Belief
Do you believe what you believe because you believe what you believe – or
did someone tell it to you? I heard about a group – a new member came on
the scene – they were all zealous and excited. The new convert blurted out:
“This is so wonderful! What do we believe?”
Shouldn’t it be the other way around?
What do I believe? I’d really like to know. I believe I’ll take a nap – is my
favorite phrase. I believe I am the sum total of my past. I have been through
many things. I have believed many things. I have studied belief.
The other night I watched John Stossel’s The Power of Belief (6/3/99).
It was about healers, seers, card readers, fire walkers – things like that.
For a lions share of the show we were referred to the comments of James
Randi, and rightly so. He IS the voice of reason. Any internet search will get
you to his website.
One of the things that impressed me was his training a channeler to dupe the
people in Australia – which is what they did. At the end of the hoax – they
admitted the truth. And here’s the rub. A certain number of people told them:
“We know what other people are saying about you. That’s okay. We still believe.”
Can you believe it?
Or a friend of mine told me just today – he knew a woman whose husband and
lover told her of their affair. She refused to believe it, thinking they were just
trying to upset her. He moved away, after some months the truth sank in.
In this case, the denial is a little different, I think. It’s not the same as faith.
“Faith is the assurance of things hoped for; the conviction of things not seen.”
That’s in the Bible – and it makes sense – to a point. I mean, in the Egyptian’s
Book of Life (Christian people have perpetuated the misnomer “The Book of
the Dead” – it simply isn’t so!) they certainly had a hope.
And that’s NOT why I’m here (at least I hope). I’m not here to destroy
someone’s hope. That wouldn’t be right. Especially for me, coming from a
fundamentalist back ground.
Now, when it comes to fundamentalism, why and how people believe what
they do – like – consider this: all read the same book (perhaps different
translations) and all believe different things. You have Catholics, Protestants,
Methodists, Greek Orthodox, Jews, all kinds of Christian groups and cults.
Jehovah’s Witnesses, Mormons, and what not. Some of these groups say they
are the ONLY group that is right and the rest are all wrong at best – going to
hell at worst (what does that say for the rest of the world’s population?!
A minority are Christian. Jews, even less. Most of the world is Muslim, Hindu
and Buddhist.)
This is a very complicated mixed bag. In Stossel’s reporting – he was concerned
about people believing superstitions to the point our whole society was reverting.
Evolution appeared to be turning around. And especially in this information age
of knowledge. Some other very good programs were done by Penn and Teller.
(Also employing the sane remarks of James Randi…)
I’m inclined to believe (and this is what some of you have been waiting for)
that ALL beliefs are things that man made up. And especially when it comes
to religion – I see it as a means of controling people.
Period.
Keep everyone in line.
Like Moses with a stick ready to hit you should you get out of line.
I am inclined to believe that every belief on this planet is a myth.
Look how many and varied they are – look at how intolerant some of them are.
Look at how some are very loving and peaceful. The Eastern religions intrigue
me, in that, they are content, I see them all over the place – especially where
I like to go eat.
They aren’t hell bent on converting the world. They are happy with their
integrity. Fine upstanding people – who, I have always felt, would rather die
than give me the wrong change at the cash register.
Or how about this? One night in work an obvious “believer” started saying
“Jesus! Jesus!” as an obviously Oriental worker came by to pick up some stuff.
He simply raised his hands chanting, “Buddha, Buddha!” like he’s had to go
through this scenario before. It’s like the Buffalo Springfield song For What
It’s Worth: “Singin’ songs, and carryin’ signs. Each sayin’ hooray for our side…”
But, when you look at the order of things – the world, the universe, how things
work out mathematically – like PHI for instance – you would think there HAS
to be a God – right?
Maybe there is. I think the only honest answer is, “I don’t know.”
Cause other than that – it is merely faith and belief.
Is a person with faith or belief better off? That’s a loaded question.
Some are burdened with guilt and some are better off.
Why they’re burdened with guilt in a religion that’s supposed to get rid of it
is another interesting study.
Also, the problem with religion is empiracle proof. I would hazard to say you,
dear reader, aren’t talking to Mary. But look at the personals, and hear the
testimonies of those who prayed to saint so and so and got an anwer.
They have thier “proof.”
And like we started off here, no matter what you tell people, no matter what
you show them – they will continue to believe what they believe if they are
truly caught under a spell. I’ve seen it. I’m sure you have too.
But are YOU that person? And how do you prove it?
