The Logic of Belief

Dear Dr Lisle...

just to anticipate your line of argument..the problem is religion is not logical.

“Christ’s Death on the Cross was to save our soul’s”...there is no logic in this at all..thousands died on the cross at the hands of the Romans...why one person’s death should absolve our sin...its something you have to believe..logical thougth does not come into it.

Similarly “God created the heaven and earth in seven days”..there is no logic in this either all observations and logic tell a different story. This is a belief based on the words in a book that defies logic.

Your view of logic is some twisted thought process that involves accepting the bible and then basing all thought on that basis. You then try and claim that without accepting the bible logical thought is not possible. This is called a circular reference and try that in an excel spread sheet...it tells you its not possible..and there I rest my case.

—A., Australia

just to anticipate your line of argument..the problem is religion is not logical.

Non-Christian religions like humanism/atheism are not logical—that’s true. But the Christian worldview is logical. So, logic is not a problem for the consistent Christian.

“Christ’s Death on the Cross was to save our soul’s”...there is no logic in this at all..thousands died on the cross at the hands of the Romans...why one person’s death should absolve our sin...

There is something quite different about Christ than all the others who have died (on the cross or otherwise). First, Christ was the only one who did not deserve death; all the rest of us have committed high treason against an infinitely holy God—a capital offense. Christ died for our sins rather than His own, which, as a sinless being, is something only He could do. Second, Christ is not just a man, but is also God. Third, Christ rose from the dead—something that others have not been able to achieve.

its something you have to believe..logical thougth does not come into it.

Actually, it is very logical. God is fully righteous and is also abounding in mercy. If God were to let us into heaven apart from Christ’s atonement, it would not be righteous. And if He were to consign all of us to hell (which we rightly deserve), then there would be little evidence of God’s mercy. The gospel message makes sense of both God’s justice and His mercy.

Similarly “God created the heaven and earth in seven days’..there is no logic in this either...

There is nothing illogical about God creating in six days, then resting on the seventh. It may go against your beliefs, but that does not make it illogical. In fact, our week is based on this (Exodus 20:8–11).

all observations and logic tell a different story.

This is the fallacy of reification. People tell stories; “logic” and “observations” do not. In any case, all observations are all logically compatible with a six-day creation. We have articles on this if you are interested.

This is a belief based on the words in a book that defies logic.

Nothing in the Bible defies logic, though there are some things that we may not understand about God since He is infinite and we are finite. But there is nothing about God that violates a law of logic. In fact, apart from the biblical God, what would be the basis for laws of logic?

Your view of logic is some twisted thought process...

Logic is not simply a thought process, but is, in fact, the correct chain of reasoning between premises and conclusions. It is the standard of correct thinking. The Christian can have such a standard—God. Laws of logic reflect God’s thinking, which is why they are universal, immaterial, and unchanging—thereby reflecting God’s nature. We can know about the laws of logic because we are made in God’s image. But the non-Christian cannot make sense of laws of logic, even though he inherently relies on them—an inconsistency.

that involves accepting the bible and then basing all thought on that basis. You then try and claim that without accepting the bible logical thought is not possible.

This isn’t quite correct. Unless the biblical worldview is true, logical thought would not be possible. Only the biblical worldview can make sense of immaterial, universal, invariant laws of logic. Thus, if logic is meaningful, then the biblical worldview is true—regardless of whether or not people accept and profess this fact.

This is called a circular reference and try that in an excel spread sheet...it tells you its not possible..and there I rest my case.

No, a circular argument is one in which a premise tacitly includes the conclusion. And that is not the case here. The argument is a modus tollens (i.e., denying the consequent), which is perfectly valid:

1. If the Bible were not true, then laws of logic would not be meaningful.
2. Laws of logic are meaningful.
3. Therefore, the Bible is true.

Since the argument is valid, the only way to refute it would be to disprove one of the premises—most people might attempt to refute premise #1. However, no one has been able to do this.

I hope this clears up the confusion.

—Dr. Jason Lisle