Can logic and reason bring a person to believe in Christianity?

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Priyanka

Junior Member
#1
May 6, 2016
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#1
Is it possible for logic and reason alone to make a non-Christian start to consider Christianity seriously? I ask this question because I often think that if the answer is 'Yes', then there is so much that can be done to at least bring that reason to all people.

I have met so many that do not believe because of a simple logical flaw, or because of a small misunderstanding. It feels wrong to know that people can be unaware of a relationship with Jesus just because of not having all the information.
 
Willie-T

Willie-T

Banned
#2
Feb 7, 2015
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#2
Yes, it can be a start....... but even Satan and his demons believe "in" there being a God..... but NOT "on" Him as Jesus, Their Savior.
 
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mj007

Banned
#3
Feb 5, 2017
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Logic and reason are of the flesh really. But yes people do get 'manipulated' into conversion using it. However, someone who has a pure heart, good conscience, and sincere faith, has more chance of inspiring people to come to God in their own time.

Using logic and reason to convert someone who is particularly troubled for example, is hitting your head against a brick wall. And yet still many do it and will say 'the persecution is part of the cause'. But someone who 'really' knows and understands God, does it a different way, they do it 'in God's time'.

There are perfect moments for everything, but many do not even believe in perfect moments but say 'now' is the right time. Probably because advertising drums into human psychology, that 'now' is the time to buy. Salesmen are perfect examples of conversion using logic and reason. But none of us are supposed to be like God's salesmen.
 
posthuman

posthuman

Senior Member
#4
Jul 31, 2013
36,645
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#4
reason alone can't convert anyone.

yes, i think, for sure it can convince someone to 'take the gospel seriously'

but unless God draws someone, and unless He open their eyes, they cannot come to Him or see Him. it takes more; it takes the quickening of the Spirit, to make the dead come alive and to open the ears and the eyes.

"you must be born again" He told Nicodemus.. rebirth is not something the mind can accomplish; it is the work of God.

i know some people who say that it is by reason that they came to believe; good friends and brothers. but i tell them, unless God had moved in their hearts and minds, they would never have accepted the reason and the logic that they point to now.
 
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Miri

Guest
#5
#5
Willie is correct, lots of people believe in God, but that's about as good as it gets.
It takes something else as well. The spiritual blinkers have to come off, or at
least a chink of light has to filter through.

Sorry got to go get the vac out, have just seen a massive spider walk across the
carpet....aaargh..
 
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toinena

Guest
#6
#6
Yes. But to accept and confess Jesus as your Lord is not an intellectual excercise.
 
Willie-T

Willie-T

Banned
#7
Feb 7, 2015
22,418
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#7
Let us not discount the fact that the act of REPENTING is a very logically based decision of reasoning.

I laugh at a lot of people who will swear it is not, and yet, in the next breath they will damn people who react "emotionally" to a sermon preached by someone they have decided is not really doing God's work.
 
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Priyanka

Junior Member
#8
May 6, 2016
13
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#8
That makes sense. So it useful to at least have the knowledge that Satan does?
 
Willie-T

Willie-T

Banned
#9
Feb 7, 2015
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#9
Priyanka said:
That makes sense. So it useful to at least have the knowledge that Satan does?
Click to expand...
Well, I doubt we'll ever have the knowledge Satan does. But, it certainly behooves us to have at least a working idea of what the message of the Bible is all about.
 
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mj007

Banned
#10
Feb 5, 2017
1,118
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#10
Yes many of the logical errors we have in our physical brain, we need to rewrite with new logic based on the decisive reasoning to do so. Although faith has some part in making the decision. Many decisions to do the right thing come somewhere outside our logic and reason, like, a calling so to say.

Willie-T said:
Let us not discount the fact that the act of REPENTING is a very logically based decision of reasoning.

I laugh at a lot of people who will swear it is not, and yet, in the next breath they will damn people who react "emotionally" to a sermon preached by someone they have decided is not really doing God's work.
Click to expand...
 
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mj007

Banned
#11
Feb 5, 2017
1,118
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#11
If I was to speak metaphorically about God and Satan, to me Satan is to the brain (lower intelligence), as God is to the outer, non-physical brain (higher intelligence).

 
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Priyanka

Junior Member
#12
May 6, 2016
13
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#12
Good point about how Christians can sometimes give higher priority to the immediacy of the Gospel rather than the importance.
I do however believe that the need for people to be saved is urgent, but forcing conversion for the sake of time is no good.
 
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Priyanka

Junior Member
#13
May 6, 2016
13
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#13
I think that is true. Do you find that the argument to your point could be the question of why God can't just move in everyone's hearts so that they believe? At least in the people that are actually seeking the Truth
 
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Priyanka

Junior Member
#14
May 6, 2016
13
1
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#14
Thanks for the response!
Hope you safely dealt with the spider..
 
Lynx

Lynx

Folksy yet erudite
#15
Aug 13, 2014
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#15
There's an old saying that I think applies here.

A man convinced against his will
Is of his own opinion still

You can run a person into the ground with arguments until he has nothing else to say, you can force him by sheer logic and facts to admit you are right, but in his heart he will still believe he is right "if only I could have argued my side better..."

The only thing I have ever found to convince somebody that God exists is when he wants to believe God exists, and the only thing I have ever found to make a person want to believe in God is when he realizes he needs God. Unfortunately I have never figured out how to make somebody realize he needs God, but it seems to happen on its own, sometimes years after the person and I have discussed whether God does or does not exist.

Does that mean trying to convince somebody that God exists is futile? Not at all. The seed has to be planted somewhere. Just don't get discouraged if it doesn't sprout the same day you planted it. It might be 23 years later that the person realizes "I need help with my life" and that seed starts to grow.
 
Hirokized

Hirokized

Member
#16
Mar 29, 2013
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#16
Reason and logic is necessary but it is not enough.
 
mailmandan

mailmandan

Senior Member
#17
Apr 7, 2014
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#17
Willie-T said:
Yes, it can be a start....... but even Satan and his demons believe "in" there being a God..... but NOT "on" Him as Jesus, Their Savior.
Click to expand...
Amen! In James 2:19 we see that the demons believe "mental assent" that "there is one God" but they do not believe "on" the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 16:31) and are not saved.
 
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Intrigued

Junior Member
#18
Sep 24, 2017
9
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#18
Priyanka said:
Is it possible for logic and reason alone to make a non-Christian start to consider Christianity seriously? I ask this question because I often think that if the answer is 'Yes', then there is so much that can be done to at least bring that reason to all people.

I have met so many that do not believe because of a simple logical flaw, or because of a small misunderstanding. It feels wrong to know that people can be unaware of a relationship with Jesus just because of not having all the information.
Click to expand...
Logic and reasoning helped me dismiss God as a go to explanation to my existence.
 
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Priyanka

Junior Member
#19
May 6, 2016
13
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#19
That's interesting! I'm genuinely curious to know the logic and reasoning behind your statement, if you don't mind?
 
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Intrigued

Junior Member
#20
Sep 24, 2017
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#20
Sure, I've done plenty of research to justify a belief in God, however I have found that the Bible if read literally presents multitudes of logical fallacies, false statements, and impossible accounts. In order to rationalize these things one must repurpose and misinterpret the Bible to fit reality beyond my personally acceptable peramiters. I also find that on a denomination to denomination, church to church, fellowship to fellowship, and person to person basis, there are far to may variations and doctrines that conflict with each other and all claim to be the truth. There is no possible way for me personally to fully accept the Christian religion, or any others including those which demonstrably predate the judo Christian religion as a logical explanation for my existence, without faith.
 
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