I have nothing against people's beliefs. They are often ideas that hang on the hooks of their actual values and support them. We all might believe things and not realize they fall under the category of assumptions.
It is most obvious when you realize that, when it comes to belief, well, you can actually believe anything. Privately, that is one thing. The mind is a movie maker on its own. Sometimes that is useful, helpful or even imaginative and creative, but when you cross the threshold into the consensual view of our collective view, agreements and understanding, then analysis, facts and knowledge take precedence and transcend the realm of mere belief.
The problem is when people are unable to understand that their beliefs are, in fact, beliefs. I understand that the word, "belief" actually traces back to the old Germanic and meant, "to make up". Once they are convinced that beliefs are facts and then attempt to foist them onto other people as truth, it can easily become toxic and aggressive and even destructive rather than beneficial. So, I guess discernment is in order.
Since we all have both biases and beliefs, I am not out to denigrate or rail against belief in itself, but to make it clear that beliefs require examination and insight and can and should be tempered with investigation and knowledge. There are some wholesome beliefs that can act as an inspired hypothesis that can then lead to clarity and truth. There are beliefs that reinforce bias and hover like dark clouds and eventually become a noxious prison of suffering and a fuel for the most heinous, self-justified acts.
It is the same as conflating belief with faith. I won't go into that, but most people can't even make the distinction and therefore bring more confusion about them to the table. Ignore-ance is deplorable, no matter what the situation or circumstances and it results in confused wandering and far more suffering than is necessary. Flailing about in darkness with big sticks is bound get somebody hurt.
Of course, I guess the statements, to "Get thee wisdom!" and, "Be wise as serpents." are either not understood or overlooked for the sake of convenience. I have really never come across a statement that one should be dumb as a rock and thick as a brick in any of the ancient texts I have studied, even though modern McReligion might give one that impression.
= new reply since forum marked as read
