what is the philosophical term for someone who doubts their relgion?

Question

I'm Catholic and I believe that there is a God and everything, but I doubt some of the things that He has done and I doubt that there is a place called Heaven and Hell. What's the term for that....if there is any. I was thinking agnostic, but I'm not 100% sure. Help me out will ya!

Answer 1

Religious skepticism is a type of skepticism relating to religion, but should not be confused with atheism. Religious skeptics question religious authority and are not necessarily anti-religious but are those skeptical of a specific or all religious beliefs or practices. Socrates was one of the first religious skeptics, questioning the legitimacy of the beliefs of his time in the existence of the various gods, Socrates was put on trial in 399 BC and was executed by drinking of poison.

Answer 2

Another philosophical term for atheists is humnism.

During 1800s, Anthropologists had a problem as to how
to classify human beings. One researcher proposed the
expression "intelligent animal". After advanced studies
on monkeys, it was dropped. Another researcher proposed
"tool using animal". After observing some animals
making wooden tools and sharpening them with knife like
stones, it was dropped. Another researcher proposed
"weapon using animal". A decade ago, a rare film was
shot in African forests. One short monkey was hit very
badly by a big monkey. The short monkey prepared a
wooden knife using stones and hid it on the top of a
tree. After some days, when the big monkey came to
attack the short monkey, it ran up to the tree for the
weapon it has hid and killed the big monkey. The one
thing that the anthropologists found with any group of
human beings, even if they did not have contacts with
the out side world for thousands of years, is
spirituality with some form of religion. So, man is a
"spiritual animal" if you want to call him that way.

The Upanishads say that "Manush" (human) was so named
because he has "Manas" a mind higher than that of the
animals which realises the divinity in creation. It was
present since the creation of human beings. Religion is
the characteristic feature of most of the human beings.
It is as eternal and and as unchanging as the Almighty.
Disbelief by a few will not affect it.

Spirituality and religion: Although a majority of
humans profess some variety of spiritual or religious
belief, some are irreligious, lacking or rejecting
belief in the supernatural or spiritual. Although most
religions and spiritual beliefs are clearly distinct
from science on both a philosophical and methodological
level, the two are not generally considered to be
mutually exclusive; a majority of humans hold a mix of
both scientific and religious views. The distinction
between philosophy and religion, on the other hand, is
at times less clear.

Motivation and emotion: Motivation is the driving force
of desire behind all deliberate actions of humans
Motivation is based on emotion specifically, on the
search for satisfaction (positive emotional
experiences), and the avoidance of conflict.
http://www.answers.com/topic/human

Humanism is a broad category of ethical philosophies
that affirm the dignity and worth of all people, based
on the ability to determine right and wrong by appeal
to universal human qualities particularly 'rationalism'.
Humanism is a component of a variety of more specific
philosophical systems, and is incorporated into several
religious schools of thought. Humanism entails a
commitment to the search for truth and morality through
human means in support of human interests. In focusing
on the capacity for self-determination, humanism
'rejects' the validity of transcendental justifications,
such as a dependence on faith, the supernatural, or
divinely revealed texts. Humanists endorse universal
morality based on the commonality of human nature,
suggesting that solutions to human social and cultural
problems cannot be parochial.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humanism

"Our two minds .... One is an act of the emotional
mind, the other of the rational mind. In a very real
sense we have two minds, one that thinks and one that
feels" (Daniel Goleman, Emotional Intelligence,
Bloomsbury Publishing, London, 1996, page 8). This
rational mind is also called the faculty of logic and
reason. The emotional mind is connected with religion.
The rational mind is connected with athesism and the
new subject of 'humanism'.

The Upanishads say that these two minds are 'opposite' in
nature. Modern psychologist also have observed it, but
they are not very sure about it:

"At the same time, reason sometimes clearly seems to
come into conflict with some desires (even while not
being in conflict with others) giving us the impression
that reason is separate from emotion".
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reason

The big divide between religious people and atheists is a
must becayse logic is the dominant mental tool of atheists.
However, logic has its limitatations:

In the 1930s, Austrian mathematician Godel proved a
theorem which became the "Godel theorem" in cognition
theory. It states that any formalized 'logical' system
in principle cannot be complete in itself. It means
that a statement can always be found that can be
neither disproved nor proved using the means of that
particular system. To discuss about such a statement,
one must go beyond that very logic system; otherwise
nothing but a vicious circle will result. Psychologist
say that any experience is contingent - it's opposite
is logically possible and hence should not be treated
as contradictory.

Answer 3

An agnostic is one who does not have a fixed believe on weather god exists or not. You seem to be lacking a belief as to weather or not your particular religion is correct. Since you still believe in god, you are not an agnostic, you are a theist.
The fact that you are not sure of gods attributes is a different matter. I don't know that there is a specific name for it ( and I have a masters in philsophy).
It sounds like you are having doubts about the church, the dogma, etc, rather than a crisis of faith. I would say the term is "intelligent."

Answer 4

A skeptic or a doubter. You could even call yourself a doubting Thomas. He was the apostle who said he would not believe in the risen Christ until he touched him with his own hands. He got to do it a week later. For the most part the rest of us don't have that benefit.

Answer 5

Well, agnostic is close. You're saying that you're Catholic and have doubts, while agnostics say that we cannot know and some of them still practice their religion. So that may be what you're saying..

You may just say ambiguous, inconclusive or uncertain, or something like that, as well.

Oh, dubious is a good one. Try that on for size.

Answer 6

Openminded? yes, the first guy nailed it really with skeptical. The fact of the matter is, as with citizenship, you can jump from religion to religion until you find the one that takes everything you believe and institutionalizes it, freezes it in dogma, or you can accept that your beliefs will never be matched by a "religion". Once you accept that, you can search for a teacher in earnest, and you can search wherever you want because you really aren't bound by that one group's beliefs.

Answer 7

HERETIC! SATAN-POSSESSED! EVIL EVIL EVIL!

Just kidding. Sounds as if you may be drifting a bit towards deism, an idea that God is out there but all he did was set the universe in motion and then sat back to watch. I'm sure the Catholics will recommend all manner of indoctrination...I mean "counseling" for you.

Answer 8

Human

Answer 9

particular. Agnostic isn't one hundred% particular. They variety of have confidence, yet have doubts & might like greater evidence. they are the fence-sitters between atheists & believers. do not undertaking. i think of maximum people have doubts & lapses of religion in some unspecified time sooner or later of their lives. i'm Catholic too. i replaced into raised Catholic. i don't constantly accept as true with each and everything the Church says, or what my mom instructed us. i've got confidence religious in my own way. i've got confidence closest to God while i'm in nature. it particularly is a alluring worldwide. I do have confidence in Heaven & Hell yet i don't think of there are pearly gates & hellfire. i think of it rather is diverse. i think of it rather is greater like a state of being: finished happiness & love or utter melancholy & torment being banished from God's love. i think of Heaven is fairly like the final dream you ever had, lasting perpetually & Hell could be the worst nightmare, dragged out for eternity devoid of get away. besides, do not undertaking. it rather is organic to be perplexed. in basic terms keep the religion! :)

Answer 10

Skeptical