Posted on 05/21/2014 6:23:19 AM PDT by NYer
I guess I was expecting something more original from a philosopher, but then I realized not
What do you think of those that believe in God, but are not Christians? God must have touched them, right?
During my lifetime, I have met some amazing non-christians, with sincere faith in God. They too are in my daily prayers, both the living and the deceased.
Whoever seeks peace and the good of the community with a pure conscience, and keeps alive the desire for the transcendent, will be saved even if he lacks biblical faith, said Benedict XVI. The Pope made this affirmation at the general audience on Nov. 30, 2005, commenting on a meditation written by St. Augustine (354-430). GENERAL AUDIENCE
Belief and faith are not the same. One requires action. The other does not. A boatload of disciples believed that God could make it possible to walk on water. But only one had the faith to demonstrate it.
Thanks for the nice responses
You asked: Is God really defined by your faith?
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In my view, of course not. God is who God is. We are trying to learn just who God is, and what He is like. Faith is our belief about those things. We cannot define God, any more than we can choose the attributes of a lemon. If we “believe” a lemon is sweet, does it become sweet? The same with God. What we believe does not define God. We just hope and believe that what we believe about God is correct.
It sounds like you did not “convert” at all. Your beliefs did not change with your change of denomination. I am the same way. My first church experience was with the Southern Baptists. When I got married I became a member of the Presbyterian Church (USA). When we had children we moved to a United Methodist Church in the town where we live. My core beliefs have not changed. I am sure that I differ with several principles of every denomination I have belonged to.
When you talked about God being something other than what your faith defined, that is what I thought you meant.
Please replace defined with allowed in my last.
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