What Do You Believe?

In this blog I want to go back to examining personal Belief Systems, (if you can get to the place where you can acknowledge people have them).  I do not, and have not advocated, not having any beliefs, just becoming aware of what they are, and how they influence personal behavior.

Whether one believes in Belief Systems, or not, in becoming aware of the news of the world, more-and-more an obvious factor is that: the beliefs held by an individual, group or culture is, every day, smacking us over the head.  Examples are the actions of a group called ISIS/ISIL, elected Democrat/Republican representatives, Catholics, or whatever other label is applied, their beliefs are clearly paramount.  (It is clear these people will do, or continue to do, whatever it takes to impose those beliefs on everyone else; for example, TEA Party Republicans, The Gun Lobby, One Percenters, etc.)

Usually, one needs only to mention, for examples: gun control, abortion, illegals, unemployment, etc., to get an explosion of personal beliefs.  (Unfortunately, beliefs are too often confused, in the owner's minds with, "Facts".)  It is a fact, however, that Cultures and Religions are interrelated sets of Beliefs which has to be accepted to begin to be understood.  It seems, however, that many, have not only NOT been inculcated in cultural/religious and other beliefs, many younger people seem now are becoming adults without having been acculturated as to any basic beliefs; they are just, "winging it"!

Examples: there are other news reports about events/people, where you have to wonder if the individuals have any fundamental beliefs at all!  And, also, How did they get that way?  In particular I am thinking of young men and women in this country who have abandoned everything and set off to join the ISIS/ISIL groups fighting and killing in the Middle East.

Also, something that has to be added to this topic, is the seeming increase in self-destructive behavior.  In this regard, it appears that there are many who are willing to ingest and/or do anything in order to get a high?  (An example that comes to mind is mimicking hanging oneself for a high!?!)

As a nod to this time of year, there is also the rise of the importance given Halloween, which has become an adult Holiday.  An aspect of this Halloween thing is that of the fascination of, "Zombies", which seems to me be growing, instead of going away! 

Is all this an indication of a path: that Western humans have chosen to embrace, a total breakdown of society as a whole?

Presumably, you are not one of the above.  So what, if any, are your Primary Beliefs?  Do you have a belief that says, "An individual life is important," or, perhaps: "People die, okay," (so taking a life does not matter)?  Does our environment matter, other than the amount of snow, no rain, too-much water, fires, disrupting our lives?  Rather than that we humans have totally unbalanced life on this planet?

It seems that not only are most individuals not aware they have a Belief System, and that one aspect of that System has become THE dominant focus, or, at minimum, a primary one, of their lives.  As indicated above, major activities, which seem to have taken over the lives of many people in this Western world, besides sports, especially younger menbers, is getting high on anything, having sex, taking pictures of oneself--selfies--or passing-out drunk. 

First, we need to discuss beliefs.... So, just what are, "beliefs", anyway?  The official definitions, which Dictionary.com gives are three:

1. something believed; an opinion or conviction: a belief that the earth is flat.
2. confidence in the truth or existence of something not immediately susceptible to rigorous proof: a statement unworthy of belief.

These first two definitions reflect the Scientific Western World idea that conflates beliefs with, ("something not true.") opinions; "that's just your opinion," i.e., has no relationship to facts.

The third (3), which is: "confidence; faith; trust: a child's belief in his parents." This definition brings in the idea of having confidence and trust in what one believes, (however misguided(!)).

Nowhere will you learn that little, if anything, we think of as, "Facts," scientific, or not, as opposed to, "beliefs," are anything other than postulates.

Personally, I think it is time that we, as humans, intentionally start developing Personal Belief Systems.  That is, to switch to:  "Okay, that is what I have been conditioned/indoctrinated to believe, now, this is what I chose to believe in", and go ahead and spell them out.

It doesn't matter what your Belief System is, it does matter that you know what it is you Believe.  If you believe in, say: 1) The individual's right to carry a gun, if one has trained in it's use; 2) The individuals right to practice birth control; 3) Belief in a Supreme Intelligence in the Universe; 4) That the major need in the world is Free Energy; 5) A belief in Angels; 6) In a fair distribution of wealth in the world; 7) Etc.

Really, I am serious about this, it is time to start, not only believing in the possibility of having a Belief System, and studying how it influences one's life.  We need to go on from there, creating an outline, not only spelling those beliefs out, but adding others one has developed through living, or choosing to believe. At minimum, studying how they do and have influenced how you act will bring one's intellect into play.  

With that, I end today's blog.

Shirley Gallup