"The opposite of faith is not doubt: It is certainty."...

[vi5]

http://www.salon.com/opinion/feature/2005/04/27/gods_warning_signs/index.html

First off, I'm an atheist and I don't even have any idea who Anne Lamont is (other than an author). But in this interview with her from Salon, that line really stuck out for me. That really pinpoints where the religious right has it all wrong. What they have is not faith. It is certainty. Certainty that what they believe and the way they believe it is right.

I think that's a great line and all liberals of faith should phrase things in that way with that basic, simple summation of it all.

[Wapsie B]

1. How true.

I get very nervous when I hear clergy talk about never having doubts about God. They've got to project this absolute certainty. It's not just conservative fundies either. A former Lutheran minister at our church had those same proclamations. But he sounded like a closet fundy to me more than any Lutheran I've heard.

[seg4527]

3. well if someone's a pastor, they're probably pretty certain god exists

[Wapsie B]

5. I've talked to many ministers

even mainstream conservative ministers who at one point in their life questioned the existence of God. Maybe they don't now. But for one to say they've never doubted at all, even for a second puts up red flags for me.

[seg4527]

15. okay, i didn't know that's what you meant.

it is normal for people, even christians and other religous people, to questoin their faith. but i do think that once somebody decides to devote their career and life to a religion, they probably believe pretty strongly in it.

[burythehatchet]

2. Its a very powerful perspective

also summed up in my sig line. Another opposite of faith is a guarantee. That's what appeals to these mindless sheep, the idea that your faith can be a guarantee as promised by their televangelists. "Give me $100 per month and you wil be blessed ten fold".

[paula777]

7. I think the fanstasy of 'heaven' is what lures most into believing ...

They don't want to be 'left out of the club' or spend eternity in a fiery pit. Same for Muslims extremists ... they get that harem which is heaven in their world. It’s just wishful thinking, but hey, if it gets em through the day, let them have it.

[vi5]

8. Maybe that's why I'm not religious...

I never have had any problem whatsoever with the concept of death. In fact the notion that this is all there is forces me to live like I do, enjoying every single day.

[whistle]

4. It's the same mindset that occurs when Wal-Mart management...

...asks its employees, "...do you love Wal-Mart?" before they make unreasonable demands on those employees. The implication being that if you don't work those extra 10 hours off the clock, then you must no love Wal-Mart and thus you are not part of the team.

[JerseygirlCT]

6. My priest says something like this all the time

And I have to say, sometimes I think that if doubt is the leading edge of faith, someone nees to hand me a baton, cause I'm leading a parade!

[thecai]

9. The Opposite Of Faith Is Fear...

...IMHO, based on my interpretation of The Bible and my life's experiences.

[Guaranteed]

13. Put your name on that one.

Or, alternatively, anger.

[immoderate]

10. Faith is the capacity to believe in what you know is false.

--IMM

[Guaranteed]

12. I wouldn't put your name on that one. nt

[Guaranteed]

11. I don't think the certainty is the problem.

I think the hate is the problem.

There's nothing wrong with saying that you're certain that everything is going to be fine. There is something wrong with saying that you're certain that gay people are going to hell.

[DARE to HOPE]

14. Faith is a matter of where you put your life...

My confirmation pastor told the story of a high wire walker. He appealed to the crowd, "Who believes I can walk across this canyon on this wire?" "Well, of course you can, you're a high wire walker," shouted the crowd. So the wire walker walked across the canyon, and back.

"Okay, who believes I can walk across this canyon, carrying a chair?" he called to the crowd. "Of course, you can!" they shouted back. "You are a high wire walker!" Then, they watched as he walked all the way across the canyon on the wire, and back again, carrying a chair.

"Well. Do you think I can walk across this canyon with a person riding in this chair?" "Of course," they screamed back! "You are a high wire walker! Of course you can walk across that canyon on the wire with a person riding in the chair!"

"Okay," he said. "Now, which of YOU will ride in this chair?"


My Lutheran pastor husband has actually said to me that he has never doubted. And yet he does preach on the Disciple Thomas who had to see the risen Christ Himself to believe.

I myself studied Marx and Freud in graduate school, and had my own questions about the historical Jesus. But somehow, I have always deeply felt God's presence in the world, even when things look darkest, maybe especially then.

I think the "god" many of us are avoiding is that set of negative voices in our heads, that continually tells us how bad we are. But that is NOT His voice.

God is that breathing, creating, joyful energy around us, loving us, leading us, supporting the righteous and the truth tellers in their adversity.

I agree with the poster above. The opposite of faith is fear. And the fundie Fristians seem to be quite afraid of a whole lot.