panacea of all eternal hopes. Yet not one religion can provide any objective, verifiable evidence that proves they are the right religion, not Muslims, not Hindus, not a one.
It was this realization that made me take a closer look at Christianity. Working with the understanding that all religions operated on the basis of faith, I had to ask myself obvious questions: Why is Christianity any different? Is it? It was my passionate pursuit for an answer to this nagging question that forced me to abandon my faith. Let me shift my focus from religion to religious faith.
It may come as a surprise to most to know that Christianity is not based on faith; it’s the only “religion” that can make that claim. Faith, and by faith, I mean “religious faith,” is the ace trump of all religions. Rather than providing objective evidence for their truth claims, religious fanatics simply retreat to the impenetrable defense of “we don’t need evidence; we have faith.” In other words, religion is not open to rational discourse or scientific investigation. As a self-imposed limitation then, all religions are based on speculation, wishful thinking, or are anti-rational.
One of the most important discoveries I made during my search for answers was: all religions require their followers to accept their fundamental, core beliefs by faith, but not just any faith, faith in unverifiable claims. This proved true in every instance, with every religion, except one. With Christianity, such foolish faith, which I now call it, is to be rejected as speculative and sheer nonsense. Christianity made no claims to being founded on religious faith, nor does it require, although it allows it, that its members accept the claims of Christ by faith.
For example, why do I say Islam (since it is a religion) is based on faith in “unverifiable claims?” Here’s why: because Mohammed’s claim to have been visited by Gabriel the angel with a message from God is not open to verification. The same situation obtains with Mormonism as well. Neither of these religious founders provided their followers with objective verification of their claims, so all one is left to do is to accept their claims by faith, or of course reject them.
This truth became an all-consuming preoccupation with me for quite a while. I simply couldn’t get this out of my mind. All religions, I kept thinking, all religions are based on religious faith… all but one that is. Christianity never claimed to be based on religious faith. But why? The answer has to do with the critical distinction between religious faith and biblical faith.
Unless the object of one’s faith is subject to verification, a verification even open to skeptics, it is not biblical faith. Jesus never asked anyone to have faith in him!!! Please reread that last sentence. Please! In case you are in a hurry, let me repeat it again. Jesus never asked anyone to have faith in him!!! Don’t ever forget that. Such a request would have been rightfully dismissed by any thinking person of his day, not only would be rejected, but ought to be rejected.
All religions before and after Jesus invariably subscribe to one dominating, universal principle: “salvation” (whatever they conceive that to be) is based on faith. But in every religion it will be discovered that religious faith presents itself as biblical faith. But the two are at polar opposite ends of credibility.
When Christ denied this universal, religious phenomenon, I was sure I was onto something. Christ made a statement that had never been said before or after. It is found throughout the Gospels, but most directly stated by Christ in John 10:37
“If I do not perform the works of my Father (God), do not believe me.”
The concept changed religion as we know it.
This seems so painfully simple as to need no further comment, but it may prove beneficial to make a few peripheral remarks.
Notice that Jesus demanded that people NOT believe him, unless he could first demonstrate to them that he was sent from God. And how does one do that? Well, not on the basis of religious faith! Otherwise, I could ask people to believe in me with equal validity as Christ!
In fact, Mohammed (founder of Islam) and Joseph Smith (founder of Mormonism) did exactly that. Their religions are based on unverifiable claims. Neither of these guys could say, “Do not believe me unless I perform the works of God.” Why? They would have been immediately exposed as frauds. (Mohammed was asked to perform miracles to vindicate himself, but he declined to do so, leaving only the “supernatural” Qur’an as his only “miracle.” Unfortunately, the Qur’an is available to the public and therefore open to investigation. That is, its claim of being supernatural is easily dismissed.)
So why did Jesus put himself in such a bind? This is where the story takes an unexpected turn.
continued...
