Is having doubts "bad"?

[paarsurrey]

paarsurrey said: ↑
Yes, but it should arise when there is an anomaly and valid reason to doubt.
Regards

I say it's better to always doubt.
Well, maybe not.

Then one would not have learnt anything from the start.
Regards

 

[paarsurrey]

From my view, there are several things that a person might do, when there is doubt.

1. He could start questioning, and he may investigate or seek out why he doubt.
2. He could ignore it through rationalizing that his doubt was in error.
3. He could ignore it because he has too much invested in his current position and don't want to rock the boat.

Only 1st one, is healthy.

That would mean one has doubted the creeping "doubt" or rejected the "doubt" seeing no anomaly or in other world one has preferred to remain on the default position which is without doubt and is more healthy than the suggested one.
Regards

 

[gnostic]

Yes, but it should arise when there is an anomaly and valid reason to doubt.

Isn't god, Angels, demons and jinns "don't exist", a valid reason to doubt the claim of scripture; accepting something supernatural from superstitious texts are huge anomalies.

 

[paarsurrey]

Isn't god, Angels, demons and jinns "don't exist", a valid reason to doubt the claim of scripture; accepting something supernatural from superstitious texts are huge anomalies.

Belief in G-d is different from others mentioned by one.
Does one believe that one exists? If yes, on what basis?
Regards

 

[gnostic]

That would mean one has doubted the creeping "doubt" or rejected the "doubt" seeing no anomaly or in other world one has preferred to remain on the default position which is without doubt and is more healthy than the suggested one.

Rationalising is make excuses, using circular reasoning or using one fallacy over another, is not seeking the truth of why there is doubt in the 1st place.

The 2nd point you have highlighted is not healthy at all.

The 3rd point is too scare to challenge one's view (doubt) because they are afraid of how the established organisation (religion, cult, sect) or community will react to his potential heresy.

Neither 2 nor 3 is dealing with doubt.

And lastly, if you already having doubt in your mind, then you are no longer "without doubt".

 

[gnostic]

Belief in G-d is different from others mentioned by one.
Does one believe that one exists? If yes, on what basis?

If you doubt your own existence, then you are more than likely delusional.

Your existence, and your belief in god's existence are not synonymous to one another.

Belief is just another word for opinion, and your belief can be wrong, just as any opinion you might have.

Just as there could more than one opinion, in a large group of people, there may be a large variety of people having different beliefs (eg monotheists, polytheists, desists, atheists, etc).

God's existence is dependent on one's belief.

If the whole of mankind was to become extinct, tomorrow, then the reality is that all religions will cease to exist. And so will this imaginary deity vanished.

 

[Taylor Seraphim]

Why would you be sad about anybody's happiness?

(unless it came at the expense of others')

Because it was at the expense of the self.

 

[The_Fisher_King]

And so will this imaginary deity vanished.

If, of course, this deity is imaginary..

 

[Jabar]

It is not exactly bad. Since you have done partial shahada. However, if you remain on this track then yes it is. Otherwise, you are still thinking unlike other people who were enforced into their religion without doing research and put thought behind it. So, yes it will be bad for you, however you are still thinking and still have time.


Note: This is all on my Islamic belief.

 

[Terrywoodenpic]

We should question everything.
what is true stands up to the closest scrutiny.
However much of any faith is less than certain.
and their scripture needs both study and understanding.

 

[gnostic]

If, of course, this deity is imaginary..

To me, all the deities of every religions have been imaginary, based on people's fear and ignorance.

It is both fear and ignorance that contributed people in believing in superstitions.

I don't know how many religions, but the I have read on and done research on, I really don't see any differences between the Abrahamic monotheistic god and that of any polytheistic deity.

There are nothing more special with Yahweh and Allah that come from other religions. And there are nothing special about the Qur'an, Bible and Tanakh that claim of the one god.

The differences between the Abrahamic religions and that of others, is that religions like Christianity and Islam have perfected the art of manipulating people, using their fear and ignorance them.

By pretending they speak for God, they have the power to do what they want, and get people to do what they want. Muhammad is a master manipulator. He used people to get what he want, power, prestige and revenge upon those who rejected him.

I really don't see Allah exist any more than Enhil, Ra, Amun, Osiris, Zeus, Odin, Vishnu, etc, do.

 

[The_Fisher_King]

To me, all the deities of every religions have been imaginary, based on people's fear and ignorance.

I really don't see Allah exist any more than Enhil, Ra, Amun, Osiris, Zeus, Odin, Vishnu, etc, do.

And you are entitled to your opinion. My point was only that if the deity in question is not imaginary, then the deity will not (necessarily) vanish just because humankind and all religions have vanished. It is entirely possible that there is a Deity that exists independently of us and our attempts to conceptualise this Deity, or to invent other deities. If this is so, then the conceptualisations of this Deity and the invented deities may well indeed die with humankind, but not the independent Deity.

For me, all the above you have named exist/ed. Some are just different Names for the same Deity, others the names of other deities/supernatural beings, still others the names of people who later became elevated to the status of a deity.

 

[Quintessence]

Whether or not having doubts is "bad" (a rather loaded word) would depend entirely on what is being doubted, wouldn't it?

"I doubt I can pass this final exam" -> primes mind to expect personal failure, increases the probability of failure
"I doubt I should start smoking" -> primes mind to avoid picking up a known cancer-causing habit

 

[gnostic]

Whether or not having doubts is "bad" (a rather loaded word) would depend entirely on what is being doubted, wouldn't it?

"I doubt I can pass this final exam" -> primes mind to expect personal failure, increases the probability of failure
"I doubt I should start smoking" -> primes mind to avoid picking up a known cancer-causing habit

That's why you needs to read the OP, and not just the thread's topic, because the OP do refer to "doubts" in connection with "religious belief".

The OP put in what context to "doubt" that I am speaking of, and it is certainly not about cancers or exams.

 

[gnostic]

And you are entitled to your opinion. My point was only that if the deity in question is not imaginary, then the deity will not (necessarily) vanish just because humankind and all religions have vanished. It is entirely possible that there is a Deity that exists independently of us and our attempts to conceptualise this Deity, or to invent other deities. If this is so, then the conceptualisations of this Deity and the invented deities may well indeed die with humankind, but not the independent Deity.

For me, all the above you have named exist/ed. Some are just different Names for the same Deity, others the names of other deities/supernatural beings, still others the names of people who later became elevated to the status of a deity.

And it is just your opinion that your particular deity is independent of man's imaginary or man's belief.

There are no "independent" evidences to support the existence of any deity. The existence of deities are hinged on personal "belief", and "faith" is as subjective as "personal opinion".

FAITH is not EVIDENCE.

 

[Quintessence]

That's why you needs to read the OP, and not just the thread's topic, because the OP do refer to "doubts" in connection with "religious belief".

The OP put in what context to "doubt" that I am speaking of, and it is certainly not about cancers or exams.

Okay, here:

"I doubt I should celebrate this holy ritual this year" = indicative of picking the wrong religion since one is not at all motivated to actually practice it

"I doubt this religious story is true" = having difficulty moving past mythological literalism to a more sophisticated grasp of literature and storytelling

"I doubt apostates should be punished" = not being a jerk to others

(assign "goodness" and "badness" to the above as you will)​

Better? What were you looking for?

 

[Jabar]

And it is just your opinion that your particular deity is independent of man's imaginary or man's belief.

There are no "independent" evidences to support the existence of any deity. The existence of deities are hinged on personal "belief", and "faith" is as subjective as "personal opinion".

FAITH is not EVIDENCE.

Faith is evidence. It is logical that there is a supernatural being if you go deeper.

 

[gnostic]

Okay, here:

"I doubt I should celebrate this holy ritual this year" = indicative of picking the wrong religion since one is not at all motivated to actually practice it

"I doubt this religious story is true" = having difficulty moving past mythological literalism to a more sophisticated grasp of literature and storytelling

"I doubt apostates should be punished" = not being a jerk to others

(assign "goodness" and "badness" to the above as you will)​

Better? What were you looking for?

I get your points, quintessence.

Using the word "bad"...or "good"...is not and might not suitable or accurate indicator of any argument because it is vague indicator, which can be used for or against any position.

I am sorry that I have used poor choice of word, for my title and OP.

But I would rather we focus on the context of the thread, and not get bogged down on that one poor choice of word you are so disproving of.

 

[gnostic]

Faith is evidence. It is logical that there is a supernatural being if you go deeper.

Faith is a matter of one's own convictions of what believe in. Faith is not deemed as "evidence".

You don't understand what faith is.

One can have faith in Zeus or Aphrodite, in Odin or Freyja, in Osiris or Isis, in Vishnu or Kali, or in leprechauns or pixie.

Would you believe each and everyone's faith to be evidences for their existences?

Evidence should be independent of one's own opinions, belief, faith, bias and personal preference.

You are a Muslim, so you have already made your own mind that Allah is real. That's your opinion, that's not evidence.

Sure, I can look deeper into what you believe in - the supernatural beings - but what I will see is what you won't like hearing - that belief in the supernatural and superstition is like believing in one's wishful "fantasy" or "delusion".

That's what I will see when I look deeper.

 

[Quintessence]

I get your points, quintessence.

Using the word "bad"...or "good"...is not and might not suitable or accurate indicator of any argument because it is vague indicator, which can be used for or against any position.

I am sorry that I have used poor choice of word, for my title and OP.

But I would rather we focus on the context of the thread, and not get bogged down on that one poor choice of word you are so disproving of.

Fair enough, though the issues with "good/bad" labeling isn't really what I'm hoping to get at here. In the OP, we're asking about the ramifications of having doubts in a religious context. What I'm aiming to point out is that those ramifications vary quite a lot depending on what the subject of doubt is. It is one thing, say, to start questioning going to religious services (if applicable for that religion), and something different to start questioning an interpretation (whether one's own or someone else's) of a particular religious text. It seems to me those have different implications, and by extension, the possible fears surrounding those doubts might also look different.

Say we have someone who starts questioning their commitment to religious services. If this person stops going to services, they will start disconnecting from their religious community in a rather significant way. This person might then be fearing the loss of that community and those relationships. The tale might look similar when it comes to some particular religious teaching - if they express that to others in their group, they may risk disapproval, and then social ostracizing. It may not be about the person being "insecure" in their religion at all, but concern about what others will think and how it will impact social life. Just to throw out some examples.