The step beyond comprehension into belief is called faith. Understandably, the word faith grates on the ear of a rationalist like fingernails on a chalkboard, but that’s because of a popular misconception about what faith is. We should never exercise faith in spite of reason and evidence but always because of reason and evidence. When reason tallies the evidence and maps the course, it hands the keys to faith to start up the engine. Faith trusts what reason tells it must be true. Blind faith undirected by reason is neither credible nor admirable. It is a foolish leap into the dark with no assurance that it will land on the solid ground of truth.
So, the choice between God and naturalism is not a choice between faith and reason. Faith is essentially inoperable without reason, and reason is sterile and powerless without faith. When people choose God, they take a step of faith. When people choose naturalism, they take a step of faith. The choice between God and naturalism boils down to whether one’s faith is informed by reason or whether it is blinded by a skewed philosophy that throws reason off course.
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