faith and fear

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Is there anyone here who thinks doubt is not the first step, or a common first step, on the path to non-belief?

This, I think, is why rabid faith, like unsafe's, fears doubt itself. Doubt is to question and not have a settled answer. Anyone who won't let you question what they tell you is selling something. unsafe is selling something. When faith is not based on anything testable, or something with variable results when tested, then having a settled answer is simply being untruthful about the results.

I like it when people stop and think about what they've been told about their religion. I hope more people find that path away from faith. But I won't try to scare them onto the path I hope they choose.
I'm not sure if anyone has ever asked you this, but have you ever been interested in philosophy? I can't remember if I've heard you discuss the subject before. Just wondering how you frame your questions to life's answers that aren't so easily explained through the scientific method.
 
Where did I say this unsafe? All I have said in this thread is, "As we see in the book of Habakkuk, God can turn our worry into worship."

It was actually @Mendalla who said that in post #12 of this thread. It's an honor to be confused for Mendalla, but I am not him.

Habit cock .. as a peter going off half cocked because of Lucid perspectives ... a prick to the con-science?
 
Is there anyone here who thinks doubt is not the first step, or a common first step, on the path to non-belief?

This, I think, is why rabid faith, like unsafe's, fears doubt itself. Doubt is to question and not have a settled answer. Anyone who won't let you question what they tell you is selling something. unsafe is selling something. When faith is not based on anything testable, or something with variable results when tested, then having a settled answer is simply being untruthful about the results.

I like it when people stop and think about what they've been told about their religion. I hope more people find that path away from faith. But I won't try to scare them onto the path I hope they choose.

Uncertainty Theory is just non-theological ... as if the gods were logical when planning chaos ... the theologians carry on with some moles imbedded in the institution.

They tend to be blind to rats, moles and other critters in the Wahls ...
 
I'm not sure if anyone has ever asked you this, but have you ever been interested in philosophy? I can't remember if I've heard you discuss the subject before. Just wondering how you frame your questions to life's answers that aren't so easily explained through the scientific method.
I don't use the scientific method like you use the bible. I hardly ever think about it, unless people want to convince me of something that sounds fishy.

I think life has a lot of questions that have not been answered or are unanswerable as far as we know. What I hate, is when people pretend to know the answers without any indications that they are correct. Religion is often like that. "God" answers the "why questions" succinctly, but with concentrated stupidity. To me, these aren't answers - they're spitballs. Some will stick to the wall for a while before they fall off. Most will just bounce. A select few will stay on the wall a long time in lieu of better answers, but that doesn't necessarily mean they're right.
 
I don't use the scientific method like you use the bible. I hardly ever think about it, unless people want to convince me of something that sounds fishy.

I think life has a lot of questions that have not been answered or are unanswerable as far as we know. What I hate, is when people pretend to know the answers without any indications that they are correct. Religion is often like that. "God" answers the "why questions" succinctly, but with concentrated stupidity. To me, these aren't answers - they're spitballs. Some will stick to the wall for a while before they fall off. Most will just bounce. A select few will stay on the wall a long time in lieu of better answers, but that doesn't necessarily mean they're right.

Philosophy of engineering does include some logic with the emotional aspect of constructing something other than some emotional upstanding thing ... that could oppose the desired with sentient attributes ... a word evolved from sapiens ... some who make monikers of themselves to blend in with the other kind ...
 
Waterfall ---your quote -----Doubt is not the same as unbelief. Questioning can strengthen your faith by testing your existing faith and making your faith even stronger.

Doubt is not the same as unbelief ---

unsafe says
------this is true ----Doubt is wavering back and forth --it is being unstable in your stance of where your belief is --

Unbelief is saying that I will live my life the way I want cause there is no God ---there is no wavering --you are grounded in your unbelief ----

So Unbelief is better than Doubt in actual fact because in Unbelief we are stable in our thinking ----We don't believe in the thing --Period --- where as in Doubt our thinking is wavering back and forth ---

Doubt can lead to unbelief ----doubt can bring our thinking to unbelief ----Doubt is a weed that allows Satan in-- so his job is to break the cord that ties us with God in our moments of the doubts we have about our Faith in God ----and if we don't keep the weeds out of our thinking the weeds will eventually choke the wavering Faith and then the doubt gives way to unbelief ------


Waterfall ---your quote --Questioning can strengthen your faith by testing your existing faith and making your faith even stronger.

unsafe says ----I think there are 2 types of Questioning and Motive for questioning is important ---

1--Questioning that brings wisdom and a fuller understanding of God and His word by and through the Holy Spirit ----is appropriate

2--Questioning that simply seeks to validate man and man's ways---- is not appropriate in my view -----

unsafe says
As far as strengthening faith Goes in Questioning ---this may be your thoughts on this Waterfall ----but I disagree ---

Puttying our faith into action and remaining in God's word is the only thing that strengthens our faith in my view ----Questioning give us knowledge -----

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I don't use the scientific method like you use the bible. I hardly ever think about it, unless people want to convince me of something that sounds fishy.

I think life has a lot of questions that have not been answered or are unanswerable as far as we know. What I hate, is when people pretend to know the answers without any indications that they are correct. Religion is often like that. "God" answers the "why questions" succinctly, but with concentrated stupidity. To me, these aren't answers - they're spitballs. Some will stick to the wall for a while before they fall off. Most will just bounce. A select few will stay on the wall a long time in lieu of better answers, but that doesn't necessarily mean they're right.
I agree, there are many assumptions that are used within religion that elude a rational examination, but as you say, that can apply to life in general.
Anyway, thank you for your response....just wondered how you handled the deeper questions and curiosities of life and was interested if philosophy played a part.
 
Worry is a useless occupation of the mind that goes in circles, keeps you up at night and doesn’t get you anywhere.
Trust, to some degree, can break that cycle- if I worry about my son making unhealthy choices, I could trust that he will eventually learn to make better choices and change his behaviour. Expressing this trust would help encourage him to actually feel supported and possibly think about what I am saying. Expressing motherly worries usually did not help.

We can worry about the environment, but until we actually trust that we can make changes and act on it, worrying is useless.
 
KayTheCurler said:
"Worry leaves when faith enters".

Ugh.

I suspect that the idea is taken from Matthew 6:25.

I hate the way they have rendered it as a trite cliche.

KayTheCurler said:
I'm wondering 'faith in what?' Is faith reserved for Christians? If I had ever met the RC priest I could ask him but I haven't.

Hard to say. I would lean towards faith in Jesus. On an RC church sign it could mean the church or something other.


Faith is not a miracle cure. It does not instantly change the way a person thinks or reacts. In time such transformation may occur.

Until such a transformation occurs. Worried souls worry still.

I have concerns about this and that. I don't lose any sleep worrying anout this or that.

Some things are within my sphere of influence and as such it is right to be concerned that one does well. Other things are outside my sphere which requires me to trust others.
 
Is there anyone here who thinks doubt is not the first step, or a common first step, on the path to non-belief?

Yeah. Me. It is often the first step to a change of faith, but non-belief is only one possible path for that change. And sometimes non-believers have doubt that leads them to some kind of faith.

Example: The Baha'i friend I mention from time to time. He was born and raised Jewish, went through a bout of atheism before landing in Baha'ism, which is, to be honest, as theistic as they come. Doubt led him to a new path, but definitely not non-belief.

And I continue to doubt even as a nominal non-believer. Who knows where that will end up leading me? I could end up a Christian, Bahai, or some other faith path down the road. Part of the reason I embrace "agnostic" as a label is because of my constant doubt and questioning about where I am on my spiritual path at any given time. To be honest, if I was sure of where I was on that path, I probably wouldn't be here having conversations like this. Doubt is healthy for everyone, and a non-believer can have doubts and ask questions about their path as much as anyone.

Short version: Non-belief is not the automatic end result of doubt, though a change in faith often is.
 
Never said non-belief was the *automatic* result of doubt. Did say that doubt was a common first step on the path to non-belief.
 
Ugh.

I suspect that the idea is taken from Matthew 6:25.

I hate the way they have rendered it as a trite cliche.



Hard to say. I would lean towards faith in Jesus. On an RC church sign it could mean the church or something other.


Faith is not a miracle cure. It does not instantly change the way a person thinks or reacts. In time such transformation may occur.

Until such a transformation occurs. Worried souls worry still.

I have concerns about this and that. I don't lose any sleep worrying anout this or that.

Some things are within my sphere of influence and as such it is right to be concerned that one does well. Other things are outside my sphere which requires me to trust others.

Doesn't some text speak about this and that god and the unseen ... not yet heard of?

That could cause something ...
 
Never said non-belief was the *automatic* result of doubt. Did say that doubt was a common first step on the path to non-belief.

It does cause some of us to question slyly as moles ... for the determined will say we are going to a warmer place because of doubting the crap that happens blindly ... in the pits it will ferment and generate heat ... like heaps of composting immaterial ... snot real! Just antiphlogistine ... a rub that takes away irritation from nothing? Nothing is said to be non existent substance ... and thus the mental means is beyond us ... unless you journey and journal ... about improbabilities ... regression annals'? These follow the oral stage ... to the gut process ... food for worms ... nema todes ...
 
Never said non-belief was the *automatic* result of doubt. Did say that doubt was a common first step on the path to non-belief.
Which is never a good thing. Best to read the word of God daily, and regularly partake in Communion.
 
Like pictures of lung disease are on packages of cigarettes, I'm thinking examples of your personality should be on packages of communion crackers.
 
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Like pictures of lung disease are on packages of cigarettes, in thinking examples of your personality should be on packages of communion crackers.

I feel the love you poster child for atheism. :ROFLMAO:

Have a great day chansen. Peace.
 
Is a closed mind acceptable in the light of heavens ... an occult place that opens at night to let the isolated in for a glimpse of aspirations of an open, wide based nature ... bi-god that'Sur ...

spa·tial
ˈspāSHəl/
adjective
adjective: spatial; adjective: spacial
  1. relating to space.​

Imagine closed spaces ... to encourage abstracts of how to allow the open to get around the points of closed nature.

What is the biggest danger to a brute closed mind ... one that is aware of larger spaces ... and extended intellect that is a pain to the points? Isn't that a thorn ... like the points of hedgehogs, and other critters with fringes? A' way out ...

Ever get that feeling of falling off at night ... when alternately it might be falling through as logical fallacy? This may often be encountered in an emotional flush ... catharsis?

May be exposed in red faced text ... as the darker spatial forms warm to exposure ... rye sooth? Poorly understood by the stern and fixed ...
 
Never said non-belief was the *automatic* result of doubt. Did say that doubt was a common first step on the path to non-belief.

I would say, based on accounts I have read, that it is also a common first step on the path to faith (or back to faith). Anyone of any philosophical or theological stripe who doesn't question their beliefs and understandings from time to time is missing a chance to follow Socrates' maxim that "the unexamined life is not worth living".
 
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