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CHAPTER TWO: How Much Good News Can We Take?
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C H A P T E R T W O HOW MUCH GOOD NEWS CAN WE TAKE? A2007 SURVEY by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life in the United States noted the increasing importance of those with no religious membership, roughly percent of the population. Interestingly , most of them, percent of Americans, believe in God but do not identify with a particular religious community. It is common to hear people claim to be spiritual but not religious. Americans have long been independent when it comes to their personal beliefs. No outside authority—governmental, ecclesiastical, or intellectual—should determine one’s faith outlook. But, historically, Americans have identified with particular traditions. Why at this juncture in history is there noticeable doubt about religion? John Paul II took up this issue in his encyclical, The Splendor of Truth, especially in relation to moral life: How are we to know the truth and live by it in an age that exalts individual freedom? Similarly, in the Muslim world, there is discussion about some prophetic teachings that do not reflect the spirit of the age, especially regarding the role of women in society. Does this mean that the prophetic message as a whole is unreliable?1 In a pluralistic age, marked by fierce battles between secularists and fundamentalists over the nature of human existence, the question of religious doubt is part of the rough religious terrain shared by Christians and Muslims. It is worth mentioning, too, the serious doubts today about the secular project , the idea that the world fares better without God. Here, however, our inquiry will focus on religious doubt. 43 44 CHAPTER TWO Although we usually do not associate doubt with religion, it has always been vital to the welfare of religion. Ultimately, doubt ensures that religion not become reduced to a set of definitions but remain essentially a relation—known but still mysterious. Doubt about religious teachings has existed at all times and places and in all cultures but becomes more pronounced under certain conditions. The existence of multiple religions, for example, challenges the idea of a single truth. Additionally, the association of religion with violence or, alternatively, the religious rejection of scientific discoveries can contribute to religious skepticism. Indeed, the possibility of verifying the truth claims of religion is itself elusive. Is the message true? If we cannot respond with certainty, why should we commit ourselves to it? People do often act without clear knowledge. They take risks in business and policymaking. They are ready to trust others even if they do not know them fully. But it is also true that doubt can paralyze us, leaving us unable to act decisively in the name of truth. This is true in all spheres of life but especially when it comes to action for God. We cannot see God. We can neither prove nor disprove his existence. Do we have conclusive evidence that the revelation is truly a message from him, disclosing who he is and what he wants? We might have hopes but we also have reservations . If it is not clearly true, why submit to its obligations or act on its behalf? To some extent, the Qur’an can be read as a response to this kind of doubt. Muhammad’s audience in seventh-century Arabia was diverse. It included devotees of tribal gods whom the Qur’an called to the worship of the one God. Jews and Christians were also a targeted audience, charged with beliefs that fell short of true monotheism.2 Evidence in the Qur’an suggests that they hesitated to heed Muhammad’s message. They lived happily, worshipping as their forefathers had before them. They had their own prophetic message, namely the book, that is, the Bible. What was the point of another? There were apparently debates among these monotheistic Arabs about the resurrection of the body, the existence of the hereafter, and the judgment day to come; such themes feature prominently in the Qur’an, as if to quell doubts. These [3.89.72.221] Project MUSE (2024-03-29 12:45 GMT) HOW MUCH GOOD NEWS CAN WE TAKE? 45 Jews and Christians, the Qur’an suggests, both claimed to be the saved community, exclusively, a kind of intramonotheistic rivalry. Still, what more was there to say about God and his ways? Muhammad would have to produce a great sign if he hoped to be accepted. This is exactly what Muhammad chose not to do. Because of...