RATIONALITY OF FAITH

admitted in scientific circles that inferential argument was as valid as direct argument. That is, if a cause consistently gives rise to an effect, the existence of the intangible cause will be accepted as a proven fact, just as the existence of the tangible effect is accepted because it is observable. In modern times, all the concepts of science held to be established have been proven by this very logic. After reaching this stage of rational argument, the difference between religious argument and scientific argument ceases to exist. The problem faced earlier was that religious realities, such as the existence of God, could be proved only by inference or indirect argument. For instance, the existence of God as the Designer (First Cause) was presumed because His design (effect) could be seen to exist. But now the same method of indirect argument has been generally held to be valid in the world of science. Bertrand Russel, famed for his atheistic views, also accepted the veracity of inferential argument. He wrote: I commit myself to the view that there are valid processes of inference from events to other events….more particularly, from events from which I am aware without reference to events of which I have no such awareness. (Human Knowledge) There are numerous meaningful things in the universe which are brought to the knowledge of human beings for which no explanation is possible. It has simply to be accepted that there is a meaningful cause, that is God. The truth is that without belief in God, the universe remains inexplicable just as the entire mechanism of light and motion is inexplicable without a belief in electromagnetic waves. Thus, the option one has to take is not between the universe without God and the universe with God. Rather, the option actually is between the universe with God and no universe at all. Since we cannot, for obvious reasons, opt for the latter proposition, we are, in fact, left with no other option except the former, that is, the universe with God. In view of the recent advancements in scientific reasoning, a true faith has proved to be as rational as any other scientific theory. Reason and faith are now standing on the same ground. In fact, no one can legitimately reject faith as something irrational unless one is ready to reject the rationality of scientific theories as well. For, all the modern scientific theories are accepted as proven on the basis of the same rational criterion by which a matter of faith would be equally proven true. After the river of knowledge has reached this advanced stage, there remains no logical difference between the two. o