Beliefs are not the point

We all have beliefs.

From religious or spiritual convictions to our belief in our children or our favorite sports team. Beliefs certainly do have a place in our lives; however beliefs are easily misused when they become all consuming or all important.

The value of beliefs increases when we view beliefs as doorways into discovery, rather than as barricades that end the search. A belief, if you will, opens a door that allows us to explore the mysteries and treasures beyond that door. In other words, the door has a role, but it is not the point.

Belief is not the point but the portal.

Consider these metaphors:

• Beliefs are like wormholes (beliefs open to other worlds)
• Shoots and Ladders

Think of the childhood game “Shoots And Ladders.” When you land on certain spaces (beliefs) you are then able to slide on to an entirely new place. This is a good view of beliefs. When we land on the space of a belief, we were not necessarily meant to live on that space our entire lives. Rather, the belief gives us the ability to (slide) move deeper (or even) beyond it.

• Booster rockets on the space shuttle (beliefs provide fuel to go somewhere, but the belief is not the “somewhere.”)

Again, beliefs are not the “end” but a “means” to explore.

The part of belief that is like the wormhole, the door, the space on Shoots and Ladders, or the booster rocket, is the part we’ll call a concept.

Concepts and conceptual beliefs (ideas I hold to) are important because they move me along—help me go somewhere in life. However, conceptual beliefs and ideas ARE NOT THE POINT. When ideas become the point, we can easily make our ideas godlike. And, ideas make bad gods.

Concepts (beliefs) boost me forward, but often lose energy as I grow. In other words, conceptual beliefs only have a certain shelf life. That is, unless I get stuck on a certain concept.

Example: When I was five, I thought God lived in my physical heart. Was that a “bad” belief? Not necessarily. It kept my curiosity for God alive. Do I still believe that? No, not unless we’re talking about quantum physics. ☺

Concepts come and go—but belief is more than concepts. Belief is a the exploration or mystery and life itself.

Stay tuned for more on this…

Comments

[Angela]

It's Chutes & Ladders, not Shoots and Ladders :-)

[Dave Fleming]

Angela...yes..laughing out loud...thanks for correcting it. Shoot.

dave

[jared Perkins]

Dave I appreciate your thoughts here. I wonder what does this do to our statements of faith? Do they destroy them completely or is there something better? Maybe something more beautiful that helps create the picture you are describing? jared

[dave fleming]

Jared,

I don't think this has to destroy our faith statements. Instead, I would say that, faith statements should be pliable enough to be changed as we grow. The problem is when we hand someone a faith statement and say, "Make sure you ALWAYS believe these things. Protect these beliefs at all costs."

That's where the problem begins...

Dave

[Adam]

Ok, I think I follow you and agree. But if beliefs aren't the point, then what do you think is?

[dave Fleming]

the point is to Live!!