Is rationality bad?

[mat007]

Hi. I've heard people that said that God doesn't want us to rationalize things, or that God doesn't want us to use our intelligence.

Is that right? What does this actually mean? Is it in the context I'm reffering to?

[Guest Butero]

1 hour ago, mat007 said:

Hi. I've heard people that said that God doesn't want us to rationalize things, or that God doesn't want us to use our intelligence.

Is that right? What does this actually mean? Is it in the context I'm reffering to?

I think that what they mean is that if you are choosing to disbelieve the Bible in lieu of science or your intellect, that is wrong and a mistake, because God is not limited by the things we are.  He is capable of doing anything, like allowing a virgin girl named Marry to conceive, creating a worldwide flood and saving Noah and his family on an ark, along with things like the Genesis account of creation.  I use logic and reasoning all the time, but not to make an argument against scripture.  

[GandalfTheWise]

On 9/5/2017 at 4:26 PM, mat007 said:

Hi. I've heard people that said that God doesn't want us to rationalize things, or that God doesn't want us to use our intelligence.

Is that right? What does this actually mean? Is it in the context I'm reffering to?

I've heard this in a couple of different contexts.  These two I would tend to agree with as being something to steer clear of.

1. The first is making excuses or rationalizing why it's okay for us to do something we shouldn't be.  Examples:  Since everyone else is doing it why shouldn't I do it?  Or, that only applies to other people, not me.

2. The second is approaching everything through a filter of "unless it can be proven it a lab, it's cannot be real" type of thinking.  From my perspective, science is a method and tool whereby we can learn a lot.  However, some people make the assumption that science is the only reliable method for acquiring knowledge and that nothing exists outside the physical universe.

However, I do not think that these are adequate reasons to not develop the ability to think logically, systematically, and clearly.  If you read the Gospels and Epistles, you will find dialogs and discussions based on logical and thoughtful progressions of ideas.  Indeed, Jesus often dealt with those opposing Him by simply pointing out common sense examples of why blind adherence to rules and traditions made no sense.  

The reality is that all Christians apply some degree of reasoning and common sense.  For example, Jesus clearly stated  "If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.  And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell. Matt 5:29-30 NIV    I think it safe to say that virtually all Christians understand that Jesus was not giving a literal command to be followed here.  If we believed it was literal, we'd have Christian doctors performing safe amputations as a service to the body of Christ.  We all understand that we apply common sense here and say that this is not a literal command to be followed.  Even though this could be applied today in some form of rule such as "If you are addicted to viewing porn, it would be better to make yourself blind than to end up in hell", no one takes that verse and applies it that way today.  NOR SHOULD THEY!  We clearly understand that maiming ourselves does not produce spiritual fruit.  Why? Because maiming ourselves physically does not change our heart.  Paul addresses something related to this in Galatians regarding those Christians who believed that all Christians must follow the law of Moses and be circumcised.   Good spiritual fruit and holiness is a result of being transformed inside by the Holy Spirit, not by creating physical situations around us to slow down the sin.   The net result is that we take Matthew 5:29-30 and say that it doesn't mean what it plainly says but that we need to interpret it to find what Jesus really intended us to learn.

All Christians apply some degree of rationality and thought to which verses and passages of Scripture apply to us individually and corporately whether they admit it or not.  Speaking for myself, I listen most carefully to those people that plainly admit that they do not know everything and lay out the reasons why they believe what  certain verses and passages mean and are willing to listen to questions about that.  I've been involved in a few groups (one church and one ministry group) where the leaders would basically give their interpretation and then attack any questions with "that's what the Bible says! Don't you believe the Bible?"   Both that church and group started getting rather cult-like (and needless to say we left both).