tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-642051953929467886.post870207885431749612..comments2012-02-18T21:21:22.495+00:00Comments on A Toe in the Water: Clergy Losing FaithA Toe in the Waterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15985266737889326790noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-642051953929467886.post-86676427959428008902011-11-07T17:44:07.521+00:002011-11-07T17:44:07.521+00:00Thank you, vinegardaoist, for your comments. I am...Thank you, vinegardaoist, for your comments. I am sorry that you seem not to have had room to express doubt in your experience of the Christian faith. <br /><br />I did point out that churches may not know what to do with doubting clergy. I believe that the situation is better for other attenders and worshippers. There is room to work through doubts, and to reason things through without being forced to have faith. I suspect we will disagree on this, but I do not find any conflict between reason and faith. After all, atheism is a faith position, too. For me, my faith is based on revelation and reason.<br /><br />I am sure the Clergy Project is supportive for those who have chosen to believe in atheism. I hope it allows room for those within who may begin to doubt whether the atheistic position can be sustained. History is also full of examples of people who have found atheism wanting, and moved on to find freedom through faith.A Toe in the Waterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15985266737889326790noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-642051953929467886.post-73533717513950733422011-11-03T16:59:26.891+00:002011-11-03T16:59:26.891+00:00Loss of faith may also occur due to the confrontat...Loss of faith may also occur due to the confrontation of reason and critical thinking with the content of faith. One might refuse to sweep the significant intellectual issues under the rug any long. Certainly, the failure of the the church and the faith live up to it's promises can spark a serious willingness to finally confront the real issues. However, for most the watershed is reason and critical, skeptical thinking.<br /><br />You can attempt to diminish the significance of this decision to leave the faith by attributing it to some emotional, psychological or spiritual failure but that is not the case. Obviously such an attribution is necessary to stay within the box but it is not in keeping with the fact or the testimony of those who have left. <br /><br />While for those who have and have jettisoned this faith the initial struggle was sad, they are now elated. I know because I was there, went through it, came out on the other side and am a member of The Clergy Project.<br /><br />It is appropriate you should be amused a the language, it is "tongue-in-cheek" and meant to prompt the comparison. These clergy find in The Clergy Project what is denied them in the church as soon as they begin to seriously entertain doubt or unbelief. For most they lose job, home, family, friends, community and are ostracized. The church has never provided a place for doubting or atheists unless you are ready to believe.<br /><br />Certainly, throughout the history of the Church, unbelief has never been gently and kindly tolerated. The only reason it is now, in principle, is that the church lacks the power it has had in the past to inflict civil punishment or ecclesiastical punishment supported by civil authority.vinegardaoisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04736925714223148141noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-642051953929467886.post-14059085654923034402011-11-03T16:55:21.610+00:002011-11-03T16:55:21.610+00:00This comment has been removed by the author.vinegardaoisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04736925714223148141noreply@blogger.com