'That's just your opinion! Where's your proof!'
How often are we confronted with this retort with regard to our confession of the Christian Trinitarian Faith! And of course, such retorts imply that the proofs ought to be logical, or empirical ones.
This position ignores the fact that most of what we know, we know on the basis of authority! Someone or some group (parents, family, friends, the media, 'science', etc.) has told us what we now believe and know.
The scene alluded to in this post title comes from the aftermath of Jesus' teaching ministry in Samaria (see John 4.42). At first, the Samaritans had believed the testimony of the woman who had met Jesus at Jacob's Well.
But at the end of Jesus' time with them, they now have heard for themselves and say, 'we know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world' (Jn 4.42, kjv).
Whatever divinity belief a person, group or community holds, implicitly each knows and therefore holds his divinity belief to be the Truth.
For example, those who believe that rationality is the ultimate reality and all statements dealing with ultimate things should be judged by reason alone, experience their divinity belief as true knowledge. For them, it's foolish to question such a position. If one were to ask them how do they know rationality is ultimate, they might reply, 'I don't just believe it; I know it'.1
1. The best work to read on this subject is Emeritus Prof. Roy A Clouser's, Knowing with the heart: Religious experience and belief in God.
How often are we confronted with this retort with regard to our confession of the Christian Trinitarian Faith! And of course, such retorts imply that the proofs ought to be logical, or empirical ones.
This position ignores the fact that most of what we know, we know on the basis of authority! Someone or some group (parents, family, friends, the media, 'science', etc.) has told us what we now believe and know.
The scene alluded to in this post title comes from the aftermath of Jesus' teaching ministry in Samaria (see John 4.42). At first, the Samaritans had believed the testimony of the woman who had met Jesus at Jacob's Well.
But at the end of Jesus' time with them, they now have heard for themselves and say, 'we know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world' (Jn 4.42, kjv).
Whatever divinity belief a person, group or community holds, implicitly each knows and therefore holds his divinity belief to be the Truth.
For example, those who believe that rationality is the ultimate reality and all statements dealing with ultimate things should be judged by reason alone, experience their divinity belief as true knowledge. For them, it's foolish to question such a position. If one were to ask them how do they know rationality is ultimate, they might reply, 'I don't just believe it; I know it'.1
1. The best work to read on this subject is Emeritus Prof. Roy A Clouser's, Knowing with the heart: Religious experience and belief in God.
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