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We have all been told that faith is belief in something that is true but can’t be proven. An example we are given is the “How can you believe that there is an Antarctica if you have never been there? Unless you have been there you have to use faith” But how much faith does God require? Why does he want us to have faith in something that seems to have most of the evidence going against it? Take the Book of Mormon for example. We are told that the reason there is no concrete evidence that proves the book to be true is that God wants us to use our faith. So why does it seem that there so much more evidence against the book being real than for it? Why couldn’t God have set it up so the book was evidence neutral?

If the Book of Mormon did not have any of the contraversaries about steel, horses, wheat, wine, olives, DNA etc it would be more evidence neutral. If archeologists were to find evidence of steel and horses and such, it would not prove the book is true it would just get rid of some of the negatives about it. If there were absolutely no evidence for or against the Book of Mormon, then that would be a good test of faith as well. Why does he stack the deck against it?

As my signature states, why does God give us intellect, reason and common sense and then ask us not to use them when it comes to matters of religion?

He does and expects us to use them. You shouldn't believe Mormonism's (or any religions) claims unless you experience similar things. I don't think you should be Mormon otherwise.

Mark 9:17-27 Please consider this portion of scripture. It indicates to me that God will get one through one's unbelief if one is honest and asks for help to trust in God.

17 and one out of the multitude answering said, `Teacher, I brought my son unto thee, having a dumb spirit;

18 and wherever it doth seize him, it doth tear him, and he foameth, and gnasheth his teeth, and pineth away; and I spake to thy disciples that they may cast it out, and they were not able.'

19 And he answering him, said, `O generation unbelieving, till when shall I be with you? till when shall I suffer you? bring him unto me;'

20 and they brought him unto him, and he having seen him, immediately the spirit tare him, and he, having fallen upon the earth, was wallowing -- foaming.

21 And he questioned his father, `How long time is it since this came to him?' and he said, `From childhood,

22 and many times also it cast him into fire, and into water, that it might destroy him; but if thou art able to do anything, help us, having compassion on us.'

23 And Jesus said to him, `If thou art able to believe! all things are possible to the one that is believing;'24 and immediately the father of the child, having cried out, with tears said, `I believe, sir; be helping mine unbelief.'
25 Jesus having seen that a multitude doth run together, rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, `Spirit -- dumb and deaf -- I charge thee, come forth out of him, and no more thou mayest enter into him;'

26 and having cried, and rent him much, it came forth, and he became as dead, so that many said that he was dead,

27 but Jesus, having taken him by the hand, lifted him up, and he arose.

In regards to faith
In Hebrews 11:1 we find
1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
*note in greek other translations of substance are: assurance, basis, foundation

Also in The Book of Mormon
Alma 32
https://www.LDS.org/scriptures/Book of Mormon/alma/32?lang=eng
in this chapter Alma talks about the nature of faith and how faith can grow into knowledge.
I do not think that God wants us to have a set quantity of faith. Rather I believe he wants us to strive daily to increase the faith that we have.

also
a deep study into evidences about The Book of Mormon will reveal that there are a lot more evidences in its favors than you might think.

in 1997 a group of evangelical scholars evaluated the debate about the Book of Mormon the following is one of their conclusions
"Our fourth conclusion is that at the academic level evangelicals are losing the debate with the Mormons. We are losing the battle and do not know it. In recent years the sophistication and erudition of LDS apologetics has risen considerably while evangelical responses have not.4 Those who have the skills necessary for this task rarely demonstrate an interest in the issues. Often they do not even know that there is a need. In large part this is due entirely to ignorance of the relevant literature."
to read the full article visit
http://www.cephasministry.com/mormon_ap ... attle.html

son of Ishmael wrote:We have all been told that faith is belief in something that is true but can’t be proven. An example we are given is the “How can you believe that there is an Antarctica if you have never been there? Unless you have been there you have to use faith” But how much faith does God require? Why does he want us to have faith in something that seems to have most of the evidence going against it? Take the Book of Mormon for example. We are told that the reason there is no concrete evidence that proves the book to be true is that God wants us to use our faith. So why does it seem that there so much more evidence against the book being real than for it? Why couldn’t God have set it up so the book was evidence neutral?

It's just an excuse for why evidence is lacking. It gets worse since it doesn't answer the issue of why there is so much evidence against. While faith has it's place, religious faith, including LDS, tends to be very blind. How much focus is there on faith in God's existence then faith in God. I have plenty of faith in my parents, but none of it revolves around their existence, nor should it.

If the Book of Mormon did not have any of the contraversaries about steel, horses, wheat, wine, olives, DNA etc it would be more evidence neutral. If archeologists were to find evidence of steel and horses and such, it would not prove the book is true it would just get rid of some of the negatives about it. If there were absolutely no evidence for or against the Book of Mormon, then that would be a good test of faith as well. Why does he stack the deck against it?

You bring up the issue that believers cannot answer. Why should God create evidence against. People don't usually change beliefs due to lack of evidence, although it should make one wonder, and be more open minded to being wrong.

As my signature states, why does God give us intellect, reason and common sense and then ask us not to use them when it comes to matters of religion?

He doesn't. People like Joseph do in order to get you to follow them. unfortunately many people have had success with the earth's millions of inhabitants.

A very relevant question we should all ask ourselves is "Who is more likely to ask us to accept something on faith alone, one who is telling us the truth, or one who is knowingly telling us untruths that are admittedly not backed up by verifiable evidence, and who therefore wishes to discourage skeptical and honest scrutiny of one's claims?" The blazingly obvious and only reasonable answer to that question is "the latter!"

Nothing should arouse our internal "baloney detectors" to a higher state of alert than claims (especially religious claims) that can admittedly only be accepted on faith--no matter what the source of such claims. Despite what Paul says about faith in the New Testament, it is total nonsense to claim that faith, in itself, is evidence or an acceptable substitute for evidence.

I unequivocally reject the nonsense that a just and reasonable God would tell us to believe something, and then deliberately make it harder to believe by withholding or obscuring supporting, objective evidence, or especially by creating seemingly contrary evidence, merely to "test our faith."

Faith like unto a grain of mustard. So much faith that it is real.

Now go sacrifice your son.

...

Mktavish wrote:
Short awnser is: Nobody makes you have Faith

but they do ask. The fraudster is good at getting people to have faith.

Themis wrote:

Mktavish wrote:
Short awnser is: Nobody makes you have Faith

but they do ask. The fraudster is good at getting people to have faith.

Exactly! When charlatans know their claims are not true, and therefore not backed up by good evidence and sound reason, what else can they do but attempt an appeal to faith? Such appeals to faith are one of the most reliable warnings of probable fraud and deception we can have!