ANSWERS: 19
  • Probably. That's why there are so many divisions of Christianity.
  • Yes , I think we all have our doubts on occasions even the priests and preachers. We have to question or it would just be a form of brainwashed acceptance
  • I went to a different church than my regular one once, and the preacher spent an hour YELLING that if you even doubted for a SECOND anything about the Bible, that you would go to Hell. That was the only time I have EVER heard that. Every other preacher I've heard said that it was completely normal, and if/when you get over it, you just ask for forgiveness, prey, and go on as usual.
  • I don't think they are allowed to have doubts because according to Christianity the Bible is the only truthful gospel. But, everyone have doubts or questions about certain scriptures in the Bible.
  • Peter and the other disciples doubted form time to time and they were with Jesu so why would anyone expect us lessre mortals not to have a moment of doubt?
  • Of course they are. I've heard Bishops express feelings of doubt.
  • Doubts about scripture are to be expected given the abundance of misleading and contrary information that is out there. Still...we each need to look for the truth, because that is available if you really want it. It's likely not with the religion you were born into and it's guaranteed not to be an easy path. It's not going to be the church with the most casual dress code, closest to the house or with the most convenient in/out services. I can say I doubted a great deal about religion and the Bible at one time, but I found the answers and have no doubt whatsoever now. I found the one religion that truly explained the Bible - from cover to cover. It also introduced me to God, by name.
  • Absolutley. They can't know everything. Only God knows everything.
  • This is a very important and valid question. To put a fine point on it, some things happen whether they are allowed or not. It's the difference between 'can' and 'may'. That's why your grade school teacher made such a fuss about picking the right word. As imperfect humans we have limits. God gives us every reason not to doubt the truth, knowing that we still will do it. This is not a punishable sin, but a condition to deal with. The following is from the Watchtower of 2001. I hope it helps. Doubt—Is It Always Bad? Of course, not all doubt is bad. At times, you need to suspend acceptance of something till you are sure of the facts. Religious exhortations to the effect that you should just believe and should doubt nothing are dangerous and deceptive. True, the Bible says that love “believes all things.” (1 Corinthians 13:7) A loving Christian is certainly ready to believe those who have proved trustworthy in the past. But God’s Word also warns against ‘putting faith in every word.’ (Proverbs 14:15) Sometimes a person’s past record gives legitimate reason for doubt. “Although [the deceptive talker] makes his voice gracious,” the Bible warns, “do not believe in him.”—Proverbs 26:24, 25. The apostle John also warns Christians against blind belief. “Do not believe every inspired expression,” he writes. Rather, “test the inspired expressions to see whether they originate with God.” (1 John 4:1) An “expression,” a teaching or opinion, might appear to emanate from God. But did it really come from him? Exercising some doubt, or suspending belief, can be a real protection because, as the apostle John says, “many deceivers have gone forth into the world.”—2 John 7. Unfounded Doubts Yes, an honest, humble examination of the facts to establish the truth is often called for. This, however, is not the same as allowing unfounded, damaging doubts to develop in our mind and heart—doubts that can wreck our firmly established beliefs and relationships. This doubt is defined as an “uncertainty of belief or opinion that often interferes with decision-making.” Do you remember how Satan infected Eve’s mind with doubts about Jehovah? “Is it really so that God said you must not eat from every tree of the garden?” he asked. (Genesis 3:1) The uncertainty created by that innocent-sounding question interfered with her decision-making. That is typical of Satan’s methods. Like the so-called poison-pen letter writer, he is skilled at using innuendo, half-truths, and lies. Satan has destroyed countless wholesome, trusting relationships through insidious doubts planted in that way.—Galatians 5:7-9. The disciple James clearly understood the damaging effect of this kind of doubt. He writes about the wonderful privilege we have of freely approaching God for help in time of trial. But, James warns, when you do pray to God, “keep on asking in faith, not doubting at all.” Doubts in our relationship with God make us “like a wave of the sea driven by the wind and blown about.” We become like “an indecisive man, unsteady in all his ways.” (James 1:6, 8) We develop an uncertainty of belief that leaves us floundering. Then, as happened to Eve, we become vulnerable to all sorts of demonic teachings and philosophies. [end quote] The above helps us to see that some doubts are actually wholesome. It is good to keep testing whether we are in the faith and whether what we hear is actually true. Faith is not unreasoning belief. It is the weighing of evidence available to discern that which we can't see. True Christian faith is actually the ultimate expression of science. Put another way, if you never doubt what you hear, you will not progress and may be taken in by falsehood. As a Christian of forty years, i embrace my doubts and use them to increase my knowledge. The truth has thus far cleared up every serious doubt i ever had. The little ones will take care of themselves if you continually apply yourself to God's Word and humbly ask for direction.
  • It is natural to use reason and ponder over things and the more important an issue is to us (car, home, job, partner) the more we’ll ponder and reason about it. If religion is important then we will naturally give it a level of pondering and reasoning appropriate to its importance to us. If a religion says don’t ponder don’t reason then as a thinking person you should steer away from that religion. Your religious leader may ask you to accept things on faith but The Lord says in Isaiah 1:18 "Come now, and let us reason together" because reason will help us identify the truth and, as Jesus the “son of man” to give him his preferred title, said in John 8:32 “the truth shall make you free”. The Holy Qur’an (HQ) asks people not to follow blindly. To those who say they are happy to be xy because their fathers were xy the HQ asks in 2:170 for example “What! Even though their fathers were wholly unintelligent and had no guidance?” implying that one has to use one's intelligence. The HQ wants people to ponder over everything. HQ 4:82 invites people to question whether the HQ is from God “Will they not then ponder on the Qur'an? If it had been from other than God they would have found therein much incongruity.” While HQ 38:29 urges people to reflect on the contents of the HQ “(This is) a Scripture that We have revealed unto thee, full of blessing, that they may ponder its revelations, and that men of understanding may reflect.” Those for whom these issues are too remote HQ 38:8 asks them to ponder on matters closer at hand, to reflect upon their own selves “Have they not pondered upon themselves? God created not the heavens and the earth, and that which is between them, save with truth and for a destined end. But truly many of mankind are disbelievers in the meeting with their Lord.” HQ verses are reproduced from the translation by Mr Pickthall of the original text of the HQ.
  • I think doubt is a good thing. It leads to research which weighs evidence and proves God to be true. I'd have more trouble with people who always accept what they are told about God, by their clergy or by their parents or whoever, and don't get to know Him of their own accord.
  • Because of our sinful flesh, we will have doubts every now and then. Jesus' disciples were Christians(except maybe Judas Iscariot) and they doubted Him. Thomas doubted that Christ was risen from the dead, but Jesus came to Him and Thomas believed and said "My Lord and my God."(John 20:28). Unbelief in the Lord is sin, but when we doubt, we must ask God to help us have faith and forgive us for our lack of faith. I hope that this helps. :) Thank you and may God bless you. :D -In Jesus' Name.
  • no if your a christian than you must let the church keep its holy dick wedged far up your ass and not ask any questions or you are doomed to hell
  • A Christian is supposed to prove all things to himself, not to accept a thing merely on the appearance of it. 1Thess 5:21 Make sure of all things; hold fast to what is fine. A Christian should not allow any doubts that may come up to stumble them, but should go to the Bible to straighten out anything that is questionable. A rule of thumb that I follow is: If any part of the Bible seems to contradict another part, my understanding of it is faulty and needs to be corrected so that there isn't a contradiction in my mind.
  • yeah, I was disturbed by the fact you even have to ask that question.(not at you, but the nature of your religion) What Jesus tried so hard to do has been taken out of context for dogmatic and power hungry purposes. Try looking into An Eastern PHILOSOPHY or Shamanism. Jesus was an enlightened man, but maybe not the best teacher. Its like someone can be an amazing musician, but another man can teach the instrument much better. Put simply, Buddha came to about the same thing as Jesus, and made the same point of "I got into enlightenment and you can too" now, Buddha's disciples said, "lets try what he did man, it seems the good way to go", whereas when poor Jesus said it his disciples said "we must listen to this man and serve him, and if any of you don't WORSHIP him (scary word), you will burn for eternity) and if any of you show signs of emulating what he did, your an evil witch. The only truth we have is we must QUESTION EVERYTHING! question heavily everything I have written here.
  • If Mother Theresa can decide that there may be no god at all, then why on earth shouldn't you? Doubt and questioning are not something bad, they're essential to intelligence, to clear thinking, to finding real answers and to any genuine spirituality.
  • Encouraged not to.
  • Dr. Jack Hyles said that faith is believing and doubting but acting on the belief. For example, you may have a need that you've been praying about. Sometimes you may wonder whether or not God will answer. You believe and you doubt, but faith will cause you to continue praying.
  • I think a Christian should have doubts about the church and therefore question certain aspects of the bible which has been edited by the church. I believe that god exists based on my own existential thoughts, not because I was raised in the Catholic church. The nature of that god however can not be described based on biblical scripture or church teachings as they are both too contradictory. Alas spirituality is a personnel issue that can not be forced on a thoughtful person with free will. If you don't doubt you won't ask any questions, and if you ask no questions you will receive no answers. In other words as said by Playto (I think it was him) well before Christianity "the unexamined life is not worth living" So my friend, question away and good luck on your journey to find your own answers as no one can answer them for you. anyone that tells you they have the answers is full of SH*T!

Copyright 2023, Wired Ivy, LLC

Answerbag | Terms of Service | Privacy Policy