Within the past week I've been contacted by or been told about several people who have deep spiritual questions. Two things about this particular group of people struck me:
1. They are people who I believe to have strong faith.
2. They represent different age, race and geographic demographics.
The point is, everyone has questions, it's completely natural for thinking human beings!
Other unifying factors include proximity to strong faith communities coupled with doubts they haven't been able to discuss with people within those communities. As strange as that seems, it can be a very scary thing to attend church for years or even decades, serve in ministry, break bread with your Christian friends every week then admit you're not really sure about the basic tenets of the faith. Or worse yet, you're not sure you want to be a Christian! And what about those seekers that are not hostile to any faith, but are searching for God. Unlike church goers, they may not feel like people within faith communities even qualify to answer their questions, or won't judge them for not being in a faith community.With so many religions and beliefs, which is true? How do you know? Can you know?
Consequently, I found it necessary to create a NO JUDGMENT ZONE where people are free to explore their faith, and their doubts. Question and learn. Reexamine their faith. Or reexamine the faith you thought was lived out (or poorly lived out) in others.
Why re-examine?
The longer I live, the more I realize that in many instances life is less about learning the right thing, and more about unlearning the wrong things. I believe this applies to our faith in these postmodern times. People adopt 'conventional' wisdom without examination, or are so sorely misguided in their path to the truth.
Consequently, many of us have to reexamine our beliefs - what we've seen, what we've heard, what we feel. We must begin again at the starting line and ask what is the truth?! Discounting my culture, my family, my crew, my professors, and even my spiritual leaders for this most important exercise: the pursuit of the truth. I will reexamine my faith to determine what I should believe, and be confident in why I believe it.
Spoiler Alert: I believe that the truth lies in the Christian worldview because it is the most reasonable faith by a long shot. However I am not threatened, or disinterested in examining and answering questions about all faiths (or lack thereof). Through this blog, I would love to walk alongside you and even wrestle with these questions, as well as help you walk with others through this exploration of faith.
So, what are your questions?
Blessings,
Richelle
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