Is it wrong to question if a God exists if you are a Catholic?

Answer 1

• No, but it is a sin.

• While the church hierarchy may frown upon such "lack of faith," I believe we all must need to deal with the question of the existence of God in order to have the relationship with Him that He wants, that was purchased by the death of His Son, Jesus Christ.

• If we're honest with ourselves, we'll question God's goodness, or even His existence, from time to time. Rather than "challenging" God to "prove" that He exists, though, we need to approach Him humbly, though boldly, and ask for proof of His existence. If we truly need to know this, He'll provide proof. (Too many people who want "proof" of His existence, though, don't really want such proof; they just want to win a fight.)

• Some Christians would say yes (I am a Christian) but I feel knowledge is so important. God gave us a mind to think with and try to do good with, so if we don't question certain things (even the existence of God) then we will never research or experience it to know if it's true or not. We all have our own belief system and even some Christians can have enough strife in their lives to question the workings of God. It doesn't mean He still isn't in you spiritually and you are on a path alone discovering the miracles He does perform. Don't get too upset about it, do your research, let it go and take a breather and then go visit a nursery full of babies. That's a miracle in itself!

• No. I was a Catholic and I questioned the existence of god. Nobody can give me empirical proof, so I excommunicate myself. Now I don't dream of hell at night, and not get paranoid on the prospect of eternal damnation in hell, or eternal bondage of a tyrant god in heaven.

• Denial of something does not its nonexistence make. Empirical proof will be the last thing that happens to you. When you are face to face with God, deciding will no longer be up to you. He has sent messengers ahead from prophets and angels, your friends and scripture, even God's very own Son to warn you that you will one day be face to face with Him. Also, I'm a closet homosexual.

• If you question God's existence, explore that feeling. You may find that the answer either strengthens your faith in Him, or makes you realize Catholicism isn't the right religion for you.

• St. Thomas Aquinas points out that there are many aspects of reality that are not self-evident to us, but which need to be demonstrated by things that are more known to us... (ST I, q. 2, a. 1; cf. Psalm 19:1-3, Romans 1:19-20) That is, God's existence is not immediately self-evident to all, so it is neither unreasonable nor injurious to faith to seek an answer to the question of God's existence. St. Augustine explained himself as having fides quarens intellectum, or faith seeking understanding. Over the ages, saints, theologians and philosophers would often echo St. Augustine's words credo ut intelligam - I believe in order that I may understand. The Catholic philosophers Kreeft and Tacelli point out When faith comes first, understanding follows, and is vastly aided by faith's tutelage. But we also agree with the classical position's contention that many of the things God has revealed to us to be believed, such as his own existence and some of his attributes, can also be proved by human reason, properly used. (Kreeft & Tacelli 1994, p. 16) Here Kreeft and Tacelli are essentially restating the position of the first Vatican Council (Vatican I) which reaffirmed the positions of St. Paul (cf. Rom 1:19-20), St. Augustine, St. Thomas, et. al. that the existence of God can be known through reason, implying that it is not wrong to make such an inquiry. Faith and reason are like two wings on which the human spirit rises to the contemplation of truth; and God has placed in the human heart a desire to know the truth-in a word, to know himself-so that, by knowing and loving God, men and women may also come to the fullness of truth about themselves. (John Paul II, Fides et Ratio)REFERENCES Thomas Aquinas. Summa Theologica, trans. Fathers of the English Dominican Province, (Allen, TX: Christian Classics, 1981). Kreeft, P. & Tacelli, R. Handbook of Christian Apologetics, (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1994).

Answer 2

It is not wrong, nor a sin, to question whether God really exists. Even Mother Teresa said that she asked herself the same question.

If you then decide that he does exist, the church is more likely to congratulate than condemn you. If, however, you decide that God does not exist after all, then the Church would regard that as a sin but, since for you, God does not exist you can be unconcerned what the Church decides.