QUOTE=DarkLight;13728647]I have a philosophy degree. I know a lot of arguments - it’s simply not enough when I compare it to my own human fallibility.
Philosophy is also subject to human error, and mankind has by no means even touched the tip of the iceberg when it comes to knowledge, reality, and existence. The most important piece of knowledge you ought to know, is that we know very little, and for that reason, we cannot trust ourselves, insomuch as our understanding is concerned…but can you not trust that you believe in the one true God simply because you yourself are fallible? We do not need to understand all things in order to be sure of something, God gives us what we need to have confidence in Him and His teachings…and I think that what you need is not necessarily understanding, but the virtue of faith, which is trust and confidence in God…but faith is an infused virtue, if you do not have it, you must ask for it,
I know it may be hard to trust in certain things without understanding them first, but God does not ask us to believe without reason, He has given us what we need to at least be able to choose what is true from what is false, by means of our intellect, and then also through prayer God does dirrect our thoughts.
Perhaps it would help, in addition to praying for faith and guidance, to also consider the most simple and basic foundations of our faith…reason being, sometimes we make it so complicated for ourselves by over thinking things and trying to unlock the deep mysteries or what have you, and in reality the answer is so simple that a child could understand…I think that sometimes we just miss the best answers for the sake of wanting to have a more intelligent answer…but God prefers that we have a simple faith, He asks us to be like little children…not because they are ignorant, not because they have blind trust, but because of their simplicity. If God gives us answers or understanding, He does not want us to take pride in it, when we take pride in what we know, or anything at all really, then we are not using it for what God intended, all things return to one end, to know, love, and serve God in this life, so that we may be happy with Him in the next…and the more we take pride in things, the less we can use them for growing closer to God, because pride takes for self, attributes to self, looks inward at self, whereas God reveals Himself not to the proud, but to the humble, he reveals Himself to those who will see Him, and not take glory in His gifts, but return all things to Him…
Well, I think I got alittle carried away and have yet to get to a point…but what I want to get at is, we do not trust in ourselves but in God, and you may know that you believe in the one true God because He has revealed it to you, not because you learned it or discovered it on your own, God directs us alot more than we would realize, but how do you know it’s God who has directed you? Or how do you know it is Him and not your own thoughts or the devil or the world influencing you? That is precisely why Jesus founded the Catholic Church, He knew better than anyone that it is not enough to trust the words of men or our own thoughts, so He promised that He would be with us always, and that the Holy Ghost would guide the Church…although the Church is currently seeing some very confusing times right now, but her teachings are safe, if you just look to a less confusing time, find books written before the 1950’s, when truths were separated from opinions… But what I’m trying to say is, you can compare what you think/believe, with what the Church teaches as truth, and by that can gain confidence.
But then of course you asked, how do we know what religion or what God is true? Well, which one seems the least fabricated by man?
Ask yourself, what does man tend towards most? He tends most towards himself, towards the world, he wants to please his fellow man and have comfort and joy in this life…can you think of any other religion whatsoever, other than the Catholic Church, that is not somehow man centered?
Christ told us that if we wish to follow Him, we must take up our cross daily, He told us if we do follow Him, the world would hate us, He asks us to be poor in spirit, to detach from all things of this world, to love God above all else, and to love our neighbor as ourself for the love of God, to forgive our enemies, and do good to our persecutors…the list goes on…and so how many other religions teach this way of life? This complete abandonment of self for God? Some religions may teach it in part, but only the Catholic Church teaches it in full without sway…and what have we to gain except God by this path? The way of the Cross is a path only the selfless can take, because selfishness hates to suffer, but in this life, as Christ showed us, we cannot love without suffering,
Suffering is something most want nothing to do with, and yet it was greatly valued by those who loved God the most, namely, the saints, they had a secret love with God through their sufferings, and it was not the pains that gave them joy, they did not like pain anymore than you or I, what they found joy in was doing for God, loving Him by sacrifice, comforting Him by sharing in His passion, they completely forgot who they were, they did not even know themselves to trust in themselves, all they knew was God, and God lived in them, and shown through them.
Well, I guess I will stop here before I go on too long, but I hope this helps, take care.
