I started this blog hoping to give a fair perspective of a faithful Mormon living Mormon doctrine. A second purpose is to give an honest reference of spirituality in the 21^st century. According to this Pew Foundation Report, Millennials, my generation, consider themselves spiritual, but are less affiliated with organized religion than their parents.  I suspect that Millennials are looking for spiritual guidance where they spend their time, which is online. I’m just hoping to add some perspective to the online discussion in my preferred language, candor.

Perhaps one reason for my generation’s trend away from organized religious affiliation is because they are disillusioned by indirect answers.  Google readily delivers straight answers to their straight questions and most well established religious organizations sanitize their message. I don’t fault my peers’ dissatisfaction because frankly, I feel it myself.

But, the truth is that when God works with humans, it’s a process and it’s messy.  It’s been an arduous process to reach the level of spirituality I enjoy now and I have felt God was working through me, but my wrestling is laden with my imperfection. Therefore, the history of God’s dealing with mankind is similarly flawed. When spiritual leaders with good intention, smooth over the messiness I understand the angst of a twenty something who feels like saying “Dude, you’re not telling me the whole story.”

But I have found no one tells the whole story. They can’t. The whole story comes through wrestling and I don’t have a complete picture yet. And I don’t always end up with the answer I expected or a conclusion that is certain, but I always gain peace through the Holy Spirit’s process.

This brings me to a concept with which I am still struggling. Doubt it seems is a four letter word in circles actively promoting faith. But questioning has deepened my faith. I have found that it’s through taking questions to God and receiving communication from Him that I’ve gained not only a certainty that He exists, but an understanding of His nature that endears me to Him and persuades me to obedience and service. In other words, it is through questioning that I know God.

So where does doubt fit in?  The Lord said to an ancient American prophet, “And whosoever shall believe in my name, doubting nothing, unto him will I confirm my words, even unto the ends of the earth” (Mormon 9:25).  So, I’m confused.

I’m opening this up to the diversity of opinion accessible in an online forum and personally remaining open to your thoughts. How can I doubt nothing when it is through questioning that my faith has substance?

(On Twitter?  I’m interested in following you http://twitter.com/EleeshaT)

Tags: anti-institutionism, cynicism, doubt, faith, hope, millennials, religion