Sunday Night With John: My Beliefs (Maybe)

What is a belief? An idea held as fact and undeniably true.

Throughout the ages, numerous people have held beliefs that turned out to be false: The world is flat. The sun revolves around the earth. Gum takes seven years to digest. People are separate but equal. Women don’t belong in the workplace, and countless other false beliefs. It seems, with the access the internet grants and the platform social media provides, that there is an increase in people placing false beliefs above facts. When these false beliefs are met with facts, the believers bury their heads in the sand, place their fingers in their ears, and scream, “I’m not listening. I’m not listening.”

Ignoring facts, and placing debatable concepts into the category of "undeniably true," is a dangerous game to play. That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t have beliefs or that those beliefs shouldn’t inform us about how to interact with our world. We just shouldn’t hold a belief without the ability to adjust it as more facts and information come to light. I have a set of beliefs that guides my interactions with the world. I also carry the ability to change my beliefs completely as my world expands and I’m open to arguments supported by facts.

I believe that anyone who says they don’t see color is more than likely racist and using this obviously false statement as a cover-up for their racism.

I believe that anyone who believes only in business and a free market does not understand the depths of greed in some people.

I believe that anyone who believes in greater government intervention and regulation does not understand the depths of corruptions in some people.

I believe that, if you only hang out with people who think like you, you will have a stunted view of the world.

I believe that the statement, "Love Trumps Hate," is utterly and completely false. Hate is powerful and too many people have been jaded by bad love to trust it.

I believe that there is something that does trump hate--compassion. No one ends up jaded when the other person has shown them compassion.

I believe, just like our ancestors, that we fear what we do not know and what we do not understand.

I believe that those who ignore facts are doomed to head down the wrong path.

I believe that every fact can be manipulated to the view of the presenter of the fact, so always gather some of your own information.

I believe that people, who fail to answer the questions they ask, are hiding something. What are they hiding--the fact that they do not know the answers to the questions and do not want to look stupid?

I believe that we have well-intentioned, but unimaginative, bad leaders in the government sector now. And, before you think I’m pointing to our recently-elected president, I want you to know that I believe both political parties are terrible leaders.

I believe that our priorities, and what we consider important, are out of whack with what we really need.

I believe we give anger to much power because it’s the only way to have our voices heard.

I believe I refuse to follow anyone who leads with anger and only talks with their angry voice.

I believe that the world would be a better place if we all were willing to look stupid every now and then. Sometimes it’s the best way to learn.

I believe that we form an opinion, first, about how we want the world to operate and, then, search out ways to bury our heads in the sand if the facts say otherwise

I believe that our failure to be honest and transparent is the cause of most of our problems.

I’m willing to adjust these beliefs, or change them completely, as I talk and meet people, as science evolves, and, as new facts come to light. What I will not do is stand on my holier-than-thou soapbox and proclaim any belief to be 100% true. There is doubt in every statement, every belief. And, one day your belief might be proven false. So, do I believe all those things listed above? Yes, in this moment in time I do. That doesn’t mean I’m chiseling them in stone anytime soon. Well, except if you say you don’t see color, then I’m going to think you are at least a little racist.

So to bring it full circle what is a belief: a guiding principal that needs to stay flexible and down off of any soapbox.