CarissaExplainsNothing

Questioning

Added 2023-11-21 13:55:33 +0000 UTC

A community where questions are discouraged or even punished is really more of a cult than much else. Yet that is exactly the experience so many of us have in church. Questioning why we believed what we believed, questioning authority when they were clearly not making wise choices, questioning why things had to be done a certain way that didn’t seem to benefit the community… any questions like these were rarely ever acceptable.

People who asked too many questions were seen as trouble-makers and lacking in “faith.” I was taught that obedience was essential to being a good Christian and that it meant obeying immediately and without questions. What a terrible thing to teach people, especially impressionable and vulnerable children.

I remember in my late 20s I heard of a group of college students in my community who were in trouble for asking questions, such as “is the Bible infallible.” My response was “some questions are too dangerous to even ask.” At the time I meant the danger was in the question. I didn’t realize then the danger was in not being allowed to ask the question. Questioning and wrestling with answers is a part of being human.

Groups that don’t allow questions likely don’t have good answers.