Discussion Guide:Doubt
Featuring "Science mike" mchargue
“We’re going to talk about doubt tonight, and I like to talk about doubt because typically, Christians don’t like to talk about doubt…go ahead and picture for yourself where that number would fall.” - Timestamp: 4:50-6:21
Section One:
How do you view doubt?
What challenges in life have led you to doubt?
On Mik’e rating scale of 1-10, how close do you feel to God?
How does your view of God influence the number you chose on your scale?
“What I’m finding in sociology today is more and more people not only report doubt that God exists at all, but people who believe in God report in survey data that God seems distant…that’s just how we roll. I speak from experience.” - Timestamp: 6:22-8:45
Section Two
Have you ever participated in a debate about God? Why or why not?
What was the result?
Were there circumstances (either internal or external) that prevented you from participating in such a debate?
“It’s really interesting, when they figured out really early in the history of brain science…epilepsy is a feedback loop in the brain between the two hemispheres…my wife knows how they’re feeling, when their homework is due, and she’s just dialing all these variables that I really can’t fathom neurologically.” - Timestamp: 11:45-13:52
Section Three
After hearing about the brain’s structure in different genders, how does this new learning influence your relationship interactions with others?
“For epileptics, male or female, the corpus colosseum becomes a problem because in some cases, epilepsy is life threatening…Some people feel a little bit more at peace than they did a few minutes ago and others are contemplating walking out right now.” - Timestamp: 14:05-20:28
Section four
Take a moment to respond or react to the clip.
Are you more comforted with this new knowledge, or do you want to walk out of the room?
Are you somewhere in between?
“Let’s talk specifically about what happens when you scan the brain of people who doubt and a few ways that you can treat doubt…Doubt literally kills people.” - Timestamp: 20:28-26:18
Section five
How do you tend to respond to doubt?
How do you experience God?
Have you ever experienced something emotionally from a trusted source where your relationship with God has been affect?
“In our society, there are two dominant neurological models of God…Whether or not God exists, belief in God can be incredible healthy for you.” - Timestamp: 26:18-28:41
Section Six
Which neurological model of God do you tend to follow?
Has this ever changed over the years? How so?
“How do you get back to God?…people feel closer to God, feel that God is more real, and yes, be more likely to change their behaviors in life, and yes, that benefit themselves and benefits society.” - Timestamp: 28:58-38:07
Section Seven
Walk through the steps: What does investing in each step look like for you now?
What does investment look like to help you move beyond your now an grow into more?