6. In Praise of Doubt

[15 February 2021]

I remember as a child often being called “Twenty Questions”, an affectionate nickname I am sure for a somewhat annoying habit of constantly asking questions. I have always been a doubter too, something I saw as a weakness I suppose, and often it is seen as such: a lack of faith, dithering, ‘self-doubt’, these phrases have so many negative connotations.

Now I am not so sure: in fact maybe it is Certainty that is our modern problem.

Everyone is so certain, so adamant, so confidently right that alternative opinions, no matter how based in fact, simply must be, have to be, Fake News. Being wrong is Unthinkable. Whether it is Republican, Democrat, Labour, Conservative, Welsh Nationalist, ‘Brexiteer’, ‘Europhile’, everyone is so Certain, debate is not needed, the lines are drawn and to cross to another side is ... well … Treason.

And because Doubt is ‘dangerous’, eventually even the asking of questions becomes unacceptable too. These were (and are) the characteristics of Totalitarian states, or Cults, but now it seems growingly prevalent in mainstream ‘democratic’ culture. Interesting, and for a later time perhaps.

However, for me and my personal journey, I reached a point at which the embracing of doubts was important. Questioning my religious perspective was essential, the existence of questions and alternative opinions grew so loud, that it was necessary to turn towards them directly, to stare them full in the face, and, to evaluate.

I have always followed the logic: if I believe I followed the Truth, then why would I fear any questioning? It’s simply really, if I have Truth, then no new provable fact would be able to contradict it? If what I held as Truth, was not in fact true, then wouldn’t I rather know? A question for all of us with our Certainties (religious or other), would we want to know if we were wrong? Or would we rather just shout ‘Fake News’ and carry on?

And so I began to delight in awkward questions, nagging doubts and alternative perspectives, the pursuit of which, will always do one of two things: confirm what I believe True as true, or, require a change, a modification of belief. The change is the challenge, but when this is seen as always ‘a getting closer to Truth’, or a ‘broadening of knowledge of the Truth’, then it becomes a wonderful thing.

It is an exciting journey that will take a lifetime I am sure, for to me it is the purpose of living, that I may Know, The Truth. Maybe that’s a bit sad for some (don’t tell my wife and children, they think that they are the purpose of my living) but for most of us at our core, to want to know that what we dedicated ourselves to was right, was important, had Meaning.

So to all our Fixed Positions, can I suggest we embrace a healthy level of re-evaluation? Let us learn to Doubt well.

And for me, it had to start at the beginning with my belief in a God.

Apologies

1. To my religious friends who do not feel comfortable with this type of reflection.

2. To my non-religious friends, forgive me for the diversion I am taking here into the realm of belief, I will return to social justice issues soon.

Bear with me! Jonathan