Beliefs that change (your thoughts)

I'm curious, as we think about beliefs--how they change and what the role of beliefs are, what beliefs have changed in your life? What was the process like as the beliefs were reshaped?

any takers?

Comments

[Adam]

I think the first time you realize that your beliefs are changing and can change and that it's okay for them to change is a scary moment. Beliefs can give us a false sense of control of our lives. "l know everything will be okay because I believe...." When you no longer believe the same thing or realize that you don't know, you loose that sense of security. I think it's interesting to look back at some of the beliefs I've held are and the look at what caused me to rethink them.
A lot of times for me it's been arrogance and thinking I know everything that's kept me from seeking and reaching that place that says... Ya know, I dont know and that's ok...

[dave fleming]

Adam,

Great thoughts here. I wrote in The Seeker's Way about this very thing. We are tempted to search for the "sure thing" that will make us secure and protect us from the harder things of life.

We are doubly tempted to see our beliefs as the sure thing that will make it all better. I think this creates a real dilemma for us. We get so connected to our beliefs that it then becomes hard to want to change them for fear that our lives will fall apart.

[jared Perkins]

Dave, I think in communities, such as churches, it is desperately tempting to cling to beliefs because they can be such unifiers. Nothing rallies a people quite like the knowledge that we all believe the same thing. The problem is we losing something in the process; we lose the ability to accept those that are different. I guess in most churches this really isn’t that much of a problem because it can be hard to trust someone who believes something different than I. We begin to think that it is in fact dangerous to unify with those that believe differently. In the end though I have begun to realize how shallow relationships can be when they are unified by such conditional factors. So in order to find more authentic relationship we can invite the voices of those with different beliefs, yet this is of course can be a terrifying thing. As Adam identified, you begun to lose your sense of confidence, comfort and belonging. It really does stretch you spiritually. Your book however, really captures the necessity of letting those moments of non-comfort shape you. They seem to bring you into a more authentic place with God than my beliefs alone ever could have. Peace, jared

[kwerfeldein]

Hello Dave.
I hope my english is accurate cause I am a german.
Agreeing with Adam I think that beliefs can change if we EXERCISE soomthing different than usual and then accept that moment. That means we have to be open for new, hidden things beyond our thoughts.
And thats were often God is in.... Does this make sense ?