In Krista Tippett's "A History of Doubt" featuring Jennifer Michael Hecht, doubt explained to a much deeper sense. We see what doubters do, who can be a doubter, some examples of great doubters, how doubt had changed through the ages, how doubt is truly good and can build ones faith.
Doubters are not like cinics who "live like dogs" and go with the flow of life and expect to be happy. Doubters are those who grapple with religious question, and often find the possibility of other answers through questioning. Anyone can be a doubter. Anyone can choose to explore our faith and question it. Those who do explore and question our faith get a new sense of freedom. They learn the truth through their questioning. They also determine how much truth they are open to learn through their deepness in their questioning.
Some examples of great doubters are also great heroes of faith. These include Socrates, Job, and Epicurus. Job is particularly a good example because he questions God and justice and eventually comes back to God because of it. Over the ages, doubters have been pushed out of society, up until the renaissance, when questioning everything became very popular. Now, in modern times, those who doubt are seen as atheists. This view of doubters has narrowed to become those who do not believe. This is an untrue view: The stereotype for a doubter today is an atheist.
Doubt is actually good, and can benefit one's faith. Doubt allows you to ask questions, and learn what you believe in by yourself. When you learn something on your own, it has an even greater impact than when others teach you it. Also, this questioning very well may build on what you believe in. You may develop a clearer vision of the world around you because of questioning.
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