I think we confuse faith by associating it with belief. Belief focuses on the assertion of a mental process while faith focuses on behavior from the heart. Doubt doesn't threaten the heart.

InTransition said:

Doubt doesn't threaten the heart.

But it can make the heart ache.

I wonder why people respond to it like this, then?

Galadriel said:

I wonder why people respond to it like this, then?

I honestly believe it's an ego thing.

Without doubt, there can be no faith.

Seph said:

Did this quote ever jump out at me.

Over the past course of several weeks (months?). I've noticed the topic/theme of Doubt as being pretty 'heavy' of late (particularly with a few particular individuals).

I would very much like to start a thread (or several threads) on the topic of Doubt.

After reading Graham Greene's quote, I am becoming more and more convinced that Doubt is much more preferable than Faith.

And ideas?

I think you're making a false dichotomy between faith and doubt--associating faith with certainty, maybe, when its meaning is closer to "trust." It doesn't make any sense to me to say something like "doubt is preferable to faith."

sarah said:

I think you're making a false dichotomy between faith and doubt--associating faith with certainty, maybe, when its meaning is closer to "trust." It doesn't make any sense to me to say something like "doubt is preferable to faith."

I concur.

sarah said:

Seph said:

Did this quote ever jump out at me.

Over the past course of several weeks (months?). I've noticed the topic/theme of Doubt as being pretty 'heavy' of late (particularly with a few particular individuals).

I would very much like to start a thread (or several threads) on the topic of Doubt.

After reading Graham Greene's quote, I am becoming more and more convinced that Doubt is much more preferable than Faith.

And ideas?

I think you're making a false dichotomy between faith and doubt--associating faith with certainty, maybe, when its meaning is closer to "trust." It doesn't make any sense to me to say something like "doubt is preferable to faith."

Although you (and MJG791) both make a good point here, I don't believe I'm making this false dichotomy. (After all, as the original quote suggests, there is a very likely chance of having trust in doubt).

(Fact is, I simply quoted something in reference to Faith & Doubt. Those who know me well enough should realize that I've always stated I'd rather have a Faithful Doubt than a Doubtful Faith.... which have everything to do with trust and a misplaced sense/need of certainty).

...but that's an interesting position.
Is there (or should there be) a Faith-Doubt dichotomy?
Should there be a Certainty-Doubt dichotomy?
Are these two (potential) definitions of 'doubt' different?

faith is being certain of what we hope for .... which is sort of a paradox in itself. certainty with hope. hm-m-m-m.

but too often our definition of faith is the lack of doubt. and i think it's that second thinking that Seph is referencing here.

if he were referencing the first definition, then faith and doubt would go hand in hand.

once again, it's the gulf between policy and practice (in my world) or between what's written and what's lived (in the church world) that is staring us in the face in this discussion.

Tammy said:

faith is being certain of what we hope for .... which is sort of a paradox in itself. certainty with hope. hm-m-m-m.

but too often our definition of faith is the lack of doubt. and i think it's that second thinking that Seph is referencing here.

if he were referencing the first definition, then faith and doubt would go hand in hand.

once again, it's the gulf between policy and practice (in my world) or between what's written and what's lived (in the church world) that is staring us in the face in this discussion.

Thank you. :)

I also think there's another issue or problem with some of these particular points of view. Many would view the dichotomy as Faith on one end and Faithless on the other. Which - in and of itself - is true, but the next step or assumption is the making of Faithless as synonymous with Doubt or doubtfulness, which is not necessarily true. Holding or maintaining a Doubt is by no means the same as being Faithless.