Tonight I watched the movie Doubt.
It wasn't bad, not great, but enough to get me thinking.
The story is about a nun at a school who suspects the priest of certain wrong-doings. She has no proof, but is certain that the safety of particular students is at risk.
Even if the priest is innocent, she can't risk the possibility of his guilt.
I think this is true when it comes to a lot of things; sometimes people believe things just because they are afraid they might be true. I think this is especially the case when it comes to religion.
I don't disagree with the nun's diligence, children's safety is paramount in this case, and I don't know if she actually believed it 100%, but it got me thinking. Believing in something because you are afraid it might be true isn't truly believing at all. I think some people kid themselves, thinking fear is belief. It isn't.
In order to truly believe something, you need to have tested it, tried it and weighed against other possibilities; you need to be sure it is the truth, not just a possibility.
Tonight I learned to question my beliefs, to make sure I'm am not simply following fear.
To truly believe something, you need to ask questions.
Belief takes work.
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