Quote Originally Posted by Heartless Angel View Post
Actually if all you want is an explanation, that would be relatively simple. An argument may require solid evidence that the belief true, but an explanation for having a belief could be as simple as having been raised to believe it.

However if you do want an argument, there are a few. One of the most compelling would be Aquinas' cosmological argument, though I personally do not accept it.

There are multiple definitions of truth, one of which that makes most beliefs perfectly logical is the coherent theory. This suggests that when we say something is true or false, we are saying it fits in logically with other beliefs (or facts) we have (we know).

Everything everyone knows is ultimately based on a leap of faith, that we percieve and understand the world and some the most fundamental concepts. Why then, do we claim to know anything, when some of these fundamental concepts which we base our entire lives around are unprovable? Simply, because we could not function in the world without some logical understanding of it. We can't prove the fundamentals of existence, but without them, we can't know anything else, so we take a leap of faith, and accept what we seem to know, but can't prove beyond all doubt, and build a web of beliefs that cohere to it. However we don't all have the same fundamental beliefs (though most are relatively similar), which leads to different beliefs about other things.

Here's a fun one to confuse people with, how can you prove logically, that your concept of logic is logical? The very instant you try, you commit the logical fallacy of begging the question and lose. Even the rules of logic are ultimately just a belief based on some observation. But if we don't accept it, we can't really know anything, so we take a leap of faith to make the world we live in make sense.

You're getting far too philisophical for this subject. I like talking philosophy, but for this particular topic I dont think its relevant. Im talking about what's practical, and by practical I mean whats useful to us.

I have spoken and asked numerous times why people believe in god and while most tend to just ignore and splatter obscene nonsense such as "its just what I believe" and "theres no evidence to prove hes not real" I remind them that my question still remains, "Why do YOU believe in him?"

noone has been able to provide sufficient evidence to back up their claims and beliefs. The idea of "faith' being reason enough to believe is a copout. As I've stated, faith is believing something without a good reason (or a logical one, at that).

As far as arguments and explanations ago, I reiterate:
Im asking 'why' people believe what they do, based on evidence or any proof that they can provide and I will quote the bible "peter 3:15 be ready to provide logical evidence for the faith that you have" if they turn their heads away from me.

If by mentioning perceptions and definitions, you are asking me what I base my beliefs on, I will tell you. I base my beliefs on evidence and scienfific method. Anything that has shown to be functional and work I will believe because I can count on it and I've seen it happen. It doesnt it mean it always will, but it has credability. Science gives us testability and repeatability. We have only know of pluto for about 70 years, but we know that it takes 200 years to orbit the sun. We know this based on math even though we havnt even known about it long enough for that to happen.

So my question still stands. Give me a logical reason for your belief in god and religion.