How would you define the term "belief?" Most people operate under the assumption that their beliefs are true and accurate...Don't you think?

You would think that

I believe that we choose what we believe.

To me, a very basic concept...

There's a saying, goes like this;

"What I believe determines what I feel.

What I feel influences my attitudes.

My attitudes dictate my actions.

My actions control my destiny."

Perception is subjective. I see this reality in my work as a scuba instructor on a common basis. Often I work with folks who's anxieties and fears override their ability to relax enough to assimilate information.
I can't count the times that I've helped stressed out students to change their beliefs/perceptions enough to help them realize that they can trust their equipment and training.

I guess this is all elementary, but when I first began to realize that I'm in control of my perceptions, I began to really focus on what it is exactly that's causing this anxiety I'm feeling.

I actually became less reactive and more proactive in most every aspect of my life...

A rule or set of rules based on deep seeded conviction rather than empirical observation or direct evidence.

This would be true if the term "belief" was referencing something like a religious ideal.

However, the OP did not connect belief with religion.

Much of what we consider to be fact based on empirical observation, has a way of changing over time.

It's difficult to get away from the word 'believe' in our modern world, so it's beneficial if everyone understood that there are two ways in which the word is used.

There are those beliefs that can fit into the definition as quoted above.

There is also another way to define belief, specifically as it is used throughout the scientific community.

Science, technology, and medicine, advances by using pre-existing data that has been through a rigerous process of testing and peer review. This data often provides a foundation on which new theories may be formulated.

In that case, it may be said, "we believe that data to have a strong foundation for builing upon."

But it is not the same kind of belief, because when it comes to science, it's not only accepted that theories may be changed, or modified, it is expected - which why science does not try to prove hypotheses or theories rather, they try very vigorously to disprove those things.

So I think, how one defines belief, must take into consideration, how the word is being applied.

I believe that if I don't drink water that I could dehydrate. I believe if I don't pay my bills I could worry a lot. I base this on past experience.

Thanks for your interesting posts...Years ago I taught a class called "Beyond Beliefs" and I want to get back to exploring this type of thinking...What do we accept and come to believe about ourselves? What are our basic beliefs about human nature and the world around us? Did we inherit and adopt the religious and political views of our parents? ....Are we influenced by friends and our membership in groups? How about the media?....Where do our beliefs come from? Do our beliefs serve us well or handicap us? These are some of the questions I keep asking myself. How about you?

I personally feel that most people use the term "belief" way to concretely and seriously. And like Redykeulous has already mentioned, often times the word is used in a religious sense, and is often used erroneously as a synonym for "faith".

I have widely varied "beliefs" which even conflict with each other. This is not a problem for me, because I think in terms "potentialities" and not in terms of concrete absolutes. When it comes to absolute facts, I realize that I can know nothing at all other than I AM, and I Experience. Other than that, anything that I conclude associated with my experiences is pure speculation, even if it passes some sort of "Scientific Method" of investigation. All that proves is that the illusion is repeatable.



It's been my experience that western society has been strongly influenced by two main schools of thought: First, we have a basic idea of "absolute physics" or Newtonian physics, in which the physical world we experience is genuinely "out there". Many people use thinks like physical properties of the universe as "proof" that some sort of "absolute truth" necessarily exists. From my point of view that is shallow thinking. They simply aren't prepared to realize and accept that everything they think is "real" may very well indeed be an illusion of pure thought that has not "physicality" at all.

The second thing that most westerner's tend to "believe" is in some sort of egotistical Godhead. Whether it was Zeus, or Thor, or Odin, or Yahweh as the God of Abraham, these are all pictures of egotistical Godheads. People in the far east (asian countries) tended to think of "God" in a far more abstract sense that most westerners don't seem to be able to even wrap their mind around. People like to keep God "simple" and the idea of God as being an egotistical judgmental deity is a very easy idea to grasp. Just take the idea of a human King and elevate him to a position of infinite power and you've got "God". It's a very easy concept to grasp.

I personally "believe" that there may or may not be a God. Is that a "belief" or a "non-belief"? I feel that since it's what I "believe" is must be a "belief". (ha ha)

I consider all possibilities, and believe that any one of them "may" be true. Having said that, I tend to rule out the religions that paint God out to be an egotistical judgmental Godhead, simply because all of those mythologies are full of self-contradictions and paradoxes. So I tend to believe that if there is a "God" it's more along the line of how the Eastern Mystics view "God". Or there is no God at all.

On a purely intuitive level I tend to lean toward a belief in a "spiritual" reality. However, is intuition "belief", or "faith" or just a romantic dream? Well I have very pragmatic and even scientific reason to lean this way too, but that's another story.



I certainly did when I was young. I was born into a Christian Family and social atmosphere, and I originally "believed" that the Bible was indeed the "Word of God". After all, my parents and siblings, etc, all took it for granted as well. However, as I grew older I began to realize that even my parents merely had "faith" that it "might" be true, and after looking into it more deeply on my own I decided that it can't possibly be true because it contradicts itself.

I also changed in my Political views. When I was young I was "All-American", however as I've grown older I've realized that my true nature is as an "Earthling". So now I take the stance that I'm an "Earthling First" and an "American Second". In other words, if there is a conflict between my government and humanity in general, I'll side with humanity in general.



Again, far more so when I was young. Hardly ever anymore. I never "follow" a group, unless it's something that I truly believe in. But even then I wouldn't just follow a group blindly. I question everything and it it doesn't pass my own moral standards, I leave the group, it's that simple. I have no desperate need to be "accepted" by anyone.



The media usually reports the extremes in an effort to sensationalize, and sometimes even provoke and incite (just so they can build the drama and report it even more intensely as it grows)

So I don't allow the media to influence my thinking.



Well, as you've already mentioned, they can come from trusting in our parents, peers, etc. They can come from a desire to belong or impress. They can come from trusting in the media.

OR, they can come from within, via either rationale or intuition, or a mixture of both.



Do our beliefs serve us well or handicap us?


They can do both, depending on what we believe.

It's been my experience that positive optimistic thinking tends to pay off. And negative pessimistic thinking can easily lead to depression and low self-esteem. So we may as well go for the positive optimistic thinking, and that kind of thinking tends to go hand-in-hand with positive optimistic "beliefs".

Abracadabra...Thanks for your detailed response...What are some of the factors that influence a positive or negative attitude about life? i think it has to do with wanting to protect ourselves from repeated disappointments...Someone who has been hurt or disappointed in the past might "assume the worst" in current situations based on their past experiences and be leery of taking risks. What do you think?

Thanks for your post. How would you define being "proactive" versus "reactive?"... I keep telling myself to "wait and see" versus jumping in and making rash judgements and "flying off the handle." But there are times when I "lose it" and throw logic and reason out the window....Sometimes my insecurities get the best of me and I get stuck in "all or nothing" and "black and white thinking " for awhile despite "knowing better." Guess this is just part of being human. How about you?

Song from the musical, Carousel; comes to mind.

an unproved or unprovable concept

As soon as you mention these things my major thought is Buddhism. If you study Buddhism you'll learn how to avoid being hurt from disappointments. The basic theory is really pretty simple. Have no expectations, and you won't become disappointed.

It's a wisdom that goes far deeper than it may seem. If you're "hurt" because things aren't turning out the way you had hoped, then the only thing that's truly happening is that life isn't living up to your "expectations". Quit expecting things, and you'll quit being "hurt".

However, having said that, the Buddhists don't recommend "assuming the worst". That's really not their philosophy at all. Their philosophy is more focused on the moment. In other words, don't assume anything at all. Don't assume the best, don't assume the worse, don't assume anything. Just live in them moment.

Jesus taught this basic principle of Buddhism as well, "Take no thought of the morrow, for the morrow will take care of itself"

This is a fundamental truth of Buddhism that was known to the Eastern Mystics long before Jesus learned of it. Disappointments are nothing more than expectations that didn't pan out. Have no expectations, and you'll never be disappointed again.

that's easy a belief is something u believe...next?

I like your post Allen Aqua.

Good point. Look at God Spell or Jesus Christ Superstar versus Gospel. As terminology changes it has an effect on unbelief and belief. Gospel truth is an archaic phrase. A believing theologian might assume truth. This individual can use the Bible to prove the Bible. But an unbelieving theologian might assume falsity and conclude that the Bible is just dogma or propaganda used to subvert or to deceive.

My favorite line from Wholly Moses is where Zero Mostel asks the question, "Have read the Bible or seen the movie?" Where one believes or disbelieves is really a moot point at the box office. For instance, In the movie Oh Brother were art thou? We can find that a good profit can be made from just selling Bibles but is that any more profitable than the Gideons giving them away for free? It would depend if you were wanting to make a quick sale or an investment in the future. The opportunist will always be able to make a quick buck in any economy. Belief is big business but so is unbelief. I had a good friend who once drew this comparison about the scripture where Jesus asks this one certain fisherman to come and he would make him a fisher of men. He thought it could be, "Come and I will make you a fisher of men's money." He couldn't wait to get him a church charter and get a degree in religion.

A belief is a tool we use to interpret the information we receive through our senses. They can be right or wrong. I believe in the development of the most reasonable beliefs possible. Critical Thinkung is the path to that end.

"I don't believe I know"

"Do you believe in magic? ... "

verse