Originally posted by: sao123
Originally posted by: Nik
Originally posted by: MovingTarget
Originally posted by: Nik
It's refreshing to see someone claiming to be Catholic and not automatically jumping to the "suicide is sin and everyone who does it will go to hell" garbage.
However, even though nobody knows what happens after death because it's not observable, measurable, or repeatable, I think it's funny that people resort to conjuring up magic invisible zombie deities and believing it without a shred of evidence to try explaining the unknown.
The relationship between faith and reason is a very complicated one. Being part of the church (or any organized religion) should not strip one's ability to think rationally for themselves. It is true that nobody knows what happens to you after death aside from what is physically observable (worm food). However, if you postulate that existence is more than a mere physical one, it opens up a lot more questions. If you try to frame such a question in purely scientific terms, you really seem to be putting blinders on yourself (imho).
One could easily frame the question in terms of ethics/philosophy. Is sucide morally wrong? If so, why and to what extent? You don't necessarily have to jump to theology to answerr the question. Even so, you are left with the same use of appealing to 'evidence' of something not physically measurable - a sense of ethincs/morality/right/wrong. You cannot restrict yourself to a purely scientific mindset here either. However, reason/logic plays just as important a role. You cannot separate reason from any way you frame the question.
If there's no evidence, why believe? How do you know you're believing in the right no-evidence no-reason-to-believe faith?
believing is the essence of faith, faith the essence of religion.
contrary to popular opinion round here, john 3:16 does not say
For God so loveth the world, that he gave his only begotten son, tha whoever shall proveth that God existeth shall have everlasting life.
If you think religion needs proof in order that you should believe in it, you have no understanding of religion at all.