Can a true, righteous, Christian say this?

Question

“In my soul I feel just that terrible pain of loss, of God not wanting me – of God not being God – of God not existing.”

It was said by a person I admire for the works she performed in this world – Mother Teresa. Even though I never agreed with her religious views, I believe she exemplified the best of humanity. Profound doubt has always been the lot of many of the truly religious, and especially of the religious figures who contribute to bettering the world.

What say ye who claim that you've never had a doubt?

KAL: Really? Well, she made the statement at the age of 49 (1959). And that "turmoil" lasted until her death 38 years later. Your theory doesn't cohere with the lives of other great Christians either.

"Sometime:"
You presume too much. The quote in question, and its context, will be published next month as "Mother Terssa: Come Be My Light." Parts have already been published by Time magazine. (Don't be fooled by the title, it is not mindless adulation.) The context is precisely her "darkness."

Goinopru:
Ah I see ...not through works. Which is why if Hitler "accepted Jesus" is his last moments, he may be in paradise right now, going "tsk! tsk!" as Mother Teresa burns in hell. What a wonderful "loving" dogma.

Answer 1

Faith without doubt is childish. The whole point of faith is making a commitment to a viewpoint despite the lack of evidence. Children must accept what they are told because they have no practical alternatives. But at some point, they must examine their basic assumptions about life or they will never grow up. They may need to find a new path, and even if they validate what they've believed before, it will be different as a result.

Teresa acted as if she believed in God, even though she could not actually experience "God". That is the commitment of faith, not certainty. Certainty is the fearful refusal to examine one's beliefs. Believers who never doubt are not taking their faith, or its consequences, seriously.

Answer 2

That is not at all uncommon in truly spiritual people. It has been referred to as the dark night of the soul. Even those of us with strongly held beliefs have our doubts and our periods of disbelief. I belief it is our doubts that keep us seeking after the truth. Those who decide what they believe and move forward with nary a doubt cease seeking, striving and growing. It is a lot like the guy who works for 20 years as an accountant and wonders if he made the right choice for the right reason. That guy does not always stop being an accountant - indeed he (or she) may decide that he made exactly the right choice and it was the doubts that made him/her re-evaluate life choices and re-confirm the decision. I would not place myself in the same league as Mother Teresa, but I do know I am constantly pestered by doubts, yet my faith remains and grows stronger as I progress in my journey.
I truly believe that faith is a journey - a process - not a destination. When we stop moving we stop growing and start dying.

Answer 3

I really don't think you are going to like this answer

there are righteous people out there, mama teresa for example, osoma bin laden too, as well as mahata ghandi. Righteousness is adhering to ones faith. i'm not saying I agree with any of them, but they lived what they believe.

In the case of teresa, she can feel that God does not want her, that God does not exist. She can live that. for 38 years of her life. And for good reason.

In the last year of her life, about the time diana died, she had gone to switzerland and signed onto a catholic congress meeting where in she acknowledge that Mary was necessary for salvation and apart from Mary salvation did not or could not happen. Seems she died 2 weeks later.

One who has read and understood what the bible says about the person, nature and works of Jesus Christ could not make such a statement, endorse such a statement or be a part of any group that does.

I think what was happening to her, is what also happenned with Ghandi as he was going through life. Both realized that they had personal sin in their life and had no one to deal with it. They understood that God is holy, they are not and were seperated from him.

I do not believe that she made it to heaven, nor do I believe many like her, that spend all their life doing"good" works make it. They got too busy to find the author of life and salvation.

as I say, I don't think you will like the answer, but I believe what I have written to be accurate and true, based on catholic publications and some stuff on her after her death.

Answer 4

That describes how I felt when, as a new Christian, I was told by someone in my congregation that God didn't want anyone who had the slightest tremor of faith. It was an awful feeling! Then I came gradually to realize that the person who told me that was very wrong and that, yes, God wants me--warts and all.

I've never really doubted God's *existence*, but then, I don't fly as high spiritually as Mother Teresa flew, who must have been well up on the devil's "hit list."

Answer 5

One possible explanation that makes the most sense to me is that the stronger a person's faith, they more likely they are to experience doubt. If God does have a mortal enemy focused on turning the hearts of men away from God, then the people that have devoted more of themselves to God would be his most likely target! Why would an enemy of God put doubts in the minds of people that had already been deceived by him? That would be pointless. Instead, this enemy's greatest challenge and greatest victory would be to cause a faithful believer to turn away from God!

It makes sense to me that someone like Mother Teresa would be targeted by Satan with his most effective weapon...doubt. ...and it also makes sense that he would step up the pressure when she got closer to death and that age alone would make her an easier target...that the normal mental and physical weaknesses associated with aging would reduce her ability to fight against all the doubts and fears he was trying to plant in her!

Answer 6

I think we should realize that everyone, no matter how close to God they may be, can go through trials of doubts, maybe even fears. Our greatest example is Peter. I mean, come on. He walked with Jesus Christ and was so afraid at one point, he even denied him! But Peter came back, was stronger than before, and was "The Rock" once he was restored.

God is the judge of Mother Theresa, as He will be of all of us. I think too much is being made of these few cries of loneliness and frustration she felt. Look at her life, it was devoted to others. She was truly a doer of the Word, not a hearer only.

Answer 7

Even Jesus himself had doubts. The son of God, who knew of God's existence had doubts about his crucifixion... but he went along with what he was here for.

The same can be said for Mother Teresa. I'm not saying she was the second coming, but think about it. Everyday she saw heartache, death, pain, and despair. She was human, amazing but human. That means she was just as susceptible to human emotion as anyone. Though her faith in herself and the presence of God may have been shaken and utterly lost, she performed the acts and duties that the lord brought to her. Yes a true righteous christian may faultier and still remain in heavenly graces. "What so ever you do to the least of my people, that you do unto me."

Answer 8

All believers have had doubts. If you say you havent..you are lying!

The longer I know the Lord, the fewer doubts I have.

Unfortunately, good works dont make one a believer. One can do zillions of good works for humanity and still be LOST. It is what Jesus did for us on the Cross, and our trusting in HIs performance that saves a person and makes them HOLY in Gods eyes. How can I say this? Its what the Bible teaches. We are only holy when we are IN the ONLY HOLY ONE. That actually HAPPENS when we trust that what Christ did at the Cross was all that was necessary to reconcile us to a HOLY God. When we BELIEVE it, the Holy Spirit places us INTO a brand NEW CREATION called the church, the Body of Christ.

He does it ALL. As a result of our taking God at His Word, we get Christs test score on OUR paper and are declared "the righteousness of God IN HIM". Without that righteousness, that is a GIFT from God, NO One will enter heaven or be considered "righteous."

We have no righteousness of our own, but only that which is given to us thru trusting the righteousness of ANOTHER.

I hate to say it, but Mother Teresa may not have even BEEN saved. It has nothing to do with her expressing doubt , however, but in what she believed about how God makes a man righteous. It isnt thru works.

Answer 9

Here's the deal wit dat Dude / Dudett!!! I've Been There & Done That Before I Found Christ, as I too was "Born into the Catholic Dogma" & Observed All the "Empty Meaningless Rituals" which Never Bring "Salvation" or "Eternal Life"!!! That all Stopped when I came "Face to Face" with Christ and Found the Meaning Of & For my Life as part of Gods' Plan and it Never would have Happened in the Catholic church as they don't Teach from Scripture, wanting instead to Control U & keep U Ignorant with "Their Dogma"!!! John

Answer 10

The answer to your question is yes, most righteous, Christians have posed this same question and actually the truth of this quote is that when put in its complete context, with the phrases prior and after, she isn't talking about God Himself, she is talking about herself not being good enough to be considered by God, there lies her humility before the unknown.
Thanks for this beautiful statement. I think you would learn to admire her more if you read her memoirs, and also a Bibliography written by one of the sisters who knew her.
She most certainly exemplified humanities ability to be truly pius and that even during this generation it is possible.
Thanks and have a great day, God bless always.