Question about the spiritual world
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cubeus19
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Question about the spiritual world
Hi I'm trying to debate this agnostic friend of mine who is having trouble believing that the spiritual world (angels, demons, and so on) exist. He doesn't believe it because he says there is no way to verify it. I was wondering how can I show him that the spiritual world is real without offering him physical evidence? Thoughts?
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jlay
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Re: Question about the spiritual world
I'm curious why you would find that a good point to build or begin your case around?
Just because someone has an objection, doesn't mean we are obligated to address it. So, trying to show him the 'spirit world' seems like a dead end. No pun intended.
The best method is to lovingly help your friend examine his own worldview. When a person realizes they are in sinking sand, they are a lot more open to find solid ground. Otherwise, your friend is quite comfortable as he perishes in skepticism and unbelief.
A lot of times when we resort to evidential methods, the other person will in turn resort to escape devices. Say you present a solid piece of evidence. They respond, "OK, but what about.....the spirit world. You can't prove the spirit world, therefore I can't accept God exists or that Christianity is real." If you go that road, you are being led around by the nose, and attempting to defend or answer things that ultimately accomplish nothing. Even if you could prove the spirit world, how would that prove Christianity, or even a creator God? There is a large group of atheists and agnostics that believe in the spirit world. You might point that out. "There are many athesits and agnostics that believe in the spiritual world. They reject a creator God, and thus Christianity. So, even if I could prove a spirit realm, it doesn't get us any closer to answering whether there is a God, or that Christianity is true."
Just because someone has an objection, doesn't mean we are obligated to address it. So, trying to show him the 'spirit world' seems like a dead end. No pun intended.
The best method is to lovingly help your friend examine his own worldview. When a person realizes they are in sinking sand, they are a lot more open to find solid ground. Otherwise, your friend is quite comfortable as he perishes in skepticism and unbelief.
A lot of times when we resort to evidential methods, the other person will in turn resort to escape devices. Say you present a solid piece of evidence. They respond, "OK, but what about.....the spirit world. You can't prove the spirit world, therefore I can't accept God exists or that Christianity is real." If you go that road, you are being led around by the nose, and attempting to defend or answer things that ultimately accomplish nothing. Even if you could prove the spirit world, how would that prove Christianity, or even a creator God? There is a large group of atheists and agnostics that believe in the spirit world. You might point that out. "There are many athesits and agnostics that believe in the spiritual world. They reject a creator God, and thus Christianity. So, even if I could prove a spirit realm, it doesn't get us any closer to answering whether there is a God, or that Christianity is true."
-“The Bible treated allegorically becomes putty in the hands of the exegete.” John Walvoord
"I'm not saying scientists don't overstate their results. They do. And it's understandable, too...If you spend years working toward a certain goal and make no progress, of course you are going to spin your results in a positive light." Ivellious
"I'm not saying scientists don't overstate their results. They do. And it's understandable, too...If you spend years working toward a certain goal and make no progress, of course you are going to spin your results in a positive light." Ivellious