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Posted by lobo1023 on 12-21-2006 at13:38:

Room For Doubt

Interesting article from today's New York Times -

"Until recently, many influential analysts argued that religion, a vestige of an earlier stage of human development, would wither away as people became more sophisticated and rational. Obviously, things have not turned out that way. Indeed, the 21st century will be dominated by religion in ways that were inconceivable just a few years ago. Religious conflict will be less a matter of struggles between belief and unbelief than of clashes between believers who make room for doubt and those who do not. "

The Devoted Student
By MARK C. TAYLOR
Published: December 21, 2006

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Posted by Audiori J on 12-21-2006 at14:33:

 

The difference is if a man doubts in his own understanding and puts his unrelenting faith in God, or if he doubts God and puts his unreleanting faith in himself. In the first case doubt is the object of humility and faith, in the second case doubt is the object of pride and sin.

Matthew 14:25-31
During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. "It's a ghost," they said, and cried out in fear. But Jesus immediately said to them: "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid." "Lord, if it's you," Peter replied, "tell me to come to you on the water." "Come," he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save me!" Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith," he said, "why did you doubt?"

"Every step toward Christ kills a doubt. Every thought, word, and deed for Him carries you away from discouragement." ~ Theodore Ledyard Cuyler

We all will have times of doubt (in God) and blow it. As Frederick Buechner put it "If there were no room for doubt, there would be no room for me." But the notion that having doubts is a badge of honor shows just how backwards the world is. Its through those times of doubt and lack of faith, that we are most vulnerable to unGodly influence. "Did God really say, 'You must not eat from any tree in the garden'?"

To some they want to have doubts because to them it means they are open minded, but that can be just as dangerous as someone who is self assured. Both are not striving for faith.

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Posted by Audiori J on 12-21-2006 at15:21:

 

No Room For Us
from the album "Little Red Riding Hood"
(Terry Taylor)

Our souls balanced on a wire
Below is a consuming fire

If there's no room for doubt now
There's no room for us
Inside and out now
He's looking for us

Christ comes
Fill the empty places
To breathe
We must find the spaces

If there's no room. . .

And none of us are safe
Here in the dark
We try to touch his hand
Here in the dark

We know it's death to see his glory
We're here alive to tell the story

If there's no room for doubt now
There's no room for us
In side and out now
He's looking for us. . .

To breathe
We must find the spaces
He's looking for us