Jill Lepore was on with Doug Fabrizio on Radio West this week to discuss season 2 of her podcast which is about the way doubt has evolved in the public theater over the past century. It's been interesting, and touches on a lot of the things that led me out of my faith in the mormon church.
One interesting bit was about the Scopes Monkey Trial where a high school teacher broke Tennessee law by teaching evolution in school. The trial was a public spectacle, broadcast over the radio, and was basically bible vs. science. In describing it, Jill made a point that science is inherently skeptical, and the bible side of the case was about being skeptical of science. It hit home that we are still having the same discussion today with "doubt your doubts". For some reason hearing it as be skeptical of your skepticism seems more obviously silly to me though. Just leave it as "doubt" or "be skeptical", otherwise it seems like your position can't handle the bright light of good-faith investigation. It becomes motivated reasoning and your conclusion must match the approved position or it is wrong.
Radio West - Doubt
Radio West - Doubt
"I would write about life. Every person would be exactly as important as any other. All facts would also be given equal weightiness. Nothing would be left out. Let others bring order to chaos. I would bring chaos to order" - Kurt Vonnegut
Re: Radio West - Doubt
I started listening to this, but haven’t finished.
Is doubt among other churches or other groups as pervasive and critically viewed as in Mormonism?
Is doubt among other churches or other groups as pervasive and critically viewed as in Mormonism?
~2bizE
Re: Radio West - Doubt
I loved the 1960 movie based on the Scopes trial, Inherit the Wind.
Good faith does not require evidence, but it also does not turn a blind eye to that evidence. Otherwise, it becomes misplaced faith.
-- Moksha
-- Moksha
Re: Radio West - Doubt
I know it is among Jehovah's Witnesses.
I suspect it is in any fundamentalist group; i.e. those in which a person's worth is tied to their belief in the group's fundamental claims. The problem is that the claims usually don't hold up to scrutiny, so the group has to resort to social influence and sometimes outright control to keep their members believing.
You'll find this pattern in abusive families and toxic workplaces, too, not just fundamentalist religions.
Learn to doubt the stories you tell about yourselves and your adversaries.
Re: Radio West - Doubt
Just watched someone who has been talking about faith crisis on his podcasts, but who works for the church! Hello! Sure, it’s ok to question - BUT IT’S NOT OK TO HAVE WRONG ANSWERS. Lol
How would they answer these?
Why is the church financially corrupt?
Why have they repeatedly covered up child sex abuse... & now have pedophile symbols on youth manuals & video youth on -church invested-Zoom, which has been spied on & attacked with child porn by Zoom executives?
Who gives a rip about who Joseph married hundreds of years ago... the above issues are hurting people NOW.
How would they answer these?
Why is the church financially corrupt?
Why have they repeatedly covered up child sex abuse... & now have pedophile symbols on youth manuals & video youth on -church invested-Zoom, which has been spied on & attacked with child porn by Zoom executives?
Who gives a rip about who Joseph married hundreds of years ago... the above issues are hurting people NOW.
Re: Radio West - Doubt
Totally. And these kind of "address what people are saying/going through, but then take a left turn before coming to a conclusion" responses from the church are the worst.
"I would write about life. Every person would be exactly as important as any other. All facts would also be given equal weightiness. Nothing would be left out. Let others bring order to chaos. I would bring chaos to order" - Kurt Vonnegut