Why are christians afraid to question their belief?

Question

As an agnostic I have a lot of questions but never seem to get any answers. I either get defensive answer or hear about their belief without answering the question. I even get attacked as some sort of devil worshipper on here. I can assure you I am every bit as moral as any christian. There are just a lot of holes in the bible I think.

Answer 1

I will try to answer your question honestly.

Yes, it is true that many Christians believe that it is a sin to question something about their belief. It is seen as being a "Doubting Thomas" of sorts.

If one reads the account of Thomas after the ressurection of Christ, one sees that Thomas had his doubts ("questioned" in a sense) that Christ had truly arisen. Christ appears to the disciples and grants his request for tactile proof, even though he chides him a bit for not believing beforehand when he did not see Him. (John 20:24-29)

Again, Paul tells those who hear him to investigate and try to find the body of Christ. If the body of Christ can be found and proven to be the body of Christ, then all of Christianity is nothing more than a pernicious lie.

Therefore, it is not inherently sinful to question and search for the truth. Why would God forbid us to use one of our greatest gifts that has persisted even through the Fall: our intellect and reason, however tainted, unable to grasp the divine, but completely able to understand that which pertains to this world?

However, even if the truth is beyond our ability to reason, such as the mystery of the Trinity, we should not disregard it and question it on behalf of it being too hard to understand. Only pride would have us believe that we can understand everything in this life.

Coming from personal experience, I often would like to know why my church teaches a particular doctrine, so I study that particular doctrine by reading Scripture concerning it and works by major theologians. I have never received any form of a rebuke from my pastors, but rather they direct me to books that can help answer my questions.

I hope this helps.

Answer 2

I know what you mean. I think all non-believers have dealt with this as some point. My question is, why is it okay for Christians to tell us to open our hearts and minds to the concept of God, yet they would never fathom opening their minds to the agnostic viewpoint. I understand that they have faith so they stick with it. But if Christians expect us to be open to the Bible and the belief in god, then they should reciprocate and open their minds to the possibility that there is no God. Or even just that a supernatural being might exist but the Bible is a man-made code and not an accurate reflection of truth. Either way, it is impossible to get answers. I usually get "I have faith, or I was raised that way, or read the Bible" I agree, these aren't answers. I respect people's beliefs but I would have even more respect if someone could actually explain. I ask, "Why do you believe in God?" and I get no real answer; yet, they ask "Why don't you believe in God"? Well, lets see, I have a bulleted list here....Good question, by the way.

Answer 3

I would suppose most of them react with hostility because of fear. They fear that if they question their faith, or try to resolve the obvious conflicts, that they'll no longer have their faith. In reality, this just goes to show how weakly rooted they are, not how deeply rooted they are. Also, so many Christians these days believe the Bible to be absolute, irrefutable FACT that when you confront them with inconsistencies they must deny those inconsistencies or their way will be exposed as "lies". They think that the only way to live the kind of life Christ teaches about is to believe the Bible is truth, rather than a series of stories and allegories intended to illustrate the way to true spiritual fulfillment. This is simply not the case. Unfortunately, the willingness (and near requirement these days) to believe and follow blindly has driven many people, like me, away from the Christian faith and onto other paths.

Which I really must thank the fundamentalists for. I'm far happier and more fulfilled as a Wiccan than I ever was in my years under the thumb of Christianity.

)O(

Answer 4

Might we expand a little here... While I am not Christian, I do observe this same in any cohort or any individual whose convictions are questioned or challenged and for which perhaps they may not have esteemed there may be a truth aside or above from the truth with which they have been presented since childhood or awakened to and then accepted if not outright dogmatized. I believe this to be a characteristic prononunce in human nature, a precise, predictable character -- and nothing wholly peculiar to Christians. Many, many people are this way -- of both religious and secular industry. Relativism notwithstanding, truths tend to people this way, for in accordance with a given level, the truth they import may in fact be the truth; and to still another comes again a new truth. Regresssion, Progression, Relativism -- call it as you will, it just is.

Answer 5

I understand (at least part of) your dilemma regarding Christianity currently. 'Christianity' as practiced by many souls in the USA currently, may be a starting point, but is not an 'ending point'. There are 'tests' (plural), that apparently many in the USA currently are either not passing; or are not reproving(exposing). The apparent lack of action is causing the division in Christianity presently in this country. I will give one example here for now. The scriptural old testament is not Genesis-Malachi (violating 2 Tim.3:16-17), but the law of Moses (referred to as the 'old testament' 2 Cor. 3:13-14 KJV). Applying the '2 or more witnesses' principle is also suggested (Matt.18:16, 2 Cor. 13:1) to discern between them.
Today, may you receive a pleasant unexpected surprise to God's glory.

Answer 6

For most Christians, their faith is who they are. They have been raised in Xian homes, heard the bible stories all their lives, been taught that blind faith is the highest virtue one can have. It becomes an intrinsic part of them. They have been taught that it is a sin to question their faith, so they are trapped in the circle of non-reason.

When we question their faith, point out bible errancy, absurdity, inconsistency, contradiction, irrationality and just plain non-facts presented as truth, it is like a personal attack on them to the very core. They react with anger, bluster, defensively. They become so offended and insulted, they are unable to intellectually examine the non-believers criticisms.

There must be a tremendous fear behind this. To be confronted with the idea that your entire life is a lie. That your parents lied to you, your priest or minister lied to you. And their parents before them going back for generations. It is a natural human defense mechanism to choose to not see this, and instead attack the non-believer, rather than try to answer a question dispassionately.

Answer 7

i'm a christian but i also question some christian beliefs i don't fully understand and i found out that most self proclaimed christians are afraid to question the christian belief because they cannot explain it well. so i decided to join forums and e-groups on christianity & i receive a lot of differing answers all fr christians. i just have to do my own research and analyses, and arrive at conclusions based on d facts & views presented. u might want to do that too.

Answer 8

There are always going to be people like that in every group that give you the wrong impression.

Personally, all the Christian beliefs I have got to be my beliefs by me questioning them. If I didn't ever personally study and ponder over them, or experiment with them, then they would still just be some one else's beliefs and not mine.

Answer 9

I have to agree with you. They really get personal, I guess it's that "turn the other cheek" mentality. To be fair most Christians are civil people, but why is so bad to question your beliefs. They want so bad for everyone else to question their beliefs so they will see their way as the "truth" but can't question their's? Doesn't make any sense to me, I can and do question my beliefs, but at least I can admit that I don't have al the answers.

Answer 10

Well, its like this. If you believe something for so long, and for so hard. And then suddenly you are shown evidence that your beliefs all along were wrong...well...that's a serious blow to the mind and personal meaning of life.
Christians are afraid to question their own religion because they are afraid of the truth. Plain and simple.