Beth's Ponderings
Why do you believe
whatever it is that you believe in life?
Is it because you
were taught something by your parents as a very young child and you still
believe it?
Is it because you
were taught something in school by your teachers, or another authority?
Is it because you
observed or overheard something and decided it was true, even if you didn’t
have the whole story?
Is it because of
our language - certain words and phrases that we mindlessly repeat day in and
day out?
Is it because of
particular experiences you have had in your life?
Is it because our
society believes it, and so you think you have to too?
Beliefs are as
varied and unique as the individuals that possess them, and, for the most part,
our beliefs are completely harmless, to ourselves and to others.
Yet, not all our beliefs,
no matter how tightly we hold them, are true.
It doesn’t matter
if the belief comes from our parents or family, our schools or our peers, a
personal experience, or is a long-standing societal belief, the source does not
automatically make it truth.
Quite often, we are
even presented with overwhelming evidence that our beliefs - for example about
ourselves and our self-worth - aren’t true, and yet we still cling to them as
if our very lives depend on it.
We grow up, change,
and have different experiences that all have an impact on the way we view
ourselves and our world.
So, why don’t we
question our beliefs?
Many people fear
that questioning a strongly held belief means that their life has been based on
a lie if it turns out the belief was wrong for them, but, how can you know what
you truly DO believe if you don’t question them occasionally? Wouldn’t you rather believe what’s true?
Beliefs aren’t
meant to be set in concrete. They are
meant to be examined, and even changed if necessary. As we are in constant interaction with the
world around us, and the people we are in relationship with, our beliefs should
be examined and updated on a regular basis.
Beth
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