Doubt is essential for true faith.

Originally posted by Suzianne
Doubt is the faith-killer. Those who would have you doubt are those to whom your faith is threatening. Doubt is among the first tools used by evil to draw you away from your faith.

"And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away.
And when he had sent the m ...[text shortened]... ame and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God. " -- Matthew 14:22-33, KJV

All religious leaders, Moses, Mohammed and Jesus to name a few, had recorded moments of doubt. It is the ability to work through the doubt that gets you to the heart, the strength, of your religious belief. I'm guessing those who fear doubt and questioning are the ones who lack faith. They believe out of fear they will be punished either here or in the hereafter or both. I believe fear should not be the basis of your belief.

Originally posted by Phranny
All religious leaders, Moses, Mohammed and Jesus to name a few, had recorded moments of doubt. It is the ability to work through the doubt that gets you to the heart, the strength, of your religious belief. I'm guessing those who fear doubt and questioning are the ones who lack faith. They believe out of fear they will be punished either here or in the hereafter or both. I believe fear should not be the basis of your belief.

Instilling fear is the MO of organized religion, like 'original sin'. Instilling the fear that you may go to hell just being alive unless you fall for the fairy tales hook line and sinker.

But to you both, fear is not the basis of my belief. Faith is the basis for my belief. I know that whatever I fear, it will be overcome, because I have faith.