Well, where to start? First, a lack of conviction does not equate to not having faith in Jesus.
It's not difficult to grasp. Faith is a conviction of truth. Those who have Christian faith believe in the reality of God and Jesus. Believing in Jesus is a conviction of truth, which is a belief.
A belief and a conviction of truth is one and the same principle. Faith is a conviction of truth, which is a belief.....in this instance a conviction/belief held without verifiable evidence.
A lack of conviction is simply not being of acceptance of the truth about something.
You got it.
Where is the problem if one is not “convicted” of the truth about Jesus? The man “chooses” to reject the truth…he does not accept Jesus. The man rejects the truth. We see this all the time, not only in religion but also in our culture. The man prefers prideful, sweet sounding lies to the reality of truth.[/quotte]
The problem, as pointed out many time, is a lack of verifiable evidence to support a justified conviction of truth. What it says in the bible is no more an example of evidence to support its claims than what is said in the Quran or Gita, etc, etc, in regard to their claims.
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You are also wrong about atheists being justified by absence of evidence. This is simply wishful thinking and a childish hope for a “Get out of jail free card.”
Wrong. Justification requires evidence. Without evidence you have faith.
This was understood a long time ago.
"Faith is like a piece of blank paper whereon you may write as well one miracle as another." ~ Charles Blount (1654-1693
"Religion is regarded by the common people as true, by the wise as false, and by rulers as a useful tool." - Seneca
A person of reason considers the evidence and forms convictions based on the weight of evidence. And once again, if evidence for the existence of a God or gods comes to light, reason demands a conviction in their existence.
To condemn someone for exercising reason is an grave injustice.
