"Do you really believe...
...what you believe, or do you have doubts?" -text message
This is the single most thought provoking question I have been asked in the last week or so. Don't laugh, I get a ton of thought provoking questions at work and at home. This particular one came from someone very close to me who does not share my worldview (he is "skeptical" about religion). My immediate answer was "no". Furthermore, I amended that I struggle with people who do have doubts. Not personally, I just don't understand them. Didn't.
Now I am doubting my answer. Thought provoking.
I truly do not have doubts about my faith. I haven't for quite some time (ten-plus years). Of course, I will concede that in that time I have lead a rather charmed life. Great wife, great kids, great parents and siblings. Great friends, and great jobs. No unexpected deaths, and my critical job loss was followed up with a miraculous series of job offers over a *very* short period of time. There are a few stories in there, but they'll have to wait.
What I'm doubting about my answer is the *meaning* of my answer(s). By saying "I do not doubt my faith" does that make me a mindless zealot? Have I lost all objectivity? To my skeptic's credit, if God ever knocks on his door, he'll reconsider. He's open-minded.
I'm not, and I must ask myself why?
Fifteen years ago (or so) I chose to come back to the church. I grew up Catholic, but I felt a need to research everything. Maybe it's the culture I grew up in, but after research it was fairly simple to exclude a number of world religions (Islam, Buddhism and others) and pseudo-Christianities (Mormanism, JW) and the pseudo-religions (Scientology, Athiesm). With a small mountain of data, I made my choice and spent many years reviewing my choice, and indeed challenging it.
I know, I know, stuff you don't care about.
I realize that I don't doubt my faith, but I do question aspects of it. I am constantly revising my thinking on various theological issues, but I do so firmly grounded in my chosen worldview. I frequently examining items that challenge my worldview. I even read things that are outright attacks grounded in ignorance and inaccuracy. I suppose one of my biggest challenges is that I feel that Christianity is poorly defended (at least anywhere I see it being defended...)
So, what does all of this mean? I don't *feel* like a right-wing close-minded religious nut, but I feel they are playing a "better safe than sorry" game that seems a cop-out to examining religious issues and examining the Bible and society with an open mind to ascertain God's word, rather than to try to mold scripture to fit certain preconceived notions.
With all of that being said, they're in better shape than the skeptics. There are many levels of wrong. Heck, my worldview has a good place for many of the pseudo Christians (as theirs does for me, I might add).
So why don't I doubt my faith? I suppose because it was not based on feeling or experience, but rather was a choice I made from the information I gathered. I never had a "God" moment that turned me around (which so many Born Agains think is so critical), but rather it was a process that has lead me to where I am...which saves me from doubting some experience or words whispered in the dark.
And after this decision was made? The God experiences started coming. Sure, I hear all of the skeptics saying "self-fulfilling prophecy" as they read this, and I understand why.
And I don't doubt whether they are right or not.
I know.
This is the single most thought provoking question I have been asked in the last week or so. Don't laugh, I get a ton of thought provoking questions at work and at home. This particular one came from someone very close to me who does not share my worldview (he is "skeptical" about religion). My immediate answer was "no". Furthermore, I amended that I struggle with people who do have doubts. Not personally, I just don't understand them. Didn't.
Now I am doubting my answer. Thought provoking.
I truly do not have doubts about my faith. I haven't for quite some time (ten-plus years). Of course, I will concede that in that time I have lead a rather charmed life. Great wife, great kids, great parents and siblings. Great friends, and great jobs. No unexpected deaths, and my critical job loss was followed up with a miraculous series of job offers over a *very* short period of time. There are a few stories in there, but they'll have to wait.
What I'm doubting about my answer is the *meaning* of my answer(s). By saying "I do not doubt my faith" does that make me a mindless zealot? Have I lost all objectivity? To my skeptic's credit, if God ever knocks on his door, he'll reconsider. He's open-minded.
I'm not, and I must ask myself why?
Fifteen years ago (or so) I chose to come back to the church. I grew up Catholic, but I felt a need to research everything. Maybe it's the culture I grew up in, but after research it was fairly simple to exclude a number of world religions (Islam, Buddhism and others) and pseudo-Christianities (Mormanism, JW) and the pseudo-religions (Scientology, Athiesm). With a small mountain of data, I made my choice and spent many years reviewing my choice, and indeed challenging it.
I know, I know, stuff you don't care about.
I realize that I don't doubt my faith, but I do question aspects of it. I am constantly revising my thinking on various theological issues, but I do so firmly grounded in my chosen worldview. I frequently examining items that challenge my worldview. I even read things that are outright attacks grounded in ignorance and inaccuracy. I suppose one of my biggest challenges is that I feel that Christianity is poorly defended (at least anywhere I see it being defended...)
So, what does all of this mean? I don't *feel* like a right-wing close-minded religious nut, but I feel they are playing a "better safe than sorry" game that seems a cop-out to examining religious issues and examining the Bible and society with an open mind to ascertain God's word, rather than to try to mold scripture to fit certain preconceived notions.
With all of that being said, they're in better shape than the skeptics. There are many levels of wrong. Heck, my worldview has a good place for many of the pseudo Christians (as theirs does for me, I might add).
So why don't I doubt my faith? I suppose because it was not based on feeling or experience, but rather was a choice I made from the information I gathered. I never had a "God" moment that turned me around (which so many Born Agains think is so critical), but rather it was a process that has lead me to where I am...which saves me from doubting some experience or words whispered in the dark.
And after this decision was made? The God experiences started coming. Sure, I hear all of the skeptics saying "self-fulfilling prophecy" as they read this, and I understand why.
And I don't doubt whether they are right or not.
I know.
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