The Satan Pit, Part 2: The Case for Doubt

Ida: "What about you?"

Doctor: "I believe...I haven't seen everything."

Last time, I deconstructed the scene in The Satan Pit between Ida and the Doctor from the perspective of sharing your faith. I focused more on the way in which Ten brings up the subject of belief and how he acts toward Ida as she answers him. Briefly, I touched on his response when she returns the question, and I highlighted the simple honesty of his statement as being the right way to talk to someone about your beliefs. Today, I'm going to take a deeper look at the statements he makes throughout the episode to explore the merits of doubt.

The Doctor and the Devil

For a 900-year-old genius who has spent the last 700 years traveling through space and time, the words "I don't know" have got to feel foreign. He has seen enough of the universe to have a prodigious grasp on what is real, what is sensical and what can't be. So, when he's faced with something that doesn't complement his understanding of reality, he is unsure of how to react.

In the beginning of the episode, Ten is fairly dismissive of the notion that the beast in the chasm of Krop Tor is the devil, telling Rose to "keep it together" when it identifies itself as Satan. However, even then, when Rose asks him to deny the existence of the devil ("Tell me there's no such thing...Doctor?") he can't bring himself to do so, because he isn't entirely certain. Later, the beast communicates directly with the people on Sanctuary Base Six and the Doctor cuts right in, wanting to set the record straight. He asks the beast which devil he is, citing the plethora of religions that have emerged over the milennia (SPOILERS):

I love this clip for three particular moments. 1) The Doctor's silence at 0:20, after the beast talks of the result of the Last Great Time War, 2) When the beast asks if the Doctor's conviction (at 0:50) is his religion and the Doctor answers a little insecurely that it's "a belief," and 3) The look on Ten's face at the very end when he can't explain how the beast knew about Ida's past. These three moments unveil the Doctor as someone who, contrary to popular belief, doesn't actually have all the answers and, more importantly, responds quite well when this is brought to his attention. As he is with many other things, the Doctor is a fine example of how to approach the deep, important questions of existence.

Agnosticism

I have great respect for agnostics. Not that I don't respect other people - I maintain that individuals have the universal right to believe what they like. But I especially offer a nod of approval toward agnostics, because I think, on some levels, they have a worldview that is more humble and honest than most. While the depth of belief or disbelief in some Higher Power varies among agnostics, they all operate under the fundamental resolution that there are more things in heaven and earth than are dreamt of in their philosophy. (Woohoo, Shakespeare!) Their openness to the existence of the metaphysical and their acceptance that they could be wrong about the world, or just ill-informed, is commendable, I think. Sometimes, atheists and people of faith alike become bombastically confident that they know the full truth about God, when such a knowledge is impossible at this time. (1 Cor. 13:9-12, ESV: "For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up my childish ways. For now, we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then, I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known [by God].") I like how open-minded, honest and humble the agnostic mentality is, especially when harbored by people who are incredibly learned and intelligent - those most capable of assuming they have a clear understanding of the way the universe works. Like the Doctor.

The Doctor has his "rules" and beliefs, but when Ida asks him about his religious ideology, he answers with simplicity and humility. Check out this clip again, skip to 1:00 and pay attention to the content of the Doctor's answer:

"I believe I haven't seen everything." "That's why I keep traveling - to be proved wrong."

I just love that. The Doctor isn't arrogant and isn't so selfishly attached to his beliefs that he's unwilling to entertain new ideas or paradigms that challenge his own. He has deep convictions and opinions, but he doesn't get angry or defensive when they are contested. He becomes thoughtful. I think if more people would examine what they believe and why they find it true, they would emerge ever the stronger and wiser for it. And, they'd be able to explain it better to others who ask.

The Bible says that merely calling yourself a Christian and going through the motions is not enough; you have to put your money where your mouth is: "Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you - unless, of course, you fail the test?" 2 Cor. 13:5 (NIV). You can't test yourself unless you are willing to entertain the idea that you're wrong, and you won't prove that your faith is the real deal unless it comes through in your actions. Being Christian is so much more than praying a prayer and accepting Jesus - it means constantly learning and changing yourself to mirror the one who saved you. And you never learn anything unless you ask questions. 

Doubt and the Christian

There is such a stigma against doubt, as if anyone who professes to believe in Jesus is never allowed to question him or herself. Some even think doubt is a sin, even though there is no Biblical evidence for this. Take the disciple Thomas for example. He's forever known as Doubting Thomas because he didn't believe Jesus had risen from the dead (John 20:24-29). Now, Jesus could have done a million things to him for not believing, punished him, called him to repent. But he didn't. He revealed himself to Thomas, allowed him to touch the scars on his hands and in his side and embraced him as the follower he was. No hellfire or damnation. Why? Because doubt is a natural part of being human. Because doubt usually leads to examination, learning and maturation. Don't put someone down for having doubts about their faith; rather, encourage them to read the Bible, pray and explore. Tell why you don't doubt it. We don't have to have all the answers right away, and some we'll never have. It's okay. If we knew everything for certain, we'd have to be God.

Even those we might consider "super Christians" had serious doubts. Mother Theresa, in her journals, questioned if she were saved at all. Mother Theresa! Of course, you can't judge someone's salvation based on works (see James 2), but I think we can all learn a valuable lesson from her. She devoted her life to following Christ and doing the work of God and even she wondered at times if it was all for naught. You can doubt, and God will love and use you nonetheless.

I've personally questioned the existence of God and my faith a number of times in the past, even as recently as a year ago. I pondered what my life would mean and what reality was all about if God were out of the equation, and I came to the same conclusion I hold firmly as truth: without God, the universe doesn't make sense. Moral living is a formality. Life is pointless. I can't prove there's a God empirically, but from what I've observed on earth and in my own life, I can't accept the alternative. I choose to believe in God though I haven't seen him, and Jesus said I'm blessed for it. (John 20:29) Doubt has made me stronger. 

I'll end this with an encouragement ripped off from the wonderful Ms. Frizzle: "Ask questions! Make mistakes! And get wiser!"

Until next time! May the TARDIS take you where you need to go.
Katya