On Beliefs

Beliefs Are Necessary But Limiting

Our beliefs are the lenses through which we view all events. Some beliefs are like a wide-angle lens that show us a large area of the landscape but still only a portion of it. Other beliefs are like a telephoto lens that narrows our view to a much smaller portion of the landscape. Both lenses show us only the direction we point the lens.

Lenses like beliefs are always directional. Both tend to show us what we want to see and usually what we expect to see. However, beliefs like lenses are necessary to better capture ideas and concepts. The problem is that most of us are unaware or refuse to realize that our vision is being limited by the very device we are using.

So what can we do when we need beliefs but also know they limit our vision of life? We must stand aside and observe ourselves as we would a stranger. Observe our actions, our thoughts through the filter of results. Do our beliefs help us in life? Do our beliefs create friction and misunderstanding with those who have different beliefs? We must come to understand that our beliefs while important to us may not be important to someone else. We must realize that beliefs are not facts, especially to someone that hold different beliefs. Beliefs are personal. Beliefs should never be forced on another regardless of how good our intentions. Forced beliefs will not be joyfully accepted and may be forcefully rejected.

Beliefs are our way of dealing with the unknown and unknowable in our lives. Yet, to grow we must increase rather than decrease the scope of our beliefs. We must be willing to see the value even in beliefs with which we disagree.

Beliefs must help us become more open rather than closed, more tolerant rather than less tolerant. To assume that our beliefs are the only true beliefs is to belittle masters and great minds down through the ages that have clearly seen a different view of life and its reason as well as its result.

Beliefs that narrow our views, harden our thoughts to any possible alternatives will do us more harm than good. We must realize there are hundreds, even thousands of beliefs. Some are held by thoughtful people, some by fanatics, and some by people that just don’t really care one way or another.

Beliefs are often wrong and if you are incapable of modifying your beliefs as new data and facts become available those beliefs are dangerous to your advancement. Think of all the beliefs once held that have been wiped out by new knowledge:

Nothing heavier than air can fly.
We can’t fly to the moon.
We will fall off the edge of the world if we venture too far out to sea.

Any belief that limits possibilities are doomed to be proven wrong sometime, somewhere. If the imagination can conceive it, it can be done - its just a matter of when and where.

Beliefs should be used to stabilize us while we explore other possibilities. If a possibility proves out then and only then step on to that place. Use each new proven possibility as a stepping stone to another possibility. Beliefs are not meant to be static or stationary; they must allow us to grow and expand - never contract. Beliefs are our rudder in the sea of unknown and should be used to help us explore the unknown without fear.

Any belief that produces more fear than courage is doing a disservice to the believer and it limits the deity on which it is based. Any belief that limits our ability to explore physical as well as spiritual realms is not from a deity but from man. Why? Because any deity capable of creating and maintaining this universe would never be threatened by anything that deity has created, including ourselves. Our minds and ideas can never exceed the One’s because as we learn the One learns. To fail to use the mind and brain given us is, in my opinion, the greatest insult to any deity you may worship. To think you could surpass the understanding of the mind behind the universe is just another way of saying you fear yourself and have little faith in your deity.

The universe is part of our education process. Attempts at understanding this universe result in exposing the mind behind the universe while destroying our misguided and primitive myths. As I have stated before, most religions dread and fear an educated populous because they are not as easily controlled through fear and superstition.

Allow your imagination to roam, to do so honors your deity and increases your possibilities.

Author: Don Miller
Posted: Jan. 2003

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2003 Articles

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Saddam's Trial
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On Abortion
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On Beliefs
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