What Would It Take To Lose Your Faith?

[MichaelFilo]

Dawkins, the famous atheist, inspiring teenagers across the internet to not believe in God, posed a very serious question (I actually like him, he did mention Fatima in his book!) What would it take to lose your faith?

It took me a few days to answer that question, because if there was no answer, then I was clearly unreasonable. If I had no circumstance under which I would rescind my faith then I must be unreasonable. Why? Because I had to accept my faith on some reasonable argument, it could not have been purely emotive. Those arguments would have to have premises, and these premises' truth value matters greatly in regards to the conclusion. I am still torn on whether it is good to have a reason to leave it all behind or whether it is no good at all. However, for better or for worse, I found at least one thing that would make me believe or disbelieve.

If it could be proven, demonstrably, that we are not agents with free will, then I could rescind my faith. If it could be shown that the brain is the controller and we are pawns to our brain, then I could give it all up. If somehow we could determine how a person will grow up right from birth, dooming him to some predestined faith, then, I think, I would have no more room for Faith (which would be an act of the will, I know, but you can imagine if it is demonstrable that no such will exists, well, then it wouldn't be one.)

I was wondering, if you can consider the question, what your answers would be?

[HopefulBride]

[quote name='MichaelFilo' timestamp='1288207115' post='2183024']
If it could be proven, demonstrably, that we are not agents with free will, then I could rescind my faith. If it could be shown that the brain is the controller and we are pawns to our brain, then I could give it all up. If somehow we could determine how a person will grow up right from birth, dooming him to some predestined faith, then, I think, I would have no more room for Faith (which would be an act of the will, I know, but you can imagine if it is demonstrable that no such will exists, well, then it wouldn't be one.)

I was wondering, if you can consider the question, what your answers would be?
[/quote]

What exactly do you mean by if it could be proven? What kind of proof would you need exactly?

Edited October 27, 2010 by HopefulBride