Are beliefs helpful or harmful?

BEYOND BELIEF — PART 1

We all have them- some are more obvious than others, some are quite subtle and others may exist below our level of conscious awareness- yet they are common to every person on this planet. We may spend a tremendous amount of time thinking about them or we may totally ignore them, yet they are ubiquitous and extremely powerful. They can define and delineate our reality; they can push us to achieve great things or limit and constrict our abilities. They can determine our social circle, our choice of friends and even our choice of a life partner. They can motivate mass murder and suicide as well as the greatest acts of altruism and benevolence. There may actually be no greater and more impactful aspect of the human condition than this one mental feature that is unique to the human animal (as far as we know). What we are talking about here is belief.

In this article we will be discussing the concept of belief. Since it is fundamentally a mental construct, it can be deconstructed. We will explore how it determines our perceptions and our behaviors- but to begin with let’s first look at the basics: what beliefs are and where they come from. Here is a definition derived from the journal Psychology Today:

A belief, although not necessarily based in fact, is something accepted, considered to be true, or held as an opinion. It can be a feeling that something is certain or true, and/or an interpretation made by previously recognized patterns.

Beliefs held by an individual may have several sources. Most often they come from authority figures such as parents or caregivers, teachers, and respected religious figures (priests, rabbis, ministers, tribal elders, etc.). They may be derived from writings considered to be sacred texts of revered historical figures (Jesus, Mohammed, Moses, Buddha, etc.). It is common for religious orientation as well as beliefs about politics, our relationship with nature, money, and life to be handed down generationally within a family. Even atheism is a belief.

To better understand to anatomy of a belief we can look at a young child who is told about the existence of Santa Claus at Christmas. This idea is put in the child’s head by well-intentioned parents that want the youngster to be excited about the holiday. The propensity to do this may be based on religious notions about the birth of Christ or it may be influenced by cultural and/or commercial influences. From the child’s perspective, the parent is a trusted authority figure that is looked up to and depended upon, and since he/she lack the analytical skills of an adult, they are of course more gullible. The belief in Santa Claus is further reinforced by the media and other external influences.

As with most beliefs, the child’s conviction of the reality of Santa helps provide an explanation and understanding of an event- in this case the appearance of presents under the Christmas tree and the excitement that surrounds the holiday. Additionally, as with most beliefs, there exists a narrative or story associated with the idea.

To summarize:

1. A belief is often passed on from an external entity, usually someone perceived as an authority figure.
2. A belief helps to explain some phenomenon or event a provides a way to understand and assimilate the occurrence.
3. A belief is often accompanied by a story that tends to reinforce and support the idea.
4. Beliefs determine our behavior and perception.

To elaborate on the final point, a quote from Don Miguel Ruiz:

“You see, everything is about belief. Whatever we believe rules our existence, rules our life. The belief system we create is like a little box we put ourselves inside of…”(The Mastery of Love, 1999)

To expound further on this quote: it may be somewhat obvious upon contemplation that desire coupled with belief is the primal engine of creation and achievement. Going one step further, we may see that desire itself is an outgrowth of belief (the belief that it is worthwhile to obtain the object of the desire). It can be therefore be concluded what we call ‘our entire life’ is the product of beliefs.

Because of this statement, it should be obvious that the understanding of this topic is of utmost importance. So let us continue.

Homo Sapiens is distinguished by its cognitive abilities. Our self-consciousness, logic, communication skills and imagination differentiate us from other life forms and has enabled our relatively meteoric rise to the crest of the food chain. These mental faculties also foster our inquisitive nature which in turn has created the vast amount of knowledge that our species has managed to accrue. This seemingly innate need to understand the world around us is born out of a desire to control our environment in order to promote and ensure our ongoing comfort and security.

This quest for security is closely tied to our self-preservation (a.k.a. survival) instinct. In spite of the advances in technological abilities (from the stone blade to the internet and space travel) we are still quite aware of our limited powers and the fact that ultimately we are largely at the mercy of forces of nature beyond our control. Floods, earthquakes, droughts, volcanic eruptions, viral epidemics (such as the one we are currently facing) and other uncontrollable natural disasters retain the ability to devastate or even decimate the human population. Tragic accidents, illnesses, old age and death are unavoidable and unrestrainable facts of life.

Since we are very much at the mercy of these uncontrollable and seemingly random events we are compelled to find ideas, stories, and concepts that enable us to live at peace with these uncertainties. Many beliefs involving the supernatural and theism are an effort to find ways to either appease or explain the natural forces. Belief in a deity of some sort has enabled the individual to have some feeling of control- whether it be through ritual, prayer, or sacrifice.

We may ask ourselves why many of our beliefs are so tenacious- why they persist for centuries and in the face of rational thought that that tends to discredit or make them appear as fantasy? There are several reasons to explain this question. To begin with, since many beliefs are passed down from generations in families, there may be a sense of disloyalty or family betrayal to question or abandon these ideas.

Secondly, once we adopt certain beliefs (whether they be religious, political, or of any nature whatsoever) they become ‘our’ beliefs- that is to say the ego uses them to construct the identity that we call ‘our self’. To release these things equates to a blow to the ego-and so we will avoid an honest appraisal of our positions and defend them with great vigor.

Thirdly, evolutionarily we have become tribal beings. Mankind has found safety and security in group setting. It has been shown that biochemically we are ‘wired’ by the the dopaminergic pathways to have a positive feeling when we are part of a group. We may adopt beliefs to enjoy the sense of being part of a tribe- this good feeling support our inclination to retain our beliefs.

Additionally, our beliefs create what is called ‘confirmation bias’. What this means is that once we adopt a point of view or a belief we will automatically (and often unconsciously) selectively gather input that supports them.

Lastly, as previously mentioned, beliefs help us to make sense of the world and can provide a framework for what we consider to be reality. To let go of our basic conceptions can be unsettling and even disorienting. We may even lose our sense of purpose and control- and it is understandable that not many people have any want to feel purposeless and out of control.

To delve more deeply into how our behavior is determined by our beliefs, let’s consider our personal values. Values are the things that we consider to be important. For some of us it is relationships, for others it may be work, money, or material gain and for others it might be fitness or acts of charity or any combination of such things. The list is virtually endless- yet the values that we hold are a reflection of our beliefs. How we spend our time, energy, resources and the activities that we engage in are determined by our values, the things that are important to us, which in turn are a product of our beliefs.

“You can seek to alter behavior, but that will produce only short-term change, at best. Yet if you alter beliefs, you will impact behavior at its source.” (Neale Donald Walsh)

The power of belief cannot be overstated. Not only does it enable the striving for achievement and the transformation of dreams into reality, but it also defines and delineates our thoughts and values. How we see ourselves as human beings (both individually and collectively)is based on beliefs. We can be limited or empowered. As the old saying goes, when faced with a challenging task, “if you believe you can do it or if you believe you can’t do it, either way you are probably right.”

As mentioned, beliefs provide a sense of stability, order, meaning, purpose, and security for the individual. They can serve as a moral compass for our lives and our conduct- giving a (relatively) clear sense of ‘right and wrong’. Yet there are some hazards and downsides to beliefs.

THE TYRANNY OF BELIEF

“When humans are being horrible, it is because of something they believe.” (Neale Donald Walsch)

We are all familiar with the long history of wars, bloodshed and chicanery that has plagued mankind for millennia over differences in beliefs. It would be important to balance this out with the innumerable acts of kindness, generosity, benevolence, and charity that have also been motivated by beliefs. Beyond this observation there are a number of pitfalls related to this topic.

To begin with, once a belief becomes a conviction the mind will snap shut on the given subject. A closed mind is really a dead mind, since all of living things are characterized by change and a closed mind cannot be changed. Fixed beliefs lead to a rigid mindset that is unwilling to consider the validity, practicality, and reality of other ways of thinking. As the cliche says, “the mind is like a parachute- it only works when it is open”.

Secondly, it should be fairly obvious that fixed beliefs foster divisiveness. This is true in many religious circles as well as political arenas. It is healthy to have a diversity of perspectives and ideas, yet once they become solid conclusions they can lead to harsh judgement an intolerance of opposing viewpoints.

Thirdly is the seduction of groupthink. The evolutionary tendency toward tribalism has already been mentioned. Due to this propensity in humans, we may adopt a belief in order to feel the positive sense of belonging to a group. Other ego-based feelings such as self-righteousness, security, control, superiority, and justification can motivate our beliefs. These things can block our ability to grasp the truth and inhibit our open-mindedness.

Additionally, our beliefs can make us prey to manipulation by others who may wish to capitalize on our attachment to our convictions. This liability is seen by the frauds perpetrated by predatory individuals such as Bernie Madoff and the Jim Bakkers of the world (recall the scam of the Assembly of God and the PTO Club in the 1980’s). There a numerous examples of such predatory activity.

Lastly, when we rely on authority figures to determine what our beliefs should be it can result in a sort of mental or spiritual laziness that inhibits our ability to arrive at our own ideas about matters of importance. Such blind acceptance of beliefs can hinder our ability to see the world clearly. Such beliefs can be like a warm blanket that we hide underneath- although it may be comforting, such a covering can block our own perceptions of life.

“Does belief bring clarity? Does the tighty enclosing walls of belief bring understanding? What is the necessity of beliefs, and do they not darken the already crowded mind? The understanding of what is does not demand beliefs, but direct perception, which is to be directly aware without the interference of desire. It is desire that makes for confusion, and belief is the extension of desire.” J.Krishnamurti (1956)

In subsequent articles we will discuss the related subjects of trust and faith. We will consider whether beliefs are necessary and what might be a more functional alternative. Hopefully this writing conveys the importance and relevance of this subject matter and encourages the reader to assess their own ideas on this topic as well as the content of personal beliefs.