The Function Of Belief

[Tao_Equus]

Inspiration!! I'd say it demands a celebration!!


Grats Paladin, I'm sure its not always been easy.

The only sport I ever truly enjoyed was downhill skiing. But its been a while now since I got piste.

[greymare]

lol, piste, I get it.

[juantoo3]

Kudos to Paladin!

[flowperson]

You Da Man Mark !

flow....

[Paladin]

Thanks guys, it was a long time comin, but I learned a hell of alot along the way.

[Pontius]

Thank you. Let us define belief because some will say "I believe that the world is round and not flat". Others will say "I believe that Jesus is the only true path to salvation". Defining belief as an idea where one seperates him or herself from others and sees the other (non believers) as inferior or misguided or condemned to hell or whatever helps us clarify and focus the discussion.

[bob x]

Congrats, Paladin. I once almost got to eight, but took a road trip (it wasn't any better out there the second time around), so I'm only coming up on five, now.

[Paladin]

Originally Posted by bob x

Congrats, Paladin. I once almost got to eight, but took a road trip (it wasn't any better out there the second time around), so I'm only coming up on five, now.

Keep comin back Bob I fully believe that this condition is cunning and baffling no matter what anyone says. Ive seen some great people go out and never come back. So if you have five years back that is a really big deal!

[flowperson]

Bob, you're also da man .

In my life I have found five years to sometimes be an eternity.

flow....

[juantoo3]

Kindest Regards, Pontius, and welcome to CR!

Originally Posted by Pontius

Defining belief as an idea where one seperates him or herself from others and sees the other (non believers) as inferior or misguided or condemned to hell or whatever helps us clarify and focus the discussion.

Perhaps. Of course, all of us have a belief of one form or other, we cannot sanely function without some form of belief.

It is physically / mentally / and I would add spiritually impossible to function sanely without any belief whatsoever.

So while it may seem easy to point a finger, perhaps in ridicule?, at those whose beliefs differ from our own; does that not invite reciprocation? What makes perfect sense to us may seem lunacy to others, just as what others believe may seem lunacy to us.

Even so, how much will a person's beliefs morph over a lifetime? A little? A lot? Perhaps even radically? Yet even a person whose beliefs are altered radically still must hold on to some element of belief in order to remain sane. Individual beliefs may take a subjective form, belief itself (as far as humans and rational thought are concerned) serves an objective function.

[juantoo3]

Originally Posted by bob x

Congrats, Paladin. I once almost got to eight, but took a road trip (it wasn't any better out there the second time around), so I'm only coming up on five, now.

At least you had the good sense enough to try again, and for that you too should be commended.

Congrats on the milestone!

[Tao_Equus]

I agree 5 years dry is quite an achievement. I cannot really appreciate alcoholism having never been a victim but of course I have observed it in friends. I do not have one friend who suffers from this that has managed 5yrs so I can appreciate the difficulty.

I am particularly pleased for you Bob because I know that giving up the bottle is an important first step in your conversion to Islam.

Salaam

[Pontius]

Originally Posted by juantoo3

Perhaps. Of course, all of us have a belief of one form or other, we cannot sanely function without some form of belief.

It is physically / mentally / and I would add spiritually impossible to function sanely without any belief whatsoever.

I want to clarify the definition of belief. To separate it from ideas about what shapes the world around us e.g. "I believe the earth revolves around the sun". I believe that my DNA is different than your DNA. I believe that Mt. Everest is the tallest mountain in the world. Yes we need these scientific beliefs to function in today's modern culture. But what about the spiritual beliefs. I for one do not think we need to rely on mythology to live in these modern times. I find it much more comforting to neither believe nor disbelieve in any religious or spiritual movement. I simply admit that I don't know.

If you tell me that you are in a group of believers that have all experienced space travel with aliens, well, it is a bit far fetched but do I really know that what you tell me isn't true. If you tell me that Jesus is the son of God and unless I accept him I will burn in hell for eternity, do I know it to be true. Is Allah the one god? Am I god and just imagining everything because I am playing hide and go seek with myself and nothing is real? I won't discount what you say because I haven't experienced it myself, but I won't embrace it because I don't know for myself that it is true.

[Paladin]

Okay, new question: what is the connection between personal belief and identity?

[Paladin]

Ah the silence speaks volumes!