Friday, October 8, 2010

Mortimer J. Adler on Faith and Reason

"I suspect that most of the individuals who have religious faith are content with blind faith. They feel no obligation to understand what they believe. They may even wish not to have their beliefs disturbed by thought. But if God in whom they believe created them with intellectual and rational powers, that imposes upon them the duty to try to understand the creed of their religion. Not to do so is to verge on superstition."

- Mortimer J. Adler


[Mortimer J. Adler, "A Philosopher’s Religious Faith," in Kelly James-Clark (ed.),]

7 comments:

Michelle said...

Great! I'll be sharing that with friends!

RHYTHM AND RHYME said...

Most interesting issue Gregg,

Yvonne.

Persis said...

Excellent quote. Our faith is not based on reason but it is not irrational either.

J Curtis said...

Oh yes. I believe that we are called to do so.

""Come now, let us reason together," says the LORD..."

Isaiah 1:18

kc bob said...

" Not to do so is to verge on superstition."

What a great statement! I think that much of what is offered as "faith" is simply a veiled superstition.

LibbyLibbyLibbyLibbyLibby said...

ewwww I love that!

Brian Ray Todd said...

Amen! Psalm 42:1 As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. How can we not desire to know what we believe and why? Proverbs 9:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.