When we place our faith or ultimate concern/passion in something that is not ultimate, that is idolatry. This can take the form of nationalism, success, Jesusolatry, or taking the symbol to be the object itself, whether that is the myth, the sect, a particular concept. Remember, God-dess is beyond the limits of our language and conception.
What makes all this vital is that faith calls us to make a central act of total surrender to the object of our faith. If we are going to take this seriously, it’s an awesome thing. What if we’re wrong? What if this really isn’t real? Therefore, doubt is an inherent part of faith. The seriousness of our doubt should reflect the seriousness of our faith. This doubt must be met with courage. Therefore, last December, I resolved to stop believing and open my beliefs to scrutiny. This only deepened my faith. A dynamic faith must include and encourage doubt. That way it will grow and not stagnate.
