Originally posted by dchansen
1. Explain (beyond your belief) how Christianity is "rational" and "consistent".
None of its doctrines violate the laws of logic, (i.e., Law of Noncontradiction, The Law of Causality. It passes the tests of undeniability as a test for the truth of a world view and unaffirmability as a test for the falsity of a world view. Etc.)
2. Why must a worldview necessitate having the "ability to address the world as we find it."?
Otherwise it would be demonstrably false. Take pantheistic religions, for example. The most fundamental criticism of a strictly pantheistic world view is that it is actually unaffirmable by man, for no finite individual reality exists as an entity really different from God or the absolute. In essence a strict pantheist must affirm, "God is but I am not." But this is self-defeating, since one must exist in order to affirm that he does not exist. Also, the ship of pantheism is wrecked on the reef of evil Pronouncing evil illusory or less than real is not only hollow to those experiencing evil, but it is philosophically inadequate as well. If evil is not real, what is the origin of the illusion? How can evil arise from God who is absolutely and necessarily good? Etc... (Geisler)
3. How can you place 100% of your faith in the plausibility of one exclusive, unprovable and subjective worldview over another (in some cases non-exclusive) worldview?
A more difficult question to answer. The "brain" part of me says: Because it is rational, internally consistent, and adequately describes the world and people as we find them like no other world view does. The "heart" part of me says: Because I have tested Him and found Him trustworthy. I took that step from knowledge, (and believe me, I took my time here...I grew up believing Christianity to be a lie and a crutch, etc., etc.), to trust and found that He has not failed me, (though I have often failed Him!). My experience has been that of the writer of Psalm 40, (minus the "Waited patiently for the Lord" part): "...He inclined and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; He set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God...".
Left to my own devices, following after all of my own desires, rejecting everything that He declares is good and right, I had made a complete mess of my life by the age of 19. I had tried everything - drugs, sex, philosophy, religions, etc. - to satisfy myself and always came up dry and thirsty. It was not until I began to drink of the "living water" spoken of in John 4 that I really began to find lasting satisfaction and peace.
That's 14 years since then of studying, (both of Christian and non-Christian sources), and putting Him to the test in a nutshell. You put it perfectly in your question - 100%. I believe that is what He has given to me, and that is what I intend to try to give back.
"Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him." (Psalm 34:8) Try Him, quip.
Dave
