From Doubting Thomas to Doubtless Thomas

As most of you all know out there in bloggerland I am addicted to the T.V. Show LOST. By addicted I don’t mean that I just have to watch the show ever Wednesday night, but that while this is running my whole week is in anticipation for the next week’s episodes. I listen to three different Lost podcasts, read and theorize on discussion boards, and even watch old episodes that could shine some light on the one I just saw. So there is my confession and as the saying goes confession is good for the soul.

Why the all of a sudden admission of my nerd fetish with this show? There was an episode last week called “316” which was filled with themes of faith, salvation, sacrifice and redemption. However, there was a conversation that Benjamin Linus had with the hero of the show Jack Shepherd who represents science, reason and the need of evidence to be the foundation for any truth claim. Ben shared the story of the Apostle Thomas who is best known for doubting Jesus’ resurrection.

The Gospel of John records the story. After his resurrection, Jesus appeared to the disciples behind a locked door (I will talk about the significance of the lock door later). All of the disciples where there except for Thomas. When Thomas returned the disciples declared to Thomas the great news that they have seen the Lord. However, Thomas was skeptical. He said "Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it." I identify a lot with Thomas. See Thomas wasn’t into this whole idea of “blind faith.” Thomas believed that if Christ was really powerful enough to be raised from the dead then he could be able to provide evidence of that.

Somewhere in the 2,000 years of Christendom we have abandoned this idea of certainty. We have turned faith into a blind leap like Indiana Jones stepping onto an invisible bridge saying “I Can’t see it, touch it, or know with certainty that it’s there, but I put my whole life on the line for it.” At churches there seems to be a coat rack and a brain rack as you enter in the doors. Check your coats and your brains and the door because you won’t need either while you are in doors. It’s no wonder that Neo-Atheist Richard Dawkins see faith as “the great cop-out, the great excuse to evade the need to think and evaluate evidence. Faith is belief in spite of, even perhaps because of, the lack of evidence.”

We somehow have created this dichotomy between our heart and our mind. I heart can believe while our mind doesn’t understand. Imagine though, if your mind confirmed what your heart believed? Would that transform the way that you lived your life? Would that transform the church? After Christ death the disciples gathered in the upper room and they locked the door. Why? Because they thought they were next. They were afraid. However after they had seen the reason Lord, that door became unlocked and they went out into the streets and declared the Gospel of Jesus Christ and all but the Apostle John died a martyr’s death. The Apostle Thomas became one of the greatest evangelists of the early church proclaiming the gospel in Persia, India and possibly China. Doubting Thomas turned into Doubtless Thomas and he gave his life for the Gospel. Thomas was transformed when his mind confirmed what his heart believed. If you have stumbled on here and you have questions about your faith, then I commend you. You are not alone. However, just like what Ben said Jack on LOST, “sooner or later everyone is convinced.” Rather it be in this life or the next you will be convinced.