The definition that Jennifer Michael Hecht gives for doubt is, “a human impulse to question what is given across the ages.” There are many who believe that doubt is an impediment to religious faith and even shows a lack of faith. Hecht disagrees with this opinion however, and says that doubt is an energizing and renewing force of religion.
In Hecht’s program, she talks about preconceived notions people have about those who doubt. She says that many believe that doubters are people against religion, but in reality, are more religious than most because they don’t just blindly accept certain beliefs. Doubters often explain some of the unclear answers given to us by religion.
Hecht describes the history of doubt all the way back to the ancient Greeks. She talks about three philosophies of the ancient Greeks of which doubt is an important part. The three philosophies she mentions are Cynicism, Skepticism, and Epicureanism. Cynicism was a philosophy in which it was taught that one should live like a dog. One should not fight the pressures of the world, but should just, “go with the flow,” and follow one’s own desires. Cynics should not be ashamed of themselves and should not try to accomplish anything. Skepticism originated from the ideas of Socrates. Socrates claimed that it was impossible to know everything, and that questioning that which we do not know helps lead to a better understanding of our world. Skepticism believes that we do not possess the ability to know anything, but it eventually evolved into a theory of probabilities. Epicureanism teaches to love everything that one possesses and to control one’s desire for the things that they do not possess. Epicureans did not believe in the idea of “meaning,” and also made suggestions of how to live in without religion. It teaches that we should allow fear to run our lives and that the fear of pain is far worse than the actual pain that one will experience.
Hecht then moves onto a history of doubt within Christianity. She tells us that doubt has been an important part Christian religion throughout time. For an example, Hecht uses Jesus’ words, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me,” when Jesus was on the cross. It shows that at times even Jesus had doubts. She gives another example of doubt within the Christian religion with a quote from St. Augustine. Augustine said that, “if he doubts he lives. If he doubts he thinks. If he doubts he has a will to be certain. If he doubts he knows he does not know.”
But many people fear doubt and the questions it brings, so a pattern begins to develop. As Christianity became popular, doubters were persecuted. The philosophies of Cynicism, Skepticism, and Epicureanism in the Roman Empire were closed, and the philosophers forced to flee to the Middle East, where Islam was born. Then doubt begins to become a part of Islam. The followers of Islam begin to question the Koran. The pattern of doubt appears farther on in history during the Enlightenment. In the Enlightenment, many philosophers and scientists adopt the belief that humanity must throw out all opinions and begin their thinking process rationally. Hecht says that the categories of agnosticism, atheism, and theism let their opinions get in the way of thinking all the time. The beliefs of atheists and agnostics are insignificant and unquestioning compared to most ancient philosophies according to Hecht.
Return to Homepage