Why are Christians in the Philosophy section? I thought that questioning your faith was wrong?

Question

Disclaimer: I am not trying to be accusing, I am just very curious.

I ask this because in the early days of my life in the church many times I have been beseeched to discontinue in my own philosophies. In other words, even though I was in my mind and heart faking the religious experience, I felt as though persecuted for asking questions, inquiring, etcetera.

Please tell me why some Christians are OK with Philosophy, when my experiences have been so bitter?

JF: I grew up in the Baptist Church... the NW tends to be different than the SW also.

Answer 1

In America we have freedom ! Freedom of speech and the right to question all religious philosophy.It is in the U.S.Constitution and The Bill of Rights.What country are you from?If you have been attending a church in America that refuses to let you question their philosophy,then find another church to attend.If you feel persecuted for asking questions,it may not be a religion it may be a cult.Don't be bitter,you are not alone.Faith and religion are complicated issues.

Answer 2

Well, if people in your church discouraged you from asking questions, it is bad. The very founder of Christianity, Christ encouraged questions and answered all that was asked to him, till he was caught to be crucified.

EIther God exists or not, is a matter of faith. Man can never know it by questions till he has measured and known the whole universe from one end to another and every atom to its depth. Well we do not know much beyond our own galaxies. We do not even know what is life and what is death

So either a person BELIEVES that God exists or He BELIEVES that He does not! Both require faith!

Philosophy is the science which only helps a person know a truth already accepted more clearly or help to prove something false that was accepted as truth.
It is only a tool, not the way.. and not every human being can philosophize like great philosophers. If it was a way, everyone should be able to follow it. If it is a tool only those trained or have a natural skill can use it well.

So either Christian or non-Christian, philosophy helps you understand and know deeper about things you BELIEVE (the existence or non-existence of God) and its possibilities and reasons for the same

Answer 3

Should a person follow a religion without questioning it? Absolutely not. When you question what you believe in, there are two possible out comes. You decide your current system of beliefs is not for you, or you reaffirm what you believe in only to become stronger in your faith.

Now there is a difference between questioning FAITH and questioning RELIGION. And people may look at this differently, but this is how I approach it. Questioning Faith is when you doubt the very essence of your faith-based religion. This would be saying you are not sure about what is at the very CORE of your religion. So in Christianity, it would be questioning that Jesus Christ is really your savior, or any similar doubts about Him.

Questioning religion is not being sure the ELEMENTS of your particular religion are right for you. An example of that would be questioning the seven sacraments of Catholics, or not believing that the world was created in seven days.

I don't think there is anything wrong with questioning one's personal religion. In most cases you were born into a particular religion and you need to make that decision if it is right for you. That is in fact why many Christian religions recognize confirmation. They don't want people to follow their beliefs blindly; they want people to make a CONCIOUS decision saying that the religion they chose is the right religion for them. This is what makes religious organizations strong. The majority of people BELIEVE strongly in that particular religious organization that they are a part of.

When we question something, we gain a better understanding of it through our investigations of it.

When people practice their religion without questioning it, a window is left open for immorality to enter the organization. Please do not misunderstand, this doesn't always happen. But if you look a moment at suicide cults or even a bastardized form of a religion that seems to be in our news every day here in America (Most should be able to figure out what I’m referring to), you can see what following a religion blindly leads to.

Answer 4

notwithstanding i'm a Christian who hasn't spent a lot time contained in the philosophy area of Y/A. i am going to say this. there is not any longer some thing incorrect with philosophy that i'll work out. except that is a preparation or way of searching at issues which takes you from God and His reality, what's the challenge? some human beings imagine God would not want us to "question" particular issues, as if that were a foul component to do. I disagree. Jesus stated "Ask and also you shall obtain. search for and also you shall locate". He encourages searching, and searching for solutions. meaning asking questions. Jesus is the middle of existence for me and all of existence's philosophies revolve round Him.

Answer 5

Actually, there's been much work done in the Middle Ages, primarily by St. Augustine and St. Thomas Aquinatus, aimed at making philosophy compatible with Christianity - at least as interpreted by the Catholic Church. Of course philosophy would have to be subservient to theology and not every point of view was acceptable.

Generally, the Catholic Church has a long history of philosophical double-thinking and has gotten pretty good at it. With the protestant sects of any description it pretty much depends whether they have developed a hierarchy (and thus, some form of unified theology) or whether they're primarily charismatic, with individual priests basing their teachings on the bible. In latter cases, the Church usually lacks the intellectual workforce to deal with difficult questions, so it discourages them.

Answer 6

Some great philosophers were Christian:

St. Augustine of Hippo
St. Thomas Aquinas
Duns Scotus
William of Ockham

(Notice the couple of Saints in the above!)

Now none of them were Baptists, that's true: so maybe we should just change the question to "why are there Baptists in the Philosophy section?".

Answer 7

The Christian faith is a broad term- you are not selecting a single sect. So- there are many different ways people go about believing in Christ- many of them contradict each other. Look at Ireland- the differences are enough to kill over. I think faith is what you make of it- some folks want to follow a rule book, some want to question it and follow at the same time, and some people think they are Christ reborn- we got all types on this crazy planet.

Answer 8

Myself I used to be thrown out of class even before the religion lesson started so that I ask no questions they have no answers to. You have to accept that it is either a miracle, a mystery or a dogma of the church; accept or else....

Friend, "philosophers" is also what theologians like to call themselves. They start off with a set of imposed beliefs, study philosophy, sift out what does not accord with church teaching, then go out in the world with their degree threatening eternal hell and damnation to whoever does not agree with them. The philosopher who I am "the shades" of was burned alive just because he dared to publish what he thought. This is to answer YOU.

Now to answer your question: Christians are OK only with those excerpts from philosophy which they use, out of context, to support their beliefs.

Answer 9

I had the same experience as you . . .
Maybe they are here because they believe philosophy has something to do with religion?
Most Christians DO NOT think its ok to question, the few who do are either-
not really meant for that religion.
or they're just wondering but when they ask they get "Don't ask" so they turn here.

Answer 10

im in a baptist church too. i also always ask questions. it's not a question of questioning your faith but heart behind all those questions though. i think ppl in church is important too.