Regardless, it is the blind acceptance of baseless claims that is at issue.
Any claim about anything has to be evaluated on it's merit. If a Christian claims God answered a very specific multi-part prayer that an atheist might reject out of hand, and it is in line with the principles taught in scripture, I would certainly accept that that __might__ be true. If applicable, I might consider other witnesses to the events of the fulfilled prayer. I would also consider the character of the person sharing this testimony with me.
If someone told me they preached to a group of 50 Muslims in Sudan and and 10 of them professed their faith that Jesus is the Messiah and that He rose from the dead, and were baptized... I suppose I could reject that testimony out of hand and imply the preacher who told me was lying. After all, Sudan is a tough place for the Gospel. But I also believe the power of God can work on the hearts of Sudanese people as on others. If there were witnesses and I were curious I might ask their perspective. I might consider the character of the preacher if I knew it.
If someone claimed to have received supernatural knowledge, prophecy, or seen a healing based on the laying on of hands, in line with the teaching of scripture, I would evaluate it the way I evaluate other things. I might want to know if this individuals prophecies came to pass (if they were about the future) if there were witnesses. If I had evidence, I might consider the individual's character.
But I am not going to act like an obnoxious idiot and call all these people liars and just say these are 'baseless claims' parroting the rhetoric left wing media pundit . I'm not going to say there is no evidence when the Bible teaches us that the testimony of witnesses is a form of evidence, and witnesses are telling me these things.
Agreed but your statement only assumes the prospect not the evidence of their continued existence. Can you not see this?
That comes off as... well not wise... consider the set of statements considering the context of our discussion. If you are asserting that God doesn't do miracles, etc. now, and then say the teaching of scripture assumes the prospect of their continued existence, you changed your stance. You shouldn't follow that up with 'Can you not see this?'
Of course, every claim needs to be evaluated on it's own merit. The issue is that the scriptures teach that the Spirit gives these gifts as He will. Rejecting the claims of such supernatural phenomenon because they someone makes a claim is inconsistent with scripture.
This is carnal thinking. A faith based on sight and physical experience . None of your claims "proves" your point.
Your thinking is carnal here, if it reaches that level. It certainly isn't well thought out. You should accuse people with no evidence. Jesus walked on water. Peter walked on water. The other disciples saw it. Do you think Jesus' or Peter had 'faith base on sight and physical experience because they performed these miracles? Your reasoning is backwards and skewed here. Peter did not have faith based on sight and physical experience because he did miracles or believed in them or that he could do them (as evidenced by the fact that he asked Jesus to bid him to come to Him on the water, then walked on water). It was when Peter doubted, looking at the winds and wave (sight, relying on physical experience) that he could NOT do miracles.
I believe God can do miracles and gift people with spiritual gifts like the scriptures teach. I do not refuse to believe in God unless He does a miracle, nor do I desire to see miracles so I can believe God exists. Sometimes I wonder if some people who judge those who believe God did miracles with this bizarre line of reasoning are projecting their own past struggles with doubt on people? I suppose their could be people out there who want to see miracles to prove God exists who go chasing miracles, but it would be foolish to assert that everyone who believes God does miracles and gifts saints with gifts are so motivated. Why? Because the apostles believed God gifted people to do miracles. The New Testament teaches it. Believing New Testament teachings does not put one in the position of having a faith based on sight.
What I personally "perceive" is moot. I have never seen anything that I can say is beyond the shadow of a doubt a physical supernatural manifestation of the Holy Spirit.
Being able to perceive is not a moot point. Barnabas could see the grace of God among the saints in Antioch. Paul could see that a lame man had the faith to be healed. There is a prophecy in Isaiah that says seeing they shall see and shall not perceive.
Is this your comment about specific prayers being answered? Have you never prayed for something so specific and received an answer, that if you told a hardened atheist about it, they might call you a liar? I sure have. Have you never been in need and prayed for a specific amount of money and someone gave it to you? Or you prayed for something specific about ministry or family issues and it was answered in great detail? I have. That doesn't mean I only believe if the prayer is answered. I have certainly experienced faith that God would answer detailed prayers before those prayers were answered, but I could still had that sense of awe and wonder when they were answered.
If you haven't experienced specific answered prayer, maybe you should pray more, pray more specifically, pray more fervently, not just pray to consume the answer upon your lusts, or pray according to God's will. If you have this idea that God responding to what you pray is 'flesh' or 'walking by sight', you need to study the scriptures and correct your flawed thinking. Also, meditating on the word of God, particularly passages about God answering prayer may be good for you. In some people, I suspect rejecting Biblical teaching on spiritual gifts may go hand-in-hand in not believing God much to answer prayers, and so they just occasionally pray the Lord's prayer, pray for their food, and pray stuff like, "Bless my mom and my dog" or whatever.
It might also encourage you to read some of the testimonies of George Muller, who wasn't a part of the Pentecostal movement, back in the 1800's, and feed about his answered prayers, including praying and receiving resources to feed and provide for many, many orphans when he was committed not to ask people for help for that ministry.
My faith is beyond sight, beyond experience and beyond flesh.
If you have faith like that, there should be some evidence and manifestation of it in your daily life and what goes on around you.