I exist in a world where the educator is forced to be educated in the name of someone else’s beliefs. Of course; we all know this is a common thing for those who see with heart and passion; or rather—a man with an idea that he suspects is greater than yours and assumes that you must adhere. Though I am forever an open minded student, I am as well content in my current position of beliefs, and resources. I am known to share freely any reading material that had been made available as a way to continually educate those whom are willing to learn. What I will not do is push forth upon that reader my beliefs and thought patterns, but rather ask them their thoughts or concerns.
No good debate ever began with a mutual agreement. You can come up to me with a pie for example: you can show this spectacle to me and suggest that it is actually filled with cursed blood and theorize your beliefs of why it is blood and why fore it is cursed. Does that imply or suggest that based in your arguments, I will submit my logical standpoint to the abyss and assume the cherry filling is as you suggest? Certainly that is a preposterous claim, and certainly I will hear with an open mind, but I will think with a logical one.
We can sell bread to the non-believers, but we can’t make them see with our eyes and hear with our ears and feel with our flesh …
Since early childhood we have been pelted with various angles of opinion, and theory. One group will stand in the center of a road and shout about their religion or beliefs and why theirs is the right one, the only one we ought to believe in. Meanwhile, another group will stand across the street with banjos in their hands singing to you why theirs overpowers the other. This can go on until we have uncovered every literal point of view which is stuffed with the reasons of someone else why you ought to commit.
Here’s what I suggest to you. We are born unto this earth and allowed by that alone to educate ourselves. Within this power; we will feel within ourselves which is the right path for us to travel. Perhaps a direction feels right for you and along this path you’re traveling, somebody is shouting at you that you’re going the wrong way.
What a lot of people won’t understand is that nobody has the ability to guide you whatsoever. You are going to go in whatever direction that feels the most comfortable for you. Those voices and outreached hands can become just that … We need to head in the direction that feels appropriate for us. We can choose to reach out to others (I personally feel that the more people we reach out to, the healthier we become) and in that network, we will find that other people think and believe similar to us. Do not become blind or arrogant within this discovery however; they are following what is appropriate for them, and you are following what is appropriate for you. No mighty voice of another man should ever rain down o’er you and control your destiny.
Romans 12:2 teaches us this: “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”
You should never feel insignificant if you don’t conform where most do. We could spend years making our own mistakes, but at least they were they product of free choice and free will. If we spend years falling in a path that someone else chose for us; only then can we truly mourn the loss of ourselves. We are as free as we allow ourselves to be. Free to live, free, to think, free to explore, free to choose our own path … Let them bury their heads in their own sand after their heated breath is wasted; their thoughts and opinions work for them, not you.
We should always remain as optimistic students as well as educators. I personally love to learn the various angles of everything and though it was won me unkind words of my peers, I continue as I were.
I will not be so easily persuaded, and that scares people. They are afraid because I will read what an atheist has to say and yet study what a catholic teaches me, ect. What nobody ever truly understands is that I know I have a choice when I take in the education that I do. When I read about magick for example: I will read and learn what is offered but that doesn’t make me a blasphemer to anything, nor a lesser because I chose to acknowledge an angle much different than what I may believe: However, I can choose whether or not the material absorbed was useful, and what I will take out of it. I am not so confined that I limit myself to any one thing; that is not how we learn and grow.
We learn and grow by accepting that there exists more than one road, and more than one belief. Had you ever considered that perception is a personal thing? Perception is individualized by the viewer and of his or her experiences.
It is a truth many paranormal theorists (and likewise) also understand.
You and I could read something and have quite different thoughts and experiences with the material. All things experienced are exactly like that and we must try to remember that if we expect an outside to look in through our eyes, we must come to terms with the fact that they can't unless they open themselves enough to at least experience our angle.
Perception coupled with belief can then become an overwhelming, and powerful force. When you believe in something strongly and passionately, you are likely to spread the word. Here is the difference between spreading the word, and imposing your beliefs on another.
It's like that old, tired saying about leading a horse to water. You can express through your passion how you think and feel about something such as the bible for example. You can read through it to another and allow them to hear those words, and think on it. You are at least giving them the opportunity to maybe see it in a way that you do. They're either going to accept it, or reject it but you at least attempted to spread that word.
If you try to force them to believe, you are now choosing to impose your beliefs on them and that's no way to treat someone who has their own mind.
Too often people have assumed to make me conform or see in their light; they came to fear me because it was impossible for them to inject those thoughts and feelings into my mind. It is of that alone I have today chosen to get some of this out as a reminder to those who so easily forget that we are allowed to be ourselves, even if you don't like it.
To me Irish out there, I close with this: May your neighbors respect you, Trouble neglect you, The angels protect you, And heaven accept you.
