Have You Ever Questioned Your Own Faith?

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   CrescentSkiesposted 11 years ago

   Have You Ever Questioned Your Own Faith?
   
   As an atheist I question everything, all the time, every second. Especially my own beliefs. However when I ask Christians in my area about that they vehemently deny it and claim that questioning their faith is an act against god! Well something to that effect.
   
   Do you question your faith and why would it be wrong to question? If god meant for you to know and not question wouldn't he have been a little more obvious about his existence?

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   Faith A Mullenposted 11 years ago

   Hi CrescentSkies,
   
   I was raised in a Christian family and am still a Christian today. I went through a period of time where I did question my faith, and ultimately came to a place where I could not deny what I have personally experienced of the love and power of Jesus Christ.
   
   Going through that time strengthened my faith and made it MY faith, no longer my parents' or my church's, but between me and God alone. I believe it is healthy for every person to come to a point in their lives where they need to search and find for themselves what it is they believe. I don't believe this is an act against God, and I don't believe He is offended by it (those who do misunderstand His true character).
   
   What I like to tell others who are currently in that place of searching for truth is this - If you are questioning whether God is real, ask Him to prove Himself to you. And keep pursuing Him until you have your answer. Proverbs 8:17 says, "Those who seek me will find me." If you are truly searching, He will not disappoint. And once He does show Himself to you, you will never be able to doubt His existence again...

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   SylviaSkyposted 11 years ago

   I believe God gave us free will and intelligent minds, and He can handle doubters. He loves doubters just as He loves anyone else. Faith doesn't make life easy. Just like life, faith is a journey on a rough road. I think God expects his intelligent creatures to ask Him tough questions. In fact He is probably pleased to be asked the toughest questions we can think of. He's an interactive God.

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   calynbanaposted 11 years ago

   I question my faith all the time. I try to look at it critically from different angles. I used to be a very opinionated and hostile atheist and it was questioning my position, and my own brand of faith that made me realize I needed to do some more learning and changing. Now as a Christian I continue to question. It is one way that my faith can grow, and that I can be sure I have put my faith in the Truth.
   
   Not only do I question my faith, I occasionally have doubts. There is nothing wrong about having doubts. In fact I believe that having doubts, and later resolving those doubts can strengthen a persons faith.

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   krillcoposted 11 years ago

   Sure, it's part of the faith journey and faith development. We must personalize the faith we have been given. Read some work by James Fowler, who does and excellent job with faith development.

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   CJ Sledgehammerposted 11 years ago

   I do not question the Almighty's existence or His dealings with man or His Divine nature. What I do question, however, are certain doctrinal beliefs and concepts that are promoted within the church today. It is important for everyone to reassess, now and then, what they believe and why they believe it.
   
   My faith in Almighty YHWH and in His glorious Son, Christ Yeshua, is set in stone. There is nothing upon this earth, under the earth or in the sky that can diminish my love for Them. The Word of God and the Holy Spirit have permeated my soul and have become entwined in the fibers of my heart.
   
   I have no doubts regarding the Almighty, but I will question my understanding of Him...just to make sure I am as close to the truth as possible. The better I know Him, the more fully I can love Him and better serve Him.
   
   Peace be with you all - C.J.

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      lone77starposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Some beautiful distinctions made there, CJ. Just as scientists should not doubt the ability to find answers, they should also question their current "laws" (knowledge base). Newton's "laws" fell to Einstein's Relativity. But there's more.

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   lone77starposted 11 years ago

   Bravo! Questioning, especially one's own beliefs, is a beautiful trait for a scientist or a person seeking spiritual truths. In fact, it's the proper stance for anyone seeking answers of any kind.
   
   As a spiritual Christian in a denomination of 1, I question my beliefs all the time.
   
   Your use of the word "faith," though, carries with it a degree of confusion. Certainly, there's one definition that is approximately equivalent to "belief," but there is a kind of "faith" that transcends all such imperfect states of mind. This is the kind of "faith" used by Peter when he stepped out of his storm-tossed boat onto the unsettled Sea of Galilee to stand before his master. You can't do that with mortal "belief."
   
   I think I understand this subject better than 99.9999% of Christians, because I have experienced dozens of miracles. As a scientist, I also understand how such things are outside the realm of science, but some aspects of scientific acumen can be used on the topics of paranormal, Faith (as I use it), and creation.
   
   Science studies the continuity-bound realm of physical reality. Spirituality involves the topics of the discontinuity-bound realm of creation. Science studies the products of creation, and thus science could learn a great deal from spirituality, if it stopped being so biased. Regrettably, science took on a paradigm that is heavily biased -- that of skepticism, steeped in the potent bias of "doubt." Peter would never have been able to stand on that water, if he had used the imperfect and biased scientific paradigm. (And science would be better served by restraint and humility as paradigms.)
   
   Questioning one's beliefs is part of the best of Christianity, because it helps subdue ego (the source of all evil). Those so-called Christians who refuse to question their beliefs are being arrogant and lazy, and they're giving support to the source of evil (unknowingly, of course).
   
   The old, wise saying from the East of the empty tea cup is very appropriate, here. If your cup is full (you pretend to "know it all"), then you cannot learn anything new. Humility is required for both scientists and the spiritually inclined, and some people never learn this.
   
   As for God not showing Himself to non-believers, that's by design. This is a rescue mission, and you cannot be pregnant with spirit (ready for the escape), if you refuse to look. That's the simple truth that many skeptics and "believers" alike fail to grasp.

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   ii3rittlesposted 11 years ago

   I think everyone believes in something and has faith in something, whether it be God or gods, money & wealth, aliens, certain people and so on. I am almost certain every single person has questioned their faith. Having questions is a part of life so questions one's own faith is to be expected. There is a difference between doubting faith and questioning it however.

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   Dan Barfieldposted 11 years ago

   Unlike many people with faith - I think that faith is meaningless unless it is tested by doubt. Blind faith is an abdication of the responsibility to think for yourself and I don't agree with that per se. I don't overly object to those who have this kind of faith... except when they try and foist their "one truth" on others who don't share their beliefs.
   I was raised Christian and questioned my faith to the point of losing it utterly. I have slowly regained faith... but not Christian. In a hub I wrote about some of the different schools of thought regarding the meaning of life I described my philosophical belief system as: "a broadly non denominational theistic existentialism with a hint of common-sense thrown in"
   I think I'll stick with that

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      CJ Sledgehammerposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Dan: There are 3 main components that make up one's belief system: Genuine Authority, Sound Reason/Logic and Faith. If faith is not accompanied by either Sound Reason or Genuine Authority it is on its own and thus is considered to be a blind faith.

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