Considering Doubt

Doubt is an interesting period piece set in the 1960’s shortly after JFK’s assassination.  It takes place in an inner city parish.  Philip Seymour Hoffman plays the parish priest who finds himself in a battle with a Pharisaical nun (Meryl Streep) how serves as principle of the Catholic school.  It plays, in part, on the fear of the pedophile scandal to set up the Javier-like persecution of the priest by the nun.

Without proof, she is certain he is a child molester.  As a result of her dislike of him, she misinterprets all his actions.  It is a depiction of how dangerous our “certainty” can be when it is not grounded in reality.  Our subjectivism easily runs rampant, destroying the lives of others in the process.  Even (especially?) the life of the moral crusader

Caught in the tussel is the young boy he’s accused of abusing.  And a young nun (Amy Adams) who teaches at the school.  She is the one who initially thinks something is wrong, triggering the principal’s crusade. But she wants a different kind of certainty.

The movie leaves one in doubt, of a kind.  At the end you aren’t sure exactly what the priest has done.  He’s guilty of something, afraid she will dig it up.  But it seems not to be what she accuses him of doing.  Yet you see some of the actions/behaviors that created the priest scandal.

Also at work is the conflict, in the mid-60’s between the pre-Vatican II and Vatican II movements.  The nun represents the old school, and the priest wants to see a new wind blow through the Catholic Church.  This is part of why she despises him and willingly entertains these suspicions.  I think about our current political context where some people are easily smeared (falsely) due to their affiliation.

So you have a compelling story, and a terrific cast of actors combining to create an exceptional film that opens the door to think about how we really view things.

Read Full Post »

Considering Doubt and Unbelief

Some great thoughts from William Gurnall’s The Christian in Complete Armour (Oct. 23) on the differences between doubt and unbelief.

“A person should no more sit down and be content in his unresolved doubt than one who thinks he smells fire in his house would go to bed and sleep.  He will look in every room and corner until he is satisfied that everything is safe.

“The doubting soul is much more afraid of waking with hellfire about it, but a soul under the power of unbelief is falsely secure and careless. … In spite of his doubts the true believer leans on and desires still to cling to Christ. … The weak Christian’s doubting is like the wavering of a ship at anchor- he is moved, yet not removed from his hold on Christ; but the unbeliever’s doubting is like the wavering of a wave which has nothing to anchor it and is wholly at the mercy of the wind.”

In a section on faith and unbelief (October 24) we are reminded of this scary, yet oddly comforting, reality.

“This dispute is from two contrary principles, faith and unbelief, which lust against each other; and your unbelief, which is the elder- no matter how hard it fights for mastery- shall serve the younger.  Presumptuous faith lacks balance.”

Faith and unbelief are at war in the Christian’s heart.  This is part of the conflict between the Spirit and the flesh.  When we follow the lead of the Spirit, we live by faith and grow in grace.  When we follow the lead of the flesh, we experience spiritual entropy & apathy, or spiritual decline.  This stuff isn’t talked about much these days.  We lack the spiritual insight of the Puritans, and suffer for it.

Read Full Post »

Considering Job’s Desire for Death

Things take an ugly turn in Job 9-14.  Job’s friends continue to claim he suffers for his sin.  Job continues to declare his innocence.  This does not mean he thinks he is perfect- just that there is no sin he has hidden from God, no sin which he has refused to confess.  He upholds the righteousness of God, knowing he cannot argue (successfully) with God.  All he can do is plead for mercy.

Then we see an inkling of something:

“I despise my own life.” (9:12c)

“I loathe my very life; therefore I will give free rein to my complaint and speak out in the bitterness of my soul.” (10:1

Job has something of a death wish.  On the one hand he wants vindication.  On the other he fears that God will destroy him.

Zophar the Naamathite chips in with the incomprehensibility of God, … and Job’s obvious sinfulness.  If Job will just repent God will let up and restore him.

Job essentially responds, mockingly, “you are the man, and all wisdom will perish with you.”  He laments his lousy group of counselors.  “Come on, Zophar, show me my sin!”

Finally he returns his comments to God.

“If only you would hide me in the grave and conceal me until you anger has passed!”

Job basically wants God to finishe him off.  He can no longer bear the pain of this hardship and wants God to hurry up and end his life.

Have you ever felt that way?  No, not suicidal.  This is not Job wanting to take his own life.  This is Job wanting God to end his pain by ending his life.  Job is hitting bottom, and it is scary.  His patience and perseverence are on the verge of collapse.  He isn’t sure how much more he can take.

Thankfully, God doesn’t honor this request.  His plan is not to destroy Job- but to show that Job loves Him even when life isn’t grand.  He’s out to show that Job loves God more than he loved his kids, wife and possessions.  And Job is struggling with this, just like the rest of us.

Read Full Post »

Considering Faith and Doubt

The struggle between faith and doubt takes place in every Christian’s heart.  Our circumstances can foster doubts.  These doubts will either drive the roots of faith deeper, or expose that our faith is misplaced such we “lose our faith.”

Dan Allender addresses this in The Wager of Faith, part of The Healing Path.  Here are some things I need to remember, and perhaps you need to remember as faith and doubt do war in your soul.

“Faith involves placing our well-being into the hands of others who we hope are committed to do us good.”

God is committed to my well-being.  Ruthlessly committed to my well-being.  This does not mean that my circumstances will be good, but that God is conforming me to the likeness of Christ (Romans 8:28-9).  Not everyone is so committed to my well-being, and sometimes we are betrayed.

“Our past may blind us or distort what we consider good or bad, but our conscience continues to warn, chide, and rejoice in truthful loving. … Faith is trust in the goodness of God.”

Our own sinfulness, our particular sins and how we’ve been sinned against color our perspective.  This creates some of the doubt we experience.  We struggle to believe that God is good when life is particularly difficult.  I know I do. 

Read Full Post »