I think there are various people and things that have taught me and have brought me to what I believe today. A lot of it is faith-based, because what I believe about God and His purposes informs a lot of what I feel about other things. However, not all of it is based on faith, since there are things we believe in that aren't as spelled out in a religious sense.
FAMILY/TEACHERS/LEADERS/FRIENDS/PEERS
So, this would be the human element of the equation. Growing up we attended a church where they taught the gospel, but it was my family and the rest that I got to see applying and living it. They're examples helped to show me what worked and what didn't. I was able to see and learn from their mistakes, successes, and experiences to some degree, though a lot I had to test on my own. Without them, it would be harder to come to conclusions, I think, just because there would be little to compare my life with.
I wouldn't call any of them masters in religion, major scriptorians. Nor were they big business owners, scientists or professors. However, they were good people, and they were intelligent enough, and hard working enough to put into practice their ideals and beliefs so they could reap the benefits of them.
SCRIPTURES/GOOD BOOKS
I've read all kinds of different books, articles, posts and opinions in my lifetime. I've pondered upon them. When appropriate, I've sought divine guidance and inspiration. I've tried to also learn science and how we've discovered things are made and put together. I've found there is a lot of unknown in both the religious and the scientific worlds, but I've also found that in some cases, where one lacks, another picks up the slack. I think we should be seeking the truth wherever we find it, and that knowledge is power.
EXPERIENCES
I did touch on this briefly concerning others, but my own experiences in life have helped build my beliefs. I've had prayers answers, and prayer that weren't. I've felt moved to act, and other times where I didn't really feel anything. I've had a lot of good things happen to me, some bad, and felt stress in many cases. I've had plenty of failures, some successes, and have found that either way, keeping a polite but realistic disposition helps to weather most storms and build most relationships. I've had the highs and lows of life, and discovered that I was largely responsible for both. My demeanor and actions went a long way towards determining which experience I would have.
It can be difficult to overcome lifelong experiences with thing, or change them. That's why it's healthy to have various experiences of the same thing in order to get a better sample. There are some experiences, though, that one does not need to have to know whether or not it's bad. Watching others doing some of these things is sufficient.
YES, BELIEFS CAN CHANGE
I see it happening all the time. People change. Their likes, their hopes, their dreams, their behavior. All of those things can change as their beliefs change.
Now, would i become a completely different person just because? I don't think so. I think it would take something pretty traumatic, but who knows? Most changing of beliefs is gradual, and we're already on our way there before something might come along to cement the change. And sometimes, that change is brought on by our lack of attention to details, the ones that made us who we were in the first place.
So, yes, beliefs can certainly change. Whether we admit that, or act upon those changes can often be the greater unknown. Too many people stick grudgingly to beliefs they no longer hold simply out of respect, tradition or some other reasons. I'm not sure if that's the best way to live, but to each their own. We all have our lives to live.
Wow! What a complete answer! Thanks for sharing. it is always fun to hear other people and how they think and feel on this subject! When you think about this question, I feel like you are waking up!
I agree that it is a good question and we really should stop and assess where we're at and also determine why we believe what we believe. A lot of our opinions are based on very little when we go to inspect them. We can be standoffish about the littlest of things. So, introspection on a regular basis is good, and improving our ability to discern and reason is good, too.
I think there are various people and things that have taught me and have brought me to what I believe today. A lot of it is faith-based, because what I believe about God and His purposes informs a lot of what I feel about other things. However, not all of it is based on faith, since there are things we believe in that aren't as spelled out in a religious sense.
FAMILY/TEACHERS/LEADERS/FRIENDS/PEERS
So, this would be the human element of the equation. Growing up we attended a church where they taught the gospel, but it was my family and the rest that I got to see applying and living it. They're examples helped to show me what worked and what didn't. I was able to see and learn from their mistakes, successes, and experiences to some degree, though a lot I had to test on my own. Without them, it would be harder to come to conclusions, I think, just because there would be little to compare my life with.
I wouldn't call any of them masters in religion, major scriptorians. Nor were they big business owners, scientists or professors. However, they were good people, and they were intelligent enough, and hard working enough to put into practice their ideals and beliefs so they could reap the benefits of them.
SCRIPTURES/GOOD BOOKS
I've read all kinds of different books, articles, posts and opinions in my lifetime. I've pondered upon them. When appropriate, I've sought divine guidance and inspiration. I've tried to also learn science and how we've discovered things are made and put together. I've found there is a lot of unknown in both the religious and the scientific worlds, but I've also found that in some cases, where one lacks, another picks up the slack. I think we should be seeking the truth wherever we find it, and that knowledge is power.
EXPERIENCES
I did touch on this briefly concerning others, but my own experiences in life have helped build my beliefs. I've had prayers answers, and prayer that weren't. I've felt moved to act, and other times where I didn't really feel anything. I've had a lot of good things happen to me, some bad, and felt stress in many cases. I've had plenty of failures, some successes, and have found that either way, keeping a polite but realistic disposition helps to weather most storms and build most relationships. I've had the highs and lows of life, and discovered that I was largely responsible for both. My demeanor and actions went a long way towards determining which experience I would have.
It can be difficult to overcome lifelong experiences with thing, or change them. That's why it's healthy to have various experiences of the same thing in order to get a better sample. There are some experiences, though, that one does not need to have to know whether or not it's bad. Watching others doing some of these things is sufficient.
YES, BELIEFS CAN CHANGE
I see it happening all the time. People change. Their likes, their hopes, their dreams, their behavior. All of those things can change as their beliefs change.
Now, would i become a completely different person just because? I don't think so. I think it would take something pretty traumatic, but who knows? Most changing of beliefs is gradual, and we're already on our way there before something might come along to cement the change. And sometimes, that change is brought on by our lack of attention to details, the ones that made us who we were in the first place.
So, yes, beliefs can certainly change. Whether we admit that, or act upon those changes can often be the greater unknown. Too many people stick grudgingly to beliefs they no longer hold simply out of respect, tradition or some other reasons. I'm not sure if that's the best way to live, but to each their own. We all have our lives to live.
Wow! What a complete answer! Thanks for sharing. it is always fun to hear other people and how they think and feel on this subject! When you think about this question, I feel like you are waking up!
I agree that it is a good question and we really should stop and assess where we're at and also determine why we believe what we believe. A lot of our opinions are based on very little when we go to inspect them. We can be standoffish about the littlest of things. So, introspection on a regular basis is good, and improving our ability to discern and reason is good, too.
THANKS FOR SHARING!
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