Internalized Belief
I had an interesting conversation while shopping at the Buffalo Exchange the other day. A young gentleman started talking to me about camouflage pants, and before I knew it we were discussing politics. The fellow told me that he was planning on going "out on the road," leaving his job and seeking a life of freedom. He remarked that "if you really hate Bush, you can't support him." I suppose that by his rationale, working and paying taxes would be considered supporting the current administration.
I can't say that I agree with his conclusions necessarily, but his approach caused me to think. This man had a belief, and that belief translated into necessary action for him. Since he truly believed that the Bush administration was wrong in every way, he could not imagine giving any support to it. He was willing to go to extreme ends to live out his conviction. This led me to question the motivations behind my own actions.
Christianity tends to bring the word "belief" into the conversation quite a bit. We read the Bible, we hear sermons, and we are told certain things that we either agree or disagree with. Based on this set of propositions we formulate our "beliefs." But what does it mean to simply agree or disagree? If a belief is merely a set of facts, does it become part of the subconscious worldview that drives my actions? In other words, is it unthinkable for me to act in any way that contradicts what I believe?
Maybe I am idealizing this interesting person I met at the Buffalo Exchange. But I think that I met him precisely so that I would begin to question this idea of belief. It appeared to me that his belief had become so internalilzed, so much a part of his very rationality, that to act in opposition to it would seem to him absurd. So now I turn back to myself. Do my Christian "beliefs" form my reality? Or are they simply intellectual constructs that I add to a list of facts?
For example, I believe that Jesus instructed us to love our neighbors as ourselves. Do I just pay lip service to this belief? Or have I so internalized this belief that to act in any way toward my neighbor other than lovingly will offend my sense of reason? Honestly I can't say that I have gotten to that point yet. But I am glad that God sends me into unusual circumstances in order to speak to me through unlikely messengers.
I can't say that I agree with his conclusions necessarily, but his approach caused me to think. This man had a belief, and that belief translated into necessary action for him. Since he truly believed that the Bush administration was wrong in every way, he could not imagine giving any support to it. He was willing to go to extreme ends to live out his conviction. This led me to question the motivations behind my own actions.
Christianity tends to bring the word "belief" into the conversation quite a bit. We read the Bible, we hear sermons, and we are told certain things that we either agree or disagree with. Based on this set of propositions we formulate our "beliefs." But what does it mean to simply agree or disagree? If a belief is merely a set of facts, does it become part of the subconscious worldview that drives my actions? In other words, is it unthinkable for me to act in any way that contradicts what I believe?
Maybe I am idealizing this interesting person I met at the Buffalo Exchange. But I think that I met him precisely so that I would begin to question this idea of belief. It appeared to me that his belief had become so internalilzed, so much a part of his very rationality, that to act in opposition to it would seem to him absurd. So now I turn back to myself. Do my Christian "beliefs" form my reality? Or are they simply intellectual constructs that I add to a list of facts?
For example, I believe that Jesus instructed us to love our neighbors as ourselves. Do I just pay lip service to this belief? Or have I so internalized this belief that to act in any way toward my neighbor other than lovingly will offend my sense of reason? Honestly I can't say that I have gotten to that point yet. But I am glad that God sends me into unusual circumstances in order to speak to me through unlikely messengers.