Doubt is Good by Rev. Carmelo Mercado

 

 DOUBT IS GOOD 

Rev. Carmelo Mercado, DMin, ChFC® 

Recent polls have confirmed that 65 million adults in the United States have stopped going to worship services, and 2.7 million are dropping out every year. This is before the pandemic! From 1933–2000, 70% of Americans consistently attended church, but now it is less than half (47%). On the other hand, there are 23% of people (usually the younger or millennial generation) called “NONES” because they do not check any religious affiliation boxes when surveyed, and their number is growing. They are not necessarily atheists. On the contrary, they may be spiritual seekers or people who are justly disillusioned with institutionalized religion; who have doubts about fundamentalist belief systems; and who question why many religious folks seem to be so mean, judgmental, closed-minded, and racist (quite contrary to Jesus’ teachings!). For them, most believers are less focused on leading the way on societal justice, racial equity, earth care, immigration reform, and peacemaking; and they are more obsessed on sexuality issues, “correct” doctrinal beliefs, gun ownership, Islamophobia, anti-science, vaccination conspiracies, partisan politics, etc. Rather than imitating Christ in going out and serving the poor, outcast, sick, and marginalized, these Christians are debating, condemning, and excommunicating one another, for example, on the basis if there is truly a literal/eternal place of torment called Hell or not! In other words, the basis of Christian unity is no longer human solidarity or “faith expressing itself in [unconditional] love” (Galatians 5:6, NLT), but uniformity to a dogmatic, narrow interpretation of Scriptures as defined by certain religious authorities (and even political commentators). It is no wonder that millions are experiencing a faith crisis, unbelief, and doubt. Doubt can be disorienting, lonely, and heartbreaking (especially when kept secret). However, a faith where there is no doubt is indeed a shallow faith. If your faith were to shatter because of doubt, then it was a shaky faith in the first place. Doubt can be deconstructive without being destructive. Without unbelief, there would be no changes or reformation to the status quo. Doubt forces us to question, rethink, reflect, reevaluate, and reconsider. In fact, doubt can lead to growth. I just finished reading Faith After Doubt by one of my favorite authors, Brian McLaren, where he pastorally describes his Four Stages of Faith (or its gradual development): 

1. Simplicity is where children (and even adults) do not question authority figures, and belief is dualistic (that is, having the right answers vs. wrong ones; us vs. them; good vs. evil). Many adults never leave Stage 1 or 2. Only doubt propel us to question each stage. 

2. Complexity acknowledges gray areas in life and that authority figures are coaches who help us with “steps” to achieve spiritual “success” by praying more and trying harder. 

3. Perplexity is suspicious of leaders as manipulators who control the naïve, and it is critical of beliefs as bias, intolerant, hypocritical, toxic, hurtful, or even dangerous. 

4. Harmony views leaders as imperfect, all life is sacred and a mysterious gift, and God’s friendly actions through others and loving presence in all creation are paramount. In Simplicity, doubt is a sin or betrayal. In Complexity, doubt is a disease to be healed. In Perplexity, doubt is a virtue to be nurtured. In Harmony, doubt is a necessary part of life to move from one stage to another. Doubt dethrones the supremacy of our ego, religion, race, politics, species, or whatever. Doubt should lead us to trust more in God’s supreme goodness and wisdom, rather than our own narrow-minded truths about God. As the late Rachel Held Evans wrote to doubters everywhere: “You’re not crazy, and you’re not alone.” 

Rev. Dr. Carmelo Mercado is the chaplain at Magnolia Towers and Westminster Plaza, he served as the pastor at Iglesia Presbiteriana El Redentor  (El Redentor Presbyterian Church) in Oviedo Florida and as a seminary professor.

The book cited is Brian D McLaren's "When your beliefs stopped working and what to do about it, Faith After Doubt" published by St. Martin's Publishing Group.  Purchase it at Amazon on line or other fine book distributors.