exploring doubtful belief...courageous imagination

Thanks to Paul Fromont for these breath taking quotes from Rollo May's book, " The Courage to Create."

“…People who claim to be absolutely convinced that their stand is the only right one are dangerous. Such conviction is the essence not only dogmatism, but of its more destructive cousin, fanaticism. It blocks the user from learning new truth, and is a dead giveaway of unconscious doubt…”

“The person then has to double his or her protests in order to quiet not only the opposition but his or her own unconscious doubts as well.” 

“…The person with the courage to believe and at the same time to admit his doubts is flexible and open to new learning”, and I’d add, open to new depths of meaning and new vantage points from which to gain new or different perspectives.

“Commitment”, May writes, “is healthiest when it is not without doubt, but in spite of doubt. To believe fully and at the same moment to have doubts is not at all a contradiction: [rather] it presupposes a greater respect for truth, an awareness that truth always goes beyond anything that can be said or done at any given moment…” 

It's interesting after many years into this journey of faith, that this is where I find myself. I fully believe, as much, as if not more than when I first started. But, I do have doubts. But, my belief has become an anchoring pin, secure enough that I can explore doubt. I can repell it's depths without fear...it's here we find new dimensions. We are at a time when we must plumb the depths of truth if we are to find a redemptive imagination that speaks hope into a world that seems to have lost all imagination.

Comments

[John]

Hi I am from Melbourne.

Unfortunately neither imagination nor hope have anything to do with the process that is True Religion.

What could anyone who is living in a relatively comfortable and secure circumstance possibly be hoping for--that they are not going to die!

Of course hope for something better or more is necessary for the hundreds of millions living in either wretched poverty or dreadful social circumstances. But even they need more than hope.

http://www.dabase.org/embrace.htm

http://www.dabase.org/Divhscrt.htm

http://www.dabase.org/tfrbklih.htm

Plus a set of essays which give a radical critique of what is usually called religion.

http://www.adidam.org/teaching/aletheon/truth-religion.aspx

[Alan Crookham]

You are right when you say that we should move forward despite doubt. Something interesting about the word doubt in the Bible, is that in the Greek it also means to hesitate. Doubt is not necessarily something we feel, but something we do. When God tells us to do something, and we don't do it when He tells us the time is right.

[Al]

I like the idea of flexibility. "Blessed are the flexible for they shall not be broken."

If our faith is built on a number of things which must all be true, then our faith will collapse if one of those things turns out not to be true. On the other hand, if our faith is in the character of God but all other things are held loosely, then if one of the things we thought was true fails, we still have the anchor point you refer to.

Doubt gives us permission to look at something from more than one perspective. It gives us the ability to carry on.

For example: Many Christians hold tightly to a literal, 6 day creation. If someday that understanding is destroyed, their whole faith may crumble. On the other hand, a Christian who is willing to consider other understandings of creation will still be capable of holding on to his faith in God, even if his understanding of a 6 day creation is destroyed.

[ron cole]

I John I did manage to wade into the links you supplied, much of interesting, but, I think the essence of the post is even beyong religion. I think it explores more the idea of living faithfully, in which imagination and hope are vital. In my faith I do not hope for more comfort. I would suspect if your comfortable. you're not follwing Jesus, but, likely some other god. I think moving beyond our religious christian certitude of abandoning the world and just saving souls, imagination pushes me in the Kingdom that Jesus said was near, here amongst us.
It is a very liminal space, where there is doubt, it challenges my beliefs...and it allows me to let go where God's grace stretches me. Imagination moves me to offer more than just words of Hope to people living in oppression, poverty, and injsutice...it moves me to act, to reveal and build the Kingdom in those situations. True religion is beyond belief...it is be lived, with great imagination and hope. Thanks, john for dropping by and stretching the conversation.

[ron cole]

Alan, I love the Greek interpretation of " hesitating." Maybe it's in that space of hesitation, the we re-orient ourselves to see with the redemptive imagination of Jesus that moves us forward with hope.And by the way, " Practicing the Presence of God ", by Brother Lawrence was a pivotal book early in my faith journey. It gave me a real appreciation of encountering God in the simplicity of everyday life. Thanks for the visit, Peace.

[ron cole]

" Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be broken." Is that your quote Al, very very nice. I've just added to to my book of quotes. I think you'll have to write your beatitudes. Peace, my friend, see you Friday evening.