Mother Teresa Doubter/Doer

[revtj]

AOL is running a lead story today about the letters of Mother Teresa in which she doubts her faith at times. It was a little annoying to see the headlines as if it somehow busted her for corruption or something.



I took the opinion poll that now comes with sandwich-styled stories that substitute for news. I was pleased to see that a large majority were not concerned that Mother Teresa doubted and admitted they also struggled with their faith.

I just wanted to send out a big "DUH" to go with the story. If we didn't wrestle with it then it would be called brainwashing, not faith.

What Mother Teresa did is what all of us could do in spite of her doubts: she worked on behalf of others. Not all of us are called to the trash-heaps of Calcutta, there is human suffering all around, just ask the Spirit where you are called and you will get an answer, of this I am sure! Doing what God asks of us (Loving God, & neighbor as self) is the most excellent remedy for doubt. It puts things in perspective.

I wonder, how do my Soulforce brethren deal with their doubts?

[u-dog]

I believe that Faith is a dynamic process not a static one. its not a commodity that you aquire and then have forever unchanged. If that is true then anything that pokes and prods at faith makes it stronger and MORE dynamic. doubt forces me to rethink and reconsider what I believe. It forces me to communicate with others. It pushes me to seek a deeper revelation of God's presence in my life. In other words... doubt is my friend and God's friend.

Frederick Buechner wrote in one of his books (Alphabet of Grace?) that Doubt is the "ants-in-the-pants" of Faith.

[BenL]

RevTJ,

I keep on wrestling with my faith daily. I doubt myself and my abilities all the time. I have only begun to see that my self-doubt is somehow related to my lack of faith in God's love for me. Now I have to watch that I don't turn this into another guilt trip. (I was brought up Catholic ... nuf said.) Being gay in the US of A can do a number on a person's self-esteem, so it shouldn't be a surprise if we doubt, should it? My prayer is like Simon Peter's: I believe. Lord, help my unbelief.

Who can fault Mother Teresa? In fact, hearing that she wrestled with her faith served to bump her up another notch in my esteem.

[kara speltz]

Originally Posted by BenL

RevTJ,



Who can fault Mother Teresa? In fact, hearing that she wrestled with her faith served to bump her up another notch in my esteem.

My thinking exactly, Ben. My favorite Thomas Merton quote is, "my faith is a series of doubts that never became denials." It always seemed to me that if one of my favorite saints struggled with doubts, then it was ok for me to.

kara

[sailaway58]

Originally Posted by kara speltz

My thinking exactly, Ben. My favorite Thomas Merton quote is, "my faith is a series of doubts that never became denials." It always seemed to me that if one of my favorite saints struggled with doubts, then it was ok for me to.

kara

I really like that. (above quote)
My kids never had their own faith until they doubted.
My middle son (that left today for Spain) came to me his freshman year of college and said,"I don't know that I really believe there is a God".
I told him that was understandable and a fair question but not to stop with the question. Don't just ask about it dig in and learn something.
He is now a person of faith and although it doesn't look like mine he owns it.

[Zerbie]

Originally Posted by sailaway58

IMy middle son (that left today for Spain) came to me his freshman year of college and said,"I don't know that I really believe there is a God".
I told him that was understandable and a fair question but not to stop with the question. Don't just ask about it dig in and learn something.
He is now a person of faith and although it doesn't look like mine he owns it.

Awesome.

[wmanion]

Oh he or she that is without doubt...let ye be the one to cast the first stone.
I am sure we have all doubted at one time or another and at times we still do. I know I do. But it is in that doubt that I become stronger and diligent in seeking what is true.


Bill

[Pablo Rafael]

There was an segment on NPR (All Things Considered, I think) just in the last few days about mother Theresa.

I think one diservice that is done to Chistians is to tell them that if you really are a "good" Christian, you have no doubts, you are always 100% certain and you will never waver.

I am "certain" of the love of God. I am certain that because of Christ's life, death and resurrection that my sins are forgiven. But that is God's gift to me; it is not because I believe strongly enough or know everything.

God loves me despite doubts and the other problems I have. Looking in the Bible, God never reprimands people because they doubs or questions. Look at the story of Job. And what about Jeremiah; (my favorite OT figure) he told God that he would NOT proclaim God's message anymore. God didn't give up on him. Jeremiah had to work through his problems and come back to the work God gave him.

The fact that in the Bible God encourages and strengthens those who have doubts while repeatedly chastizing those who think they know everything should be a good lesson for us. Mother Theresa is also a good example. God doesn't call us to be perfect; he calls us to be faithful.

Tu Amigo, Pablo

[revtj]

I think one diservice that is done to Chistians is to tell them that if you really are a "good" Christian, you have no doubts, you are always 100% certain and you will never waver.

I am "certain" of the love of God. I am certain that because of Christ's life, death and resurrection that my sins are forgiven. But that is God's gift to me; it is not because I believe strongly enough or know everything.

Yeah, I agree, a lot of christians are taught that if you only believe enough you can do all things. I see them in the hospital all the time, blaming their disease and lack of cure on their lack of faith. Makes me want to go b*tchslap the preacher who taught them such foolishness.

I too am certain of God's unconditional love and not too certain about much else. The living out of the questions (as Kara's Merton quote alludes to) seems to be what the life of faith is meant to be...

I wish all christians were being taught to be at home with their doubts, rather than feeling tortured by them. It's so sad to see how it demoralizes people.

[BrentRichards]

And the other kicker is, I don't think this was any kind of newsflash... Mother Theresa freely acknowledged her limitations, her doubts, her growth ... in short, her humanity --all while she was alive. Now the story breaks as if it were a scandal? Slow news day. Mother Theresa was a truly remarkable woman, all the more so for being thoroughly human!

If you haven't, you might see the 2003 film Mother Theresa with Olivia Hussey ... quite well done, I thought.

[Daniel]

Those who act like- or profess to have no doubts- are the ones that scare me.

I think doubt is essential. And looking back on my life, I can say that doubt, when used in the pursuit of truth, has served me well. I don't think people suffer from lack of faith, but rather, lack of curiosity.

[Gennee]

Everyone struggles with their faith from time to time. Is God listening, you may ask. With the struggle, there is also the opportunity for God to work in us for some greater purpose. Cas in point; I was laid off on Friday. I know God has some greater purpose in mind.

Mother Teresa shows that she is human, too.

Gennee

[u-dog]

Originally Posted by Gennee

Everyone struggles with their faith from time to time. Is God listening, you may ask. With the struggle, there is also the opportunity for God to work in us for some greater purpose. Cas in point; I was laid off on Friday. I know God has some greater purpose in mind.

Mother Teresa shows that she is human, too.

Gennee

Praying that that greater purpose becomes clear ASAP !!

[antiochian]

I'm a little late in joining this discussion, but in my minds doubts can do one of two things-- cause us to despair or cause us to keep searching. I'm the type who is easily discouraged and I've wallowed in the pit of despair much of my life. But I fight it, I keep seeking, keep reaching out, hoping (knowing) that the answer will come to me in time, even if it takes 10 years. I've never read all of the book of Job, but there's someone who doubted, yet came out of it stronger.

Even the saints doubted... As far as I'm concerned, we could use a lot more "doubting" Mother Teresas and a lot fewer "all sure of themselves" Joel Osteens, Dave Sumralls, insert name of any hypocritical teacher. One thing about Mother Teresa, she didn't run a multi-million dollar ministry, had no megachurch, had no worldly ambitions of power, let alone making India into a Christian nation by force and creating a theocracy (the Bible says His kingdom is not of this earth, no?). She didn't come on camera wearing expensive clothes, she didn't preach the prosperity gospel (which irks me to no end), but found her joy in being poor and being with the poor, as was/did Jesus as well.

Mother Teresa was a Catholic through and through, but accepted and loved all people, believing that there was truth in all faiths.

[BrentRichards]

Originally Posted by antiochian

As far as I'm concerned, we could use a lot more "doubting" Mother Teresas and a lot fewer "all sure of themselves" Joel Osteens, Dave Sumralls, insert name of any hypocritical teacher.

And the people of God said ...

AMEN!

[gman620]

We all have doubts and dark times in our souls and in our lives. Mother Teresa was human like everyone else, and I would not expect her to be perfect just like I know I'm not perfect, nor is anyone else except Jesus. The media enjoys tearing people down when they can. The slightest imperfection in someone can provide a feast for media vultures to feed on.

[Joe Brummer]

I grew up in a Catholic house. I went to Catholic schools for all 12 of my school years. I studied scripture under Catholic priests in school. As I got older I started doubting and questioning. I know I could not believe in god if I tried. The more doubting I did, the more questions I asked and the more science led me to be an atheist.

Now that I am where I am seeing what I am seeing in the world. The wars in the middle east of whose god is bigger and stronger. The conflicts in Ireland between protestant and Catholics. Bombings, wars, even the holocaust was attributed to religion. They killed off the religions they didn't like. There is a history longer than this thread of destruction in the name of, or defense of god. Like he isn't powerful enough to defend himself?

I wish and hope everyday that more people question not only faith, but the existence of god. Trust me, if your god is so powerful and mighty, his self esteem will survive you questioning him. I am sure he can take it.

I wish more people would read the book "The God Delusion" by Richard Dawkins or better yet watch this film

[Steven E. Webster]

Originally Posted by Joe Brummer

The wars in the middle east of whose god is bigger and stronger.

Silly me, I thought the war in Iraq was about oil!

I suppose it is true that religion is used as a cover to conceal the real motives for such wars. But then if it wasn't religion used for such purposes, we'd blame Iraq for 9/11 or dream up "weopons of mass destruction." Come to think of it, we used those excuses too, didn't we?

Somehow I don't think if we simply abolished religion the perfection of humankind would be at hand.

I don't object to people being atheist. It can be a reasonable and honorable point of view. But I don't think broad-brushed attacks on all religion is any more becoming to atheists than is bigotry among the religious.

Steven Webster

[Joe Brummer]

I don't object to people being atheist. It can be a reasonable and honorable point of view. But I don't think broad-brushed attacks on all religion is any more becoming to atheists than is bigotry among the religious.

I am feeling confused, Stephen, Tell me where I attack religion? I have a need to be as critical of religion as we are of any other science. Why should we walk on eggshells just because we are discussing god? Would you be willing to explain to me where I have attacked religion?

People with religious beliefs perceive any question of those beliefs as an attack. Everything I said was either known fact or my opinion said with respect. Where did I make an attack?

[Progo35]

What gaws me is how some secularists have leaped upon this so-called discovery with obvious, almost sick glee...as if this was the final "ah ha" against those who maintain adherence to an organized faith: as if this somehow "proves" that religious faith is not only false, but unhealthy. The Newsweek articles on the same subject were much worse. Both were written by self-described atheists who believe that any public disaply of religion is oppressive and should be pushed out of the public domain as much as possible. This obvious bias did not seem to bother the editors of Newsweek, who did not include any articles interpretting her letters in another way, namely, as expressions of normal human frailty that she never denied in the first place.