Having well-defined beliefs helps you define yourself.
Human beings have an ability that blesses them more than any other. When cognitive thought is combined with emotion and action, you get belief.
Some of our beliefs are presented to us. I remember attending Sunday school as a small child, the children’s book representations of the Bible, fuzzy animals, big smiles, no talk of anyone being smote. I also remember what the teacher said, something along the lines of, “If you don’t accept Jesus as your Lord, you will burn in hell forever.”
Forever? I’m five years old, I don’t even know what that word means, but I burnt my hand on the stove once, and fire isn’t so pleasant and neither is burning. Some of our beliefs we cultivate for ourselves. Through experiences and personal discovery, we can plant an idea within ourselves that can grow into a belief that will define us.
Regardless of how you come to accept and possess the belief that you have, I have experienced a recent lapse for some people in remembering that this process is not the same for everyone.
People are going to disagree. This is a fact. Disagreement provides a wonderful opportunity to learn, discuss and reflect on what one thinks as an individual as well as a part of many wholes.
We recently had Shawn the Baptist on campus, a Christian who travels around the country, usually to college campuses, and preaches in an open and public setting. I respect Shawn the Baptist. He is proud of his beliefs, and he wants to do good by sharing them. However, sometimes he chooses to accost and insult individuals, claiming that God is ashamed of them, or that they engage in unholy activity. Not only will this offend some passers-by, but also is a presentation that lacks the love and happiness that I’m sure Shawn the Baptist feels when he contemplates his relationship with God.
We also saw Earthe (pronounced “earth-thee”) Man on campus, a caped Earth-crusader with glittery face paint and a guitar in his hands. Earthe Man joined us in the Criterion office briefly last Sunday and told us why he came to campus, because he loves the earth. He promoted his causes concerning issues like hydraulic fracking and the human impact on endangered species. He also sang us a song called “Super-reduce-reuse-repair-recycle-adocious,” to the tune of a Mary Poppins song.
The point is that Earthe Man was pleasant. He presented his beliefs and the happiness he feels when he acts on them. This is the energy that fosters true discourse outside and truth within us.
Be proud of your beliefs, cherish them and allow them to grow. But remember to be polite, to present your ideas in the way you would like to hear someone else present theirs to you.
This goes for everything, politics, religion and, especially, personal standards. Exercise compassion when you disagree with others, remember that they come to their beliefs in the same way that you do, their own way.