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The word "doubt" has inevitably
acquired a dark image. But doubting is a good thing. This "psychological
process" is absolutely necessary, in particular, when "trying to see
something invisible." By grasping the positive meaning of the word, we come
closer to knowing the truth; we take the first step towards confirming what is
the “right thing” to do.
Thanks to the progress of medical science, blood
tests can now provide us with a considerable amount of information about our
body condition. But if there are many ways to settle doubts about tangible things, I do not know of a good way to examine
the intangible aspects of the human heart. Is
there anything useful, like litmus paper, to at least assess whether it is
acidic or alkaline?
None of us lives without doubt. It is only natural
for us to worry about the health or business problems of family members, acquaintances
and friends, thinking "possibly," "no way," "after all,"
and so on. There are days when I cannot sleep, days when I feel cheerful and
worries are gone. We humans coexist with "doubt," consuming a
considerable amount of energy converting intangible
things into tangible ones.
Since President Trump cannot read the minds of
others, he is swayed this way or that, unnerving the world. So, for ordinary
people like us, it is nothing special to worry about trivial matters that pass
over our heads. "Suspicion…" We sometimes wonder whether there is a
demon in the dark, but in reality we jump at shadows.
People who have stormy faces, those who live
out their days feeling uncertain or dissatisfied, are stuck in a dark cloud of
stress constantly and fruitlessly seeking tangible
justification for feeling the way they do. Negative intangible
forces such as anxiety, mistrust, fear, and doubt are powerful levers turning
the screw on people’s lives.
Whether or not war will break out next year,
whether the big earthquake will strike, whether I will remain healthy, whether
I can trust that person, whether I can find something lost: such doubts I sometimes
indulge in, knowing very well it is also foolish to be always doubting.
I learned that a suspicious
person who does not readily believe anything is called a Doubting Thomas. In
the New Testament, Thomas, one of the twelve apostles, refused to believe in
the resurrection of Christ until he saw the evidence with his own eyes. I would
like to learn from Thomas and keep track of the truth at all times.
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