To answer your question: “Better than your straw man.”

I guess there’s an example of the absence of the Holy Spirit, then.

Meanwhile, danedelen writes: We’re surrounded by doubt, swimming in a sea of it in this country, but where’s the faith that moves mountains? For once, I’d like to see that on display and not all this introspective doubt.

Well, to paraphrase Dr. Phil, “How’s that power trip working out for you?”

I used to debate this issue all the time over at ThOoze and I just got sick of it. In many ways, we’ve made Doubt the new Faith.

The only problem is that doubt is NEVER portrayed positively in the Bible. Never.

Sure it may talk about doubt and note that people doubted, but it simply NEVER holds doubt up as being anything other than negative.

When people ask me all the time why we see so few miraculous events portrayed in the Bible today in America, I can’t help but think back to Jesus’ inability to do any miracles in His hometown because everyone doubted Him. If that doesn’t depict the American Church, I don’t know what does.

My ex-church used to get these pomo artists to come in and sing about doubt all the time for “special music.” I wanted to hang myself after every performance because it was–for want of a better phrase–so “lost.” We’re surrounded by doubt, swimming in a sea of it in this country, but where’s the faith that moves mountains? For once, I’d like to see that on display and not all this introspective doubt.

Our refrain in the face of doubt should always be the same: “I believe! Help my unbelief!”

Side 1: the endless addition of adjectives to faith so that doubt and uncertainty of any kind is heresy, apostasy or abandonment of the Gospel.

Side 2: the constant undermining of assurance by teaching the saving requirement of impossible levels of works, fruit, obedience, repentance, etc as the sources of assurance, then constantly questioning performance and experience in those areas.

What’s really striking is that they were experiencing doubt in the one context where most of us would probably feel pretty confident of having a firm faith: standing in front of the risen Jesus, who is right there, large as life.

Heck, even Richard Dawkins has claimed he would believe if confronted with a miracle that no conjuror could have enacted. But here are the disciples, in precisely that situation: and “some doubted”. Hallelujah.

my campus ministry at college has been seeking to do more evangelism on campus and start more spiritual conversations with students. i’ve had wonderful conversations with fellow students and i’ve found the an overwhelming majority of college guys aren’t militant atheists who worship at the darwinian temple. they’re kids who grew up in a christian environment and went to church, but slowly grew to become agnostics. i’ve been moved as i’ve listened to several stories from these people. it’s not that they’re certain that God doesn’t exist, it’s that they’re not certain He does. i’ve empathized with their doubts more than i would care to admit to any of my fellow christians. instead of debating God’s existence via creation, i try to stick with Jesus and the gospel, but at times as i share the beauty of the incarnation, crucifixion and resurrection, i pause and listen to myself, wondering if i really believe all this stuff. most days i do, but some days i don’t.

but my point in all this was, thanks for sharing. i’m too deeply troubled by doubt often in my christian life despite being in the faith for 15 years now.