Doubt is the foundation of Faith

At a spiritual event I casually remarked "I don't believe all that swamiji/guruji said is relevant in today's outlook." At once there were ripples around the crowd & I could see 2 kinds of initial reactions from people around me.

1. First reaction received was of anger & contempt. It felt like they were angry with me for spoiling their feel-good factor, diminishing their aura of spiritual nirvana attained.
2. Second reaction(even more severe) was of panic and fear. It felt like they suddenly did not want to be associated or even stand next to a non - believer. If others saw them consorting with a non - believer their own value in guruji's inner circle would decrease. Or worse what if guruji himself found out that they associated with a non - believer. Disastrous!!!

We all assume that religious faith has to be unquestionable. If you question anyone's religious beliefs then you are a very stupid person or worse an Atheist. To these people I say "Philosophies can exist without ideologies, and ideologies can exist without religions. Forming an opinion doesn't make you religious by default."

To the Believers "Doubt" is not acceptable. However people seem to have forgotten that "Doubt" was and has been the catalyst that ushered in major faiths in the world today.

Let's take a few examples:

• Most famous instance of doubt has to be attributed to Arjuna, to reaffirm his faith in his duty/karma, Lord Krishna gave us the Bhagavad Gita. In fact Arjuna not convinced even after all the reasoning given by Lord Krishna, who had to resort to a showing him a Miracle(his true self, encompassing all creation).
• Divinity of Jesus of Nazareth was also doubted by his followers who at various instances demand to see proof, vide Miracles, provided by Jesus of Nazareth at times. Even "Mother Theresa" was granted benefaction and not Sainthood as it requires 3 proved miracles by the church.
• Some versions of historical documents tell us that after the prophet Muhammad received revelation on the mountain near Mecca, he came down from the mountain full of "Awe" not believing what had happened to him. It took him time to fully comprehend the Lord's message & the realize that it was in fact god who had spoken to him.

But ask any fundamentalist and he would say there is never doubt in his mind regarding the Lord's divinity. For such is the nature of "Blind Faith" as it leaps without question.

Divinity is the result of Faith. Doubts once satisfied give us absolute conviction for true Faith.

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