Fictional Conversation Based Upon Yesterday's Post

A pastor is engaged one day by an atheist who tries to convince him God doesn't exist.

Atheist: I can see by the collar you are wearing, you are a religious sort of fellow.

Pastor: Yes, I am.

A: Well, I am not.  In fact, I think belief in God amounts to pure superstition and isn't rooted in any sort of fact at all.

P: That certainly would be the case if you carry the assumption that reason is the best way to obtain knowledge.  But it's just an assumption.

A: I don't think you can say that reason is an assumption. 

P: Of course I can, but for the sake of argument, I'll simply say that reason is far too limited in conveying the truth to others.

A: You'd have to have a lot of proof to back up that statement.

P: It's easily enough done.

A: I'm all ears.

P: For the sake of argument, pretend that I was born blind.  I have never seen anything. 

A: O.K., so what's your point.

P: Explain to me the concept of color.  Explain to me the concept of something being green.

A: Hmmm.  That's a difficult one.  I suppose you'd start by talking about an object.

P: O.K.

A: And then you would say that this object has a color.  Other objects can look different and have different hues.

P: But how would a blind person understand that statement?  Would it even make sense?  Close your eyes and pretend someone said that to you if you had no frame of reference for it.  Could you conceive of what green looked like?

A: No.  I couldn't.  It'd be impossible to conceive of green.  When all one has seen is darkness, you couldn't understand what a color is.

P: And yet, those of us who can see know those colors exist.

A: Yes.

P: But we couldn't convey them to someone who has been born blind.

A: Yes.

P: Therefore, reason is limited in its ability to convey the truth.

A: But, if the blind person had all of his faculties, then they would be able to know the truth.

P: But they don't. That's part of the equation.  We're dealing with what is, not with what could be.  The fact of the matter is, you couldn't convey to a blind person the essence of what it means to be the color green.  You couldn't even convince them there is such a color as green.

A: Now, that we might be able to do.

P: How?

A: We could gather up some folks this person respects and have them tell him that green exists.

P: But that assumes the blind person would fully trust and accept what people told him.  He hasn't discovered such a thing by himself.  He is totally dependent upon what others have told him.  This isn't what reason teaches.

A: That's true.  But there isn't any way the person could know green exists.  They would have to trust others who say green exists.  They would have to simply believe what is being said is true even if they couldn't see it.  They would have to know they are limited by their visual impairment and are unable to grasp such a thing as a color.

P: So, you are saying that a blind person would have to have faith such a thing as green existed and base that faith in the witness of others who he trusts?  And believing such a thing is perfectly acceptable--even reasonable given the circumstances.

A: Yes.

P: And you honestly have an issue with those who believe in God?