My recent blog on the 7 pillars of Wisdom, including Frans de Waal‘s comment on my August 4 diagram, has created some turmoil in my mind. In my view, the main difference between animals and humans is having (no) beliefs. In my view, an Awakening is about losing your beliefs. Can we have no beliefs?
I consider myself a centrist and a pragmatist using common sense rather than someone having ideological views. I consider both sides of any argument. Is this enough for having no beliefs?
For a very long time, I have wondered if it’s fair (of me) to apply Love, the 7th Belief system, only to humans. Clearly, animals display love as well. Perhaps, animals and humans share Love as a belief.
My definition of a Belief system is crucial though: a willingness to sacrifice your life for your beliefs. In subsequent blogs, I added “and the willingness to kill others for your beliefs”. Some nature videos do show animal parents trying to rescue their offspring from predators. Such an attempt does not qualify.
In my later blogs, I defined beliefs as an unknown known: we know that we do not know but yet we believe (eg, Religion). The Wright brothers believed that men could fly using a machine.
In 2017, I published my blog the 4 levels of Consciousness – an integrated framework.
Our (complex) beliefs cannot be viewed independently from our (complex) consciousness.
If our consciousness is a precondition then it seems that having beliefs is another precondition.
My Wright brothers example (above) was a deliberate one that aimed to show that human beliefs are not all bad. To the contrary, in my view. In general, our beliefs serve a purpose for good. However, anything good can – and will – also turn bad. Ultimately, our beliefs are like the two sides of a coin
I think, feel and believe (sic!) that our beliefs are an intrinsic property. To answer my blog title’s question: we cannot have no beliefs. Perhaps, an Awakening is about minimizing beliefs or losing your bad beliefs (eg, ideology). To be continued – probably.
Both Sides Now (1967) by Judy Collins
artist, lyrics, video, Wiki-artist, Wiki-song
Note: all markings (bold, italic, underlining) by LO unless in quotes or stated otherwise.
FAITH it is the certainty about the existence of God, as a personal reality. Faith means to respect what was communicated by God, through revelation” (eg.. To Moses), also, Faith is the natural trust of people in the parental love of God. He who believes trusts in God; as the pupil in his teacher and the child in his parent.
Most people meet God through faith and good works of Faith.
You’re off topic.