Despite Doubt: Skepticism

Despite Doubt: Skepticism

            “I doubt it,” the young child said to his friend who told him a story about a person who lived in a certain house that was really a ghost or a witch or really mean to children. Doubt is a part of our questioning the world. But when told something as a fact, do we often question “Are you sure?” It is raising doubt again and also whether you trust the source of the information at all.

Skepticism has risen around the world as we seek answers to the world around us and in us. The world has become more secular that is away from God but whether the people return to God is yet to be seen.  We are living in a different time when skepticism seems to override belief. We seem to start from skepticism and will only believe in God if we find enough evidence to prove His existence. We still may believe in God but we must fight our way there. Why is it so difficult to believe today? Why does the Christian faith seem like it is merely one option among many and how did we get here?

Modern science was based on a biblical worldview. People were given authority to ‘rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground.’(Genesis 1:28) Scientists have lead us to study all matters but in some ways these achievements {might} have cost us spiritually. The more power we gained over nature, the less we thought we needed God.  “We studied nature because God commanded us, but we got so good at it we supposed we could take His place.” (p.20)

            People believed in God to watch over us but lived far away and did not interfere with our lives. The belief that God no longer intervened in our world spread. And with it our dependence on God seems to have been displaced. Skepticism arises. We want to believe in God; we just don’t think we can. We are skeptical of God.

REFLECT for a moment and respond:

Are you skeptical about God’s existence? What causes you to think God is no longer present in this world? What enables you to believe? Do you think that modern science has lead us to become skeptical of God’s existence? Why?

 PRAYER

Wonderful God we pray to you without a doubt that you exist but there seems to be skepticism as to how you exist today. Do you inspire our scientists to discover new things about your creation? Do you merely provide the world and walk away? Enable us to understand from where you came, where you are right now and help us to dispel the doubt and believe in you so that we may trust you to light our way in this life and in the next. Be with us we pray. Amen.

Michael E Wittmer, Despite Doubt: Embracing a Confident Faith ch.2