Do You Determine Your Beliefs, or Do Your Beliefs Determine You? (Part Two)
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Post-obit on from Role 1 of this 3-part serial on beliefs. Here is office two:
Cosmic Craig
Growing up in a Catholic dwelling house which was regularly frequented past nuns and priests (friends of my folks), attention but Catholic schools, being taught most life (God, religion, marriage, relationships, sex, adept, bad, right, wrong) exclusively from a Cosmic perspective, hanging out with my Catholic friends and just ever seeing the within of a Catholic church, I was probably never gonna be a Buddhist by my fifteenth birthday. Or even a Baptist or Anglican for that affair. My upbringing, my surroundings and my education taught me that I was born into the one true church. Whatsoever that means.
Every bit a teenager, I honestly felt sorry for all those not-Catholics who were going to hell; the ones in the simulated churches. Whatsoever that means. After all, we had the Pope on our team; God's personal representative on planet earth and a direct successor to good old Saint Peter – the first Pope. Apparently. How could I possibly go wrong?
Fortunately for me, I had somehow stumbled on to the right team. What are the chances? All those religions and I was born into the simply one that has a hot-line to God and an old bloke in the Vatican with a big hat and his finger on the eternal pulse. And of course, the just religion that could get me to sky. Talk almost luck. Or Karma. Oops, we don't mention Karma do we? That's the other squad.
Sister Mary Patricia
Hither's a judgement I was never gonna hear from the nuns in my religious teaching classes at school; "Okay students, we've decided to provide you lot all with an all-encompassing overview of the core theology, philosophy and instruction of all the major religions of the globe, then we'll leave it up to you to explore the 'God thing' in your own fashion and see where you land; it'due south of import that y'all observe your own truth, listen to your own middle and develop your own religious and spiritual beliefs and agreement."
Nope, there was never gonna be a bar mitzvah for me.
No Hat Hither
Now, before you recall I'one thousand getting my anti-Catholic chapeau on, I'm not. I don't take one. I loved (most of) my babyhood, my Catholic friends, my educational activity and I was taught and mentored past some fantastic nuns and priests. And of course I love my (very) Catholic parents.
What I am talking nigh is social, emotional and religious conditioning (in any organisation, organisation or religion) that tells me what to think, do and believe and doesn't encourage me or permit me to explore and find my own truth beyond the walls of that system. In fact, information technology discourages my exploration and gratis thinking by being critical of groups and individuals who think, believe and behave differently. And when I kickoff to question the organization or parts thereof, I am ridiculed and criticised. Maybe labelled rebellious, misguided and troublesome.
The simply reason I'k even talking almost my Cosmic upbringing is because that's the only childhood I take. That's my reference bespeak. My experience. My story. I could simply equally hands be talking about whatever system that requires people to remember, behave and believe a sure way in order to exist a 'member'. "If y'all don't align with our doctrine, theology, thinking and rules then you can't be part of our group; that is, you must believe what we believe. You won't develop your own spiritual and religious beliefs, we volition tell you what y'all tin can and can't believe."
Information technology'due south in Our Deoxyribonucleic acid
In reality, we are all constantly being programmed (taught, influenced, impacted, shaped) by our globe and everything and everyone in information technology. Our behavior are always being moulded and manipulated (for ameliorate or worse) without us even being enlightened of information technology. Most of our beliefs are formed over a long menstruum of time, which is why they become such a firmly entrenched (not-negotiable) office of our Dna. Our mental and emotional Dna anyway. And that lifetime of beingness taught a certain message and philosophy is what makes it very hard for united states of america to consider another truth. Dissimilar beliefs.
In considering something else (another version, option, way of living, thinking, seeing, believing) we oftentimes need to question what we've believed for always and that makes us very uncomfortable. Scared fifty-fifty. I've worked with people who get aroused when I fifty-fifty question what they believe. And I'k not talking about criticizing their beliefs, I'chiliad talking near request logical, thoughtful, intelligent questions. They won't even consider that their behavior may be wrong; it's likewise traumatic, too painful and too uncomfortable. They've based an unabridged life around some of those behavior, so who (the f***) am I to advise anything else?! They get in incommunicable for themselves to learn anything new. And did I mention the anger?
The Pressure to Conform
The force per unit area to arrange (recollect, talk, human activity, believe a certain manner) exists in all areas of the human experience fashion beyond the religious arena; schools, homes, workplaces, sporting clubs, political parties, gangs… anywhere that people gather. Even in Internet (on-line).
The Encephalon Hijacker
Am I saying that our ain beliefs shouldn't align with a larger grouping? No, absolutely not. What I am proverb is that we need to notice our own truth, learn our ain lessons and determine our own behavior and and then if our cadre behavior happen to marshal with a group that we want to be a part of, then be it. But don't allow someone else hijack your encephalon, your potential or your free will because you want acceptance in to their grouping. To adjust is to compromise.
I similar the idea of being part of a group where identical behavior and consensual thinking is not a pre-requisite for membership. Or acceptance. Or respect. That kind of group appeals to me. I think I might start one. Hang on, I have. And you're part of it. You got that membership card right?
Information technology Ain't a Cult
Past the mode, I don't desire conformity in my group; I want thoughtful consideration of what I teach. I want yous to consider what I write, explore information technology for yourself and come across if it seems like 'truth' for you lot. Don't take what I write because y'all respect me; I may be wrong. Y'all and I can respect each together without agreeing on every topic. Take what I write when you know it to exist real, valid, meaningful and relevant for you. If what I write feels right for you, information technology probably is. If information technology feels wrong for you, it probably is. I can teach you and motivate you lot (for a minute), but merely you should decide your beliefs and only y'all tin can alter your life. I'm not the respond for anyone; I'thousand a resources. The answer y'all're looking for is in the mirror. E'er has been.
Next time, in office three of this very long mail I'm going to talk about:
- When should we change/question our beliefs.
- How we can change our (negative) behavior.
- How our beliefs arrive the way of our potential (and what to do about it).
Let me know your thoughts on this topic. Y'all know the drill.
Source: https://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifestyle/do-you-determine-your-beliefs-or-do-your-beliefs-determine-you-part-two.html
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