Is it acceptable to doubt God? What if we wonder about what we read in Scripture? What if we don’t believe some of it?
Rabbi Harold Kushner says we are actually obligated to question some things we are taught and to seek answers to our questions.
The United Methodist quadrilateral includes reason as one of its four points. God gives us minds to reason and to question when we have doubts or wonder about some issues. Tradition, another of the four factors, must be considered along with reason, experience and scripture. We use our capacity to reason in order to understand.
Our doubt may surface during times when we learn that life is unfair, when bad things happen to us or to those we love, when loving God wholeheartedly may be a challenge. It is appropriate to be sad, upset or even angry at such times. But retaining our relationship with God is important. As someone said, when we are beset with tragedy or pain, it is God’s heart that breaks first.
Written by: Marie Price
