“Is it a viable position for a person to choose not to believe based on no other reason than they just do not feel that God exists?” (Steve at SCP)
This is where this question gets real interesting. How much can we trust feelings? How much can we trust experience? How much can you trust you thoughts? What serves as the back-drop for filtering these things and making a paradigm for them? I do know for certain that all aspects of the human experience make us.
I personally use my belief system (Jesus’ Teachings) as a back-drop to develop a system whereby feelings and experiences are thought upon and then developed into the paradigm (value system). I feel, I think, I live, I interact, I draw a conclusion (value – changeable), I develop – then do it all over again. I don’t know – does anyone else’s faith system work this way – so easily?
PS: I don’t actually think faith is based in feelings (which differ from experiences – they are not one in the same – actually sometimes run contrary to one another and help define each other).
Loosing My Religion 