by JL Wall

Since John brings up my earlier post on doubt and faith, I figure this is as good a time as any to try to keep improving on those two very insufficient two paragraphs of mine.  I still think that the struggle with doubt can be integral to the development of one’s understanding of their own faith, and the strength of belief.  John, however, was right to amend that phrase: “struggle with together.”  Not that we need a Doubters Anonymous; rather, the knowledge that others have encountered the same or similar struggles can itself be instructive, and a help.

Yet I don’t think that doubt must be exclusively against faith.  There can be a doubt within faith; a doubt that does not challenge the existence of G-d or the Covenant or the truth contained in it.

First, let’s revisit David Plotz’s examples that got me going:

“Moses negotiating with God at the burning bush, Gideon demanding divine proof before going to war, Job questioning God’s own justice, Abraham demanding that God be merciful to the innocent of Sodom.”

These are not instances in which the existence of G-d is challenged, or doubted. Rather, the doubt comes at the point where G-d and man interact. They do not doubt “I am the Lord thy G-d.” Moses didn’t say, “You did not choose me.”  Rather, “Please, choose someone else. But if you don’t, I will go.”  Job does not question the existence of G-d or divine justice (note the refusal to “curse G-d and die”) but challenges the justice of the actions.  He doubts whether G-d is just — and for G-d to be unjust, but G-d and justice must exist.

Friday afternoon is a terribly poor time to try to write something like this — puts me in too much of a hurry — so I’ll leave you here for now, and also with a promise (which I will hopefully keep) to revisit the subject later.

     Filed under: religion