Asking questions

is a quick way to get one scolded by people who have been taught to never question the reasons for certain beliefs.

In his commentary Story and "Truth", American theologian Jason (Jay) Mallow makes the following observation:

"It is far more important for us to know our motivations for why we believe what we believe than the particulars of what we believe. This last point I think matters way more for those of us who grew up in Evangelical and conservative spaces. This is mostly because we were taught to never ask why we believe."

On 15 February 2026, I encountered on X.com an example of what Mr. Mallow is referring to.

Here is a screenshot of a conversation that I had with someone who appears to be within Evangelical and conservative spaces:

Yes, I dared to ask why Gloria believed what she believed. Instead of answering my questions, she responded by using a fallacy of logic called ad hominem.

The way that Gloria responded is NOT a proper way to respond to questions about one's religious beliefs.

One reason why I joined the United Methodist Church in 2024 is because UMC members are free to ask questions pertaining to religious beliefs. Also, UMC members are free to have different opinions about things that are NOT essential for eternal life.

I want to quote John Wesley:

UMC members are NOT going to think alike on every topic. We who are UMC members have to be cautious lest we, too, react to questions the way that Gloria reacted to my questions about marriage.