Sta Hungry Stay Foolish

Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish.

A blog by Leon Oudejans

Doubts

26 June 2015

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People sometimes wonder if I have doubts. For me that’s a remarkable question as I’m full of doubt. I’m even a Pisces! While doubts govern my life, I have no problem in taking decisions. It’s not doubt that is causing problems in life but taking decisions based upon (eternal) uncertainty. For some, it’s easier to join a Belief rather than taking their own decisions. The Belief of a group usually strengthens the Cause and Mission and subordinates doubts.

For me it’s scary when people do not have doubts. My Kenyan friend still thinks that our world was created in just 6 days. Because the Bible says so. My blog on the comparison of evolution between religion and science (see June 25 blog) shook her views. A little. She maintains to the literal view of the Bible as she said that having doubts implies that she wouldn’t believe in God.

Doubts either lead to a decision after considering facts and uncertainties, or to denial. Denial is another way of coping with life and its inherent doubts. Unfortunately, one person’s denial tends to be another person’s doubt. Also see my April 16 blog on Reversed psychology and Projection.

Denying (scientific) knowledge leads to ignorance. Ignorance tends to be compensated by a Belief. My March 14 and April 1 blogs on Belief Systems identified seven Beliefs: Love, Money, Philosophy, Politics, Religion, Science and the Truth. Even scientists are perfectly capable to deny knowledge and make science into a Belief (see my May 3 blog).

Denying God (whether Allah, Yahweh or any other name) leads to emptiness. Emptiness tends to be filled with something else like greed, hedonism or narcissism. These replacements are typically short or medium term solutions and may even replace each other in time. In this context, I love the term The Unbearable Lightness of Being (1988, IMDb). That title says it all in just 5 words.

Having doubts about religion or science is human. It allows us to come to a sensible and balanced judgement whether by brain (intuition), senses (e.g., vision), heart (love), mind (intelligence) or – preferably – all of them together, in synchronicity. Also see my April 20 blog.

Any decision or judgement isn’t necessarily final. How could it be as it was typically based upon incomplete and possibly even incorrect or premature / early information. We should not abstain from taking decisions just because we might regret them one day.

In business we have already learned that group or committee decisions allow people to hide from taking responsibility and / or assuming accountability. In social groups we may witness the same phenomenon. However, groups that share a Belief may easily find (appoint) a member (disciple) whom assumes responsibility and accountability for the group’s Cause.

Having a Belief without doubts may easily lead to extremism like the murder of 9 black church visitors in Charleston (NC) in the name of racism and the intention to re invoke a racial war. What’s the difference between ISIL members and this domestic terrorist? They both have firm Beliefs, have no doubts, and will kill whomever and whenever they please in the name of their Cause.

Ignorance is not always a bliss. At times it’s a curse for humanity. Ignorance is like the church of the poison(ed) minds (1984, Culture Clublyrics, video). Having doubts is healthy and sane.

The trouble with the world is that the stupid are cocksure and the intelligent are full of doubt.
(Bertrand Russell)

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