Many people—perhaps everyone—sometimes has their doubts about the existence of the supernatural. However, many also sense there is something to the concepts of justice, love, compassion, and morality—that these are not just made-up conventions that people pretend matter.
Many people admire people like Martin Luther King Jr., Gandhi, Mandela, Mother Teresa, Lincoln, and Harriet Tubman for their selflessness, love, and courage. Many people align their lives with a moral tradition: Islam, Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Atheism, etc.
Many people feel they should not follow one of these moral examples or try to adhere to one of these religions because they are not sure they believe 100% in the tenets of the religion or ideology. “I still have my doubts. I am not sure about all it claims.”
Alasdair MacIntyre says that there is no agreed-upon common assumptions for analyzing which is right.
“There seems to be no rational way of securing moral agreement in our culture.” After Virtue, 6.
“There are just too many alternative ways to begin.” Three Rival Versions, 75.
So, Alasdair MacIntyre recommends trying one of the moral systems. Pick the one that seems best to you and try practicing it. Evaluate it and other systems by its principles. (Three Rival Versions, 61, 5).
Dietrich Bonhoeffer makes a similar point in “Discipleship” (1937). “’I can believe no longer.’ … You complain that you cannot believe? … You believe—so take the first step! … You do not believe—take the same step … only the believers obey, and only the obedient believe.”
So my advice to the adherent with doubts is to practice their religion. Does that religion really demand an absence of doubts?
And to the nonaffiliated who is stuck by their doubts, try adhering to a religion and see if the practice makes the pieces come together better.
And⬇️
And if one finds themselves wounded by the practice of a religion, that it is failing based on its own principles, then that is significant and one should move on to something else. If Jesus or Muhammad or Joseph Smith or Money, sour in your eyes as self-contradictory, move on.
Originally tweeted by Andy Rowell (@AndyRowell) on September 14, 2022.
Leah Libresco @LeahLibresco