Does Doubt Doom You? No

[Qoeleth]

The first time that I doubted God’s existence, I thought I was going straight to hell. Nobody even wants to ponder those thoughts.

Being a follower of Christ has never been easy for me. I have always wanted to have faith, but was always saddled with unbelief and doubts. I worried that it might end me up in hell. I came across a quote by Paul Tillich that hit me dead on, "Doubt isn’t the opposite of faith; it is an element of faith.” I wrote a book (free download at Smashwords.com) called: “iDoubt: When Faith Falters.” In the book, I frankly discuss many issues plaguing Christians. In the end, you can make it to heaven even if your life has doubt in it.

That’s certainty true. A person who never experienced doubt would either be extremely graced, or perhaps simply stubborn. It is important to come to terms with doubts.

Myself, although I am religious, freely admit that the whole thing might be totally wrong. But, on balance, I chose to live as a Christian. If there is no God after all, we all end up as clumps of dirt anyway, so what does it matter? Nothing of any value has been lost.

If God exists, we should live as Christians.
If He doesn’t exist, nothing matters, so it doesn’t matter if we live as saints or as rabid dogs.
Since we can’t be certain which is the case, we should live as Christians. There is nothing to lose and everything to gain.

Doubts also help to purify our conception of God, and bring us to terms with our own finitude and sinfulness.

 

[fhansen]

The first time that I doubted God’s existence, I thought I was going straight to hell. Nobody even wants to ponder those thoughts.

Being a follower of Christ has never been easy for me. I have always wanted to have faith, but was always saddled with unbelief and doubts. I worried that it might end me up in hell. I came across a quote by Paul Tillich that hit me dead on, "Doubt isn’t the opposite of faith; it is an element of faith.” I wrote a book (free download at Smashwords.com) called: “iDoubt: When Faith Falters.” In the book, I frankly discuss many issues plaguing Christians. In the end, you can make it to heaven even if your life has doubt in it.

Yes. All faith is a matter of degrees of belief, or, to reverse that thought, a matter of degrees of doubt, more or less.

 

[Ryuji_Yamazaki]

No one of you is a disciple of Jesus. No one of you has faith, only wishy washy make believe, the work of your own hands. Hence your god, the Holy Trinity, is an idol. The idol of Athanasius the Egyptian. Faith is not our product it is a gift from the true God, a good report. Jesus is not God. The Son of God is the concept of God born of the introspection of God. The Son of God is the true meaning of the word “God”. This word does not apply to itself.

ki lo tis-ta-ha-weh le-’el ’a-her ki Yah-weh qan-na se-mow, ’el qan-na hu.

For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, is jealous of His name, God is jealous of it: (Exodus 34.14)

God shares His name (concept of God) with no other. The concept of God applies only to Him. In particular the concept of God does not apply to the concept of God (the Son).

Is it a wonder that so luxuriant a literature (tradition) is read instead of the Bible? This already is sufficient proof that your god is not I AM.

You are mistaken, God hates most of creation. It is a mark of His mercy that we exist at all. Wake up, the time is at hand.

 

[HardRockGTR]

Faith is a gift from God, a good report.

Are you a Calvinist?

 

[fhansen]

No one of you is a disciple of Jesus. No one of you has faith, only wishy washy make believe, the work of your own hands. Hence your god, the Holy Trinity, is an idol. The idol of Athanasius the Egyptian. Faith is not our product it is a gift from the true God, a good report. Jesus is not God. The Son of God is the concept of God born of the introspection of God. The Son of God is the true meaning of the word “God”. This word does not apply to itself.

God shares His name (concept of God) with no other. The concept of God applies only to Him. In particular the concept of God does not apply to the concept of God (the Son).

Is it a wonder that so luxuriant a literature (tradition) is read instead of the Bible? This already is sufficient proof that your god is not I AM.

You are mistaken, God hates most of creation. It is a mark of His mercy that we exist at all. Wake up, the time is at hand.

why would He hate is own creation? sounds like that’s probably *your *stance, not His.
It occurs to me that it’s much better when we get to know Him first before we take it upon ourselves to speak for Him,

 

[Ryuji_Yamazaki]

why would He hate is own creation?

And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them. (Genesis 6.5-7)

 

[fhansen]

Ryuji_Yamazaki:
You think God may’ve made a mistake there?

 

[Ryuji_Yamazaki]

You think God may’ve made a mistake there?

Of course not. Again, it is a mark of His mercy that we exist at all. Were we angels this would be perfectionism, not mercy. But here is where perfectionism still is: the universe, thanks to sinners, admits time loops: those who die the second death, the beast, dream the very nightmare they fall asleep in. Again & again. These live in the 6 faces of the cube that is the 7th day. These keep threading under foot the eternal Jerusalem. They do not wake up in the cube but have no rest in its faces, the outer court of spacetime.

A beautiful cosmology.

 

[Iron_Donkey]

Kolto, Kolto There you go again. Not everyone is blessed with your forthright faith. Thomas wanted to touch the wounds of Christ before he believed and is now in heaven beloved of God.
Surely any reasonable man is allowed to doubt the extraordinary claims of our religion? Blessed are those that do not see and yet believe. But faith is a gift and not our birthright. Be kind to the unbeliever and don’t let any hardness of heart stop our prayers for them and ourselves.

There’s doubt and then there’s doubt. On the one had, a teaching can be hard to accept and the mind can poke at it and not understand it, and feel unsure. On the other, a person can decide that because a teaching is hard to accept for him at this time that he won’t accept it.

The first experienced by nearly everybody at some point, I think. The second is entirely different and not good.

 

[renewedfaith196]

Jesus is not God. .

I beg to differ, my good man. Isaiah 9:6 says, “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” This son is called “the Mighty God.” How is that possible? Unless, of course, as John 1:1 says, “The Word is God.” Jesus is God.

 

[Ryuji_Yamazaki]

I beg to differ, my good man. Isaiah 9:6 says, “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” This son is called “the Mighty God.” How is that possible? Unless, of course, as John 1:1 says, “The Word is God.” Jesus is God.

Son of God = concept of mighty God. But the concept of mighty God does not apply to itself. The concept is not reflexive for God is jealous of his name i.e., of His concept, of the concept of God. God shares His concept with no other: the concept of God applies only to Him.

en arche en ho logos kai ho logos en pros ton theon kai theos en ho logos

In the beginning was the Word [ho logos], and the Word [ho logos] was with the God [ton theon], and God [theos] was the Word [ho logos]. (John 1.1)

It is not written “the God was the Word” but “theos en ho logos” i.e., “God was the Word”, “God” was that Word. This means that the original meaning of the word “God” is the one eternally begotten of God by introspection in His wisdom, literally His Son.

 

[HardRockGTR]

Myself, although I am religious, freely admit that the whole thing might be totally wrong. But, on balance, I chose to live as a Christian. If there is no God after all, we all end up as clumps of dirt anyway, so what does it matter? Nothing of any value has been lost.

If God exists, we should live as Christians.
If He doesn’t exist, nothing matters, so it doesn’t matter if we live as saints or as rabid dogs.
Since we can’t be certain which is the case, we should live as Christians. There is nothing to lose and everything to gain.

Unless, you know, the Muslims, or the Sikhs, or the pagans, or the Hindus have the right religion.

 

[fhansen]

Of course not. Again, it is a mark of His mercy that we exist at all.

We exist because He wills us to exist. Maybe He likes us. The God who knows the beginning from the end, who knew Adam would fall, who doesn’t make mistakes, certainly doesn’t change His mind in the sense that *we *might do so. Don’t you think that the writer of Gen 6:5-7 might’ve been using a bit of hyperbole, describing God’s heart from an anthropomorphic perspective, trying to emphasize/demonstrate His uncompromising opposition to evil rather than hatred for His own creation?

 

[Ryuji_Yamazaki]

We exist because He wills us to exist. Maybe He likes us. The God who knows the beginning from the end, who knew Adam would fall, who doesn’t make mistakes, certainly doesn’t change His mind in the sense that *we *might do so. Don’t you think that the writer of Gen 6:5-7 might’ve been using a bit of hyperbole, describing God’s heart from an anthropomorphic perspective, trying to emphasize/demonstrate His uncompromising opposition to evil rather than hatred for His own creation?

His hate is not the cause of our existence. Our existence is the cause of His hate. He knew He would hate us but He did make us exist. Mercy.

But be not fooled. Trash (those who fear Him not & others) exists for a reason e.g., to be the cause of time loops which are a beautiful thing.

 

[clem456]

It’s an imprecise question. Depends on what you mean by “doubt”. In addition, you are also asking about “doom”, which brings God’s judgment into the question. A huge topic.

From the catechism.
vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c1a1.htm

Faith

2087 Our moral life has its source in faith in God who reveals his love to us. St. Paul speaks of the "obedience of faith"9 as our first obligation. He shows that “ignorance of God” is the principle and explanation of all moral deviations.10 Our duty toward God is to believe in him and to bear witness to him.

2088 The first commandment requires us to nourish and protect our faith with prudence and vigilance, and to reject everything that is opposed to it. There are various ways of sinning against faith:

Voluntary doubt about the faith disregards or refuses to hold as true what God has revealed and the Church proposes for belief. Involuntary doubt refers to hesitation in believing, difficulty in overcoming objections connected with the faith, or also anxiety aroused by its obscurity. If deliberately cultivated doubt can lead to spiritual blindness.

Doubt is a serious issue. We should search for truth in good faith, and give our assent to it, rather than dwelling in or cultivating doubt. That being said, we are creatures and cannot fully absorb God, so we know imperfectly. This is where a deep faith comes in, trusting in what we cannot fully know, trusting others (Church), giving our assent to authority. Faith is in fact, beyond our intellect. In a sense, it is in not knowing, that we are known, that we arrive at faith. (Re-many of the saints, esp John of the Cross.)
“Doom” will depend on factors of culpability.

 

[fhansen]

His hate is not the cause of our existence. Our existence is the cause of His hate. He knew He would hate us but He did make us exist. Mercy.

But be not fooled. Trash (those who fear Him not & others) exists for a reason e.g., to be the cause of time loops which are a beautiful thing.

What’s so merciful about creating something you hate? What would be the purpose?

 

[clem456]

His hate is not the cause of our existence. Our existence is the cause of His hate. He knew He would hate us but He did make us exist. Mercy.

But be not fooled. Trash (those who fear Him not & others) exists for a reason e.g., to be the cause of time loops which are a beautiful thing.

Trash?
God creates because he is Love, by definition. Love is creative, or fruitful. You see this reality all around you. God creates because love is fruitful. Hate is incompatible with God. Hatred is a product of human free will.

 

[Ryuji_Yamazaki]

It’s an imprecise question. Depends on what you mean by “doubt”. In addition, you are also asking about “doom”, which brings God’s judgment into the question. A huge topic.

From the catechism.
vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c1a1.htm

Doubt is a serious issue. We should search for truth in good faith, and give our assent to it, rather than dwelling in or cultivating doubt. That being said, we are creatures and cannot fully absorb God, so we know imperfectly. This is where a deep faith comes in, trusting in what we cannot fully know, trusting others (Church), giving our assent to authority. Faith is in fact, beyond our intellect. In a sense, it is in not knowing, that we are known, that we arrive at faith. (Re-many of the saints, esp John of the Cross.)
“Doom” will depend on factors of culpability.

What is the second? The Catholics’ 9th & 10th result from splitting the original 10th.
Did you know that Catholicism banned the Bible?

Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand. (Revelation 1.3)

 

[Ryuji_Yamazaki]

ROME, Jan 22, 1998 (Reuters) - The Vatican permitted scrutiny of one of the most notorious periods in Roman Catholic Church history on Thursday when it opened the archives of the department once known as the Inquisition. Scholars now will be able to study cases such as that of the astronomer Galileo, condemned by the Inquisition for claiming the earth revolved round the sun, and Giordano Bruno, a monk burnt for heresy in 1600 in Rome’s Campo dei Fiori square.

Vatican officials say the secret files, dating between 1542 and 1902, will yield precious few juicy secrets – the Church officially rehabilitated Galileo in 1992, for example. But the archives do contain some surprises. Opened on Thursday alongside the Inquisition archives was the infamous Index of Forbidden Books, which Roman Catholics were forbidden to read or possess on pain of excommunication. They showed that even the Bible was once on the blacklist. Translations of the holy book ended up on the bonfires along with other "heretical’’ works because the Church, whose official language was Latin, was suspicious of allowing the faithful access to sacred texts without ecclesiastical guidance.

Protestants, who split from Roman Catholics during the Reformation in the 16th and 17th centuries, were allowed to read holy works directly. The Index of Forbidden Books and all excommunications relating to it were officially abolished in 1966. The Inquisition itself was established by Pope Gregory IX in 1233 as a special court to help curb the influence of heresy. It escalated as Church officials began to count on civil authorities to fine, imprison and even torture heretics. It reached its height in the 16th century to counter the Reformation. The department later became the Holy Office and its successor now is called the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, which controls the orthodoxy of Catholic teaching. Its head, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, declared the archives open at a special conference and recalled how the move stemmed from a letter written to Pope John Paul some 18 years ago by Carlo Ginzburg, a Jewish-born, atheist professor in Los Angeles.

I am sure that opening our archives will respond not just to the legitimate aspirations of scholars but also the Church’s firm intention to serve man helping him to understand himself by reading without prejudice his own history, Ratzinger said.

Cardinal Achille Silvestrini, a senior Vatican figure, told La Repubblica newspaper this month that although the archives contained attention grabbing cases such as Giordano Bruno, there was also a wealth of information from the Reformation, through to the Enlightenment, French Revolution and the 20th century.

To be able to consult an unexplored source will be a real treat for scholars,’’ he said.

One Vatican official, Father Pagano, was one of few figures allowed into the archives when he was sent, on the Pope’s orders of to collect the documentation referring to the Galileo case. He told the Italian newspaper La Stampa last week that the archives of the Inquisition and Index, housed in two rooms, had suffered badly down the centuries and were now ``modest.’’ Pagano said the Church had a tradition of burning many of the most delicate heresy files and the Inquisition’s archive was almost entirely burned on Pope Paul IV’s death in 1559.

The documents were hauled off to Paris under Napoleon’s rule in 1810 and Pagano said more than 2,000 volumes were burned. Some fell in rivers during transit, others were sold for paper or became mixed up with other files. The Vatican said the archives now held around 4,500 volumes, of which only a small part referred to heresy trials. The rest detail theological controversies and spiritual questions.

 

[clem456]

What is the second? The Catholics’ 9th & 10th result from splitting the original 10th.
Did you know that Catholicism banned the Bible?

The Church gave you what you call Bible. Or did you invent even the word Bible?