An 'Interesting' Video + My Comments

Disclaimer: The video link below contains elements that might cause some to doubt their Christian faith. It is by leading proponent of atheism, Richard Dawkins. If you think you might waver, please please please DO NOT watch it. You can read what I write below to get an idea on what the video is about.

Second Disclaimer: I am not an expert debater nor do I have super high knowledge of everything pertaining science and religion. If you think I have made an error in my reasoning, I would be glad if you pointed my error and show it WITH PROOF.

The link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLeztJkhi4U&NR=1

Quotes (all made by Richard Dawkins in the video):

1. Faith should be immune to criticism simply because it is faith. Without this convention in society, faith can’t withstand criticism as it does not have the resources at which it does the withstanding.



2. Where science is filled with doubt, skepticism, willingness to learn, openness to correction, faith is exactly the opposite.


-
3. This is science at its best: Knowing when you are wrong and being pleased at being disproved.

*****

In short:

• We should criticize faith


• Faith is arrogant and believing things to the contrary of evidence


*****

My response:

I believe that faith should be criticized, in the sense that we have to examine things carefully for ourselves. A group of people called the Bereans in the Bible examined the Scriptures to check if what Paul said was true. Note that they held the Old Testament as accurate and correct.

The Bible says that faith is being certain of things hoped for and being certain of what we do not see. So, faith is not uncertain but certain. But how do we arrive at that certainty? We have to examine the claims ourselves and decided if it is true or not. In the Bible, the disciple Thomas criticized the resurrection of Jesus, i.e., did not believe it. But according to the Scriptures, Jesus appeared and Thomas felt the holes where the nails once were and he believed. Thomas had been with Jesus 3 years. He knew the person in front of him was Jesus and not some imposter. He examined the holes and believed. He became certain.

Thomas was certainly open to correction. According to Dawkins, this would make Thomas a scientist of the first order. He willingly admitted his disbelief and corrected himself. But he turned to Jesus instead of away from Him.

It follows that faith should be able to withstand criticism because it is built on solid proofs. To say that faith does not have the resources to withstand criticism would imply that would not be real faith at all, since faith must be certain and to be certain, we rely on proofs.

In conclusion, it would seem the definition and nature of faith is gravely misunderstood.

*****