Questioning Faith

Why do we believe in a particular faith?

It is a question that at some point in our life we must ask of ourselves. For most of us the answer is that it is the faith of the family that raised us. There are several old quotes that remind us of this fact. “As a child is raised so shall he be,” and “Give us a child for seven years and he is ours for life.”

The last quote does not always pan out but it is often true. Young adults often reach a point where they question everything their parents said or believed. They question everything including the existence of God. I went that route myself in my early twenty’s. My path back to the faith I was raised in was one that was full of questions and searching. The circle was completed in a very personal and spiritual experience.

The circle of faith does not always return to one’s original grounding then a conversion takes place. This often happens during a life crisis such as the death of a loved one. I have known Buddhist to become Christian and Christian to become Buddhist. There have been Muslim who become Christian and Christian who become Muslim. This can be true for any two religions. One who converts to another faith is often the most zealot because the process comes out of a deep personal choice and conviction.

Either a return to faith or a change of faith produces a stronger personal faith because the person involved has had to question everything.