Dear OzSpen,

The topic is "Has consumer capitalism displaced faith?" Would you care to comment on the topic?

You wrote "...why don't you engage in a useful discussion of the topic - including the nature of God? 'Without faith it is impossible to please God. Those who come to God must believe that he exists. And they must believe that he rewards those who look to him' (Hebrews 11:6), http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews+11%3A6&version=NIRV"

I prefer doubt to faith. Faith is a belief in things one cannot prove.

I prefer to doubt and ask questions. Consumer capitalism has not replaced my faith since I have no faith. In a previous post I wrote "To counter mindless consumerism we can realise that we feel better and last longer by adopting a policy of moderation and limiting our wants to our needs." That discusses the topic at hand. Would you care to discuss the topic at hand rather than bring extraneous material like the nature of God? It is not ad hominem to associate you with silliness when the silliness is inherent in what you claim to believe.

"It is a truism that the human heart needs somewhere to rest and that hope is an essential ingredient of that rest. The place of that rest becomes God for us."

Hope is one of the worst spoilers of rest, it makes for a never-ending quest.
When our heart finally rests in God, we are at peace, our heart is full and overflowing with joy, so no space is left for hope.

People might hope in Mammon, but will never find peace that way.

So while in modern times consumerism displaced other kinds of hope, including the hope (which some might confuse with religion) that praying to God, the ATM in heaven, will provide material safety and wealth, it has no power to displace any true religion or faith.

Dear Yuyutsu,

I agree with you that hope is a spoiler of rest.

https://www.lionsroar.com/ask-the-teachers-what-is-the-buddhist-view-of-hope/?goal=0_1988ee44b2-682694f26e-24042663&mc_cid=682694f26e&mc_eid=a22723076b
points to a Buddhist view of hope.

Faith is the enemy of reason. Faith is the acceptance of truth in matters we cannot prove true. As far as I am concerned both hope and faith are inconsistent with a life of peace.

I am reading Kant’s “Critique of Pure Reason”. He explores the limits of reason.

At 94 I am at peace with myself, have neither hope nor faith and am considering the limits of reason. In the not too distant future I will enter oblivion. When I was younger I was not at peace with myself. I have found that it was best for me to discard both faith and hope.

That may not be true for others. We may have different ways to peace, and some of us will never find it. Oblivion is not peace.

'Faith is the enemy of reason'

obviously you discount the idiotic faith driven big bang theory and evolution theories david f. They are the most irrational explanations one can have.

david f,

<<I prefer doubt to faith. Faith is a belief in things one cannot prove. I prefer to doubt and ask questions.>>

That's a statement about your faith in whatever.

The faith I practise has its foundation in the God who exists (I can provide evidence for his existence), the God who acts in human history, and the God of the historical Jesus who lived, died and rose again.

Contrary to your opinion, this is not the 'silliness' of faith but the certainty of truth. I can assure you that I wouldn't be interacting on this forum with you if my faith was based on 'silliness'.

Why don't you write an article for OLO with a title such as: 'Faith is something we cannot prove'? Then give your evidence for such a proposal.

LEGO,

<<Jesus Christ. Another religious person trying to find a reason why their religion is decaying and hopefully, disappearing. The history of every religion was written in blood.>>

Would you please quit this blasphemy against my Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ? Blasphemy is 'the action or offence of speaking sacrilegiously about God or sacred things; profane talk' (Oxford English Dictionary, lexico.com 2020. s.v. blasphemy).

<<The reason why all religions are dying, Peter Sellick, is because of education and science.>>

This is an utterly false statement, as per the statistics: Posted by OzSpen, Tuesday, 18 August 2020 11:53:18 AM