Dear Water,
Arguments for Faith?
Protestants have an irrational hatred of all the Saints, although there is small justification for it. It seems to be hatred simply for the sake of mean spiritedness. But honestly, why should protestants hate Saints who lived and died hundreds of years before the Protestant Rebellion? When exactly do Protestants suppose that the Early Church crossed the line to being so demonic that it could only safely be completely ignored. But all of that is my introduction to Saint Bernard, who lived during the first stirrings of the movement to justify Faith by Reason. Bernard saw Faith as largely a Zen Like Mystery, and mixing it up with Reason could only hurt it. Peter Abelard, the most brilliant Mind of his time offered to debate Bernard on the subject, a debate that Bernard would have refused, except that the Pope, a former Monk to whom Bernard had been Superior, ordered Bernard to the debate. Abelard argued, and then it was Bernard's turn. Bernard looked across the podiums and into Abelard's eyes, and instantly Abelard understood the idea of Mystery. He instantly recanted, and resigned his Chair of Philosophy at the Serbonne and retired to a Contemplative Monastery.
Besides, when has Reason ever convinced an Atheist of anything. You cannot expect Reason to take the place and do the job of a Religious Experience. There was a well known Jewish Atheist in Paris at the time of the Atheistic French 'Enlightenment' Movement -- they used the Term 'Enlightenment' in the New Speak sense of being free of Religious Superstition. Anyway, it was the time of the introduction of the Medal of the Immaculate Conception, from a vision a nun had had of the Blessed Virgin... the Medal came to be called "The Miraculous Medal". On a bet the Atheist consented to wear a Miraculous Medal. It was Our Lady's Promise that anybody who wore The Medal would have some measure of Grace, and that Confidence could increase that Grace, but that simply wearing the Medal was sufficient for some portion. Anyway, the Atheist Jew has a lunch date to meet a business colleage in one of the side chapels of the Notre Dame Cathedral. He was struck with this incredible Religious Experience in which the Cathedral seemed to disappear and he seemed to be out in a beautiful field near a pond and a small Woods and the Blessed Virgin descended from Heaven and had a chat with him. This Atheist went on to become a Cathelic Priest and I believe may have worked his way up to Bishop. Anyway, it was not rational arguments that convinced him of the Truths of Religion. It was the Experience of Religion that made him Religious. There is no other way.
Besides, one philosopher, I forget who, had said that all good arguments are in fact circular... that is how you know they are valid. That is how a good argument checks itself for correctness --- that it can go all the way around and meet itself from where it started.