Undermining Belief

The carrot and the stick of fundamentalism is belief. It’s at the front and back of the herd mindset, shaping and channeling it into something odd and increasingly dangerous. Holding to a Big Belief means that its opposite Big Doubt must be repressed; in fundamentalism doubt is equal to sin.

Let’s take a closer look at this thing called Belief. Here is my working definition: It’s the assertion that a thing is true without knowing it to be so. This phenomenon called belief is the strength or glue that binds fundamentalists to their mythical worldview with its dogmas. Belief hides as much as it reveals, those who cling to it tend to repress their doubts, which when well examined hold the precise key to cut through the cloud of unknowing, allowing humans to find truth for themselves –as did the sages of all major traditions of the past.

It troubles me deeply that folks insist on inculcating the young and innocent with dogma, with insistence on belief, rather than being more honest; trusting that the young can, will, and do best to honor their birthright by finding truth for themselves –especially as this is the only way it can be found. However, for adherents of a mythical world-view this is an insurmountable obstacle because at the very heart of fundamentalist teachings and practice is the notion that one MUST believe. A more all-encompassing worldview sees that belief, when defined this way, is the chink in the armor, the Achilles Heel, of fundamentalism.

Belief, as underpinning to a more all-inclusive worldview, is simply not sufficient; it’s the rough equivalent of building one’s house on shifting sand, or below sea level as in New Orleans. Crack belief hard and i suspect that the whole structure will fall, sooner or later the dike of belief will be overtopped, and the long repressed doubt will surface, sweeping away its partial and ultimately foolish pretense at security.

Be invited to join me in cracking belief hard, as befits the occasion. And be ready to fill the breach with a more honest view, one where the opposites are no longer seen as antagonistic but as effortlessly complementary.

Dance of the Eternal

Opposites at play
Each and every day, in each
And every way. This!