Answers WithHeld What If I'm Not Sure I Believe in God?
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Apr 8, 2024 Rabbi Dr. Leon Wiener Dow reflects on doubt and questioning in spirituality, emphasizing the importance of open-minded exploration and embracing uncertainty. The discussion explores diverse perceptions of God, liberating spirituality from cultural constraints, and the transformative power of doubt in spiritual journeys. Anecdotes of validation and spiritual awakening highlight the value of questioning beliefs and contributing to a better world.
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Doubt Often Means Old God, Not No God
- Doubt often signals that one has outgrown the childhood conception of God rather than God's absence.
- A fossilized understanding of God can die even if God, properly understood, cannot.
The Straightjacket Of Divine Justice
- Many cultural attributes ascribed to God (omnipotence, perfect justice) act like straight jackets that make belief feel false.
- Theodicy, especially reconciling suffering with divine justice, is the most common shackle driving disbelief.
Kids Reject Gendered Images Of God
- Shai Held recalls his young son declaring, "God is non-binary," reflecting children's fresh intuitions about divinity.
- Leon relates his daughter making a similar observation years earlier, showing children resist gendered images of God.