Belief Is Underrated

Someone recently told that it was his belief that "belief is overrated". He didn't actually say that this was his "belief" - he left that part unstated - he just made the statement as if it was a fact and that no disclaimer of "opinion" was necessary. I find that I run into this all the time. People like to state opinions as facts, that they "know the truth". I've probably done it myself more recently than I would prefer to admit.



Everything we "know" is a belief. Unless you are a fully conscious and integrated (as Gurdjief would say) even your memories (or most of them at least) are actually just beliefs, what the stoics would call "opinions".

"We will not be troubled at any loss, but will say to ourselves on such an occasion: "I have lost nothing that belongs to me; it was not something of mine that was torn from me, but something that was not in my power has left me." Nothing beyond the use of our opinion is properly ours. Every possession rests on opinion. What is to cry and to weep? An opinion. What is misfortune, or a quarrel, or a complaint? All these things are opinions; opinions founded on the delusion that what is not subject to our own choice can be either good or evil, which it cannot. By rejecting these opinions, and seeking good and evil in the power of choice alone, we may confidently achieve peace of mind in every condition of life." - Epictetus

I would agree that having no beliefs could be ideal, but it is really not practical or possible considering that I live and work in a world packed full of other humans with whom I must communicate on a regular basis. Every word I use means what I believe it means. That others believe the same as me is another belief - one which is usually true but not always! If I'm not careful shared meaning can be easily lost.

However I can exercise my power of choice over my beliefs/opinions as well as acknowledging to myself (being mindful of) that they are just "my opinions" and not "indisputable facts" (the truth). This allows me to choose beliefs that will be to my benefit in some way instead of being to my detriment. At least that is my belief.

Gnosis is one way of breaking past beliefs (a method I endorse wholeheartedly) but which (imho) allows you to be more discriminating in choosing your beliefs. I believe beliefs are in fact underrated. Everything we can state (or think) with language is a belief. My favourite Epictetus quote is "you cannot teach a man something he thinks he already knows."

I try and choose my beliefs based on what (I believe) I have come to know. What others claim I merely take under consideration. If after suitable reflection I "believe" it will be of positive value (make my life, or life in general, better) then I may adopt it as my own.

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-- Sent from my palm Pre