A lot of editorials and news reports place the blame for some individual's personal failing upon something that happened during their formative years. "He can't help stealing because he's poor" or "He can't help being violent because he was raised by gangs or he was beat by his parents." It's a way of excusing someone from the responsibility of our actions because we can't help it. Similar to the old statement "the Devil made me do it."
I've always felt that's a cop out - taking the easy road. It ignores the fact that others, with those same influences who don't do those same things. Moreover, what a sad worldview - to be stuck because of where and how you grew up and have no power to change it.
Well, I don't buy it. Self-determination is critical to us as human beings. My belief is that as human beings, there are three things that make us who we are.
1 We all have physical bodies - with physiological properties. We have biological imperatives that drive us. We have physical reactions that can drive our behaviour. In addition, we can have disorders, brain injuries, chemical imbalances, etc. that can affect our mental state.
2 We all live in an environment. All of us, regardless of who we are, have a unique set of circumstances that provide us with the information we learn from. We learn from our parents, our teachers, various leaders and the people we listen to. We even gain insight from the living world around us. This affects us, educates us, and demonstrates how the world is to us. And it is unique. Even within the same family, brothers will have completely different environments. I have an older brother - my parents were different with their interations with me. Even in school with the same teachers - my experience with a teacher started with their perception of me in relation to my brother. Yet we had different friends, jobs, skills, etc
3 We all make choices. We choose what we will do. This item to me is the absolute most critical - and often left out by many philosophers discussing human behavior. Regardless of my physiological self, and my experience, I can choose to do something outside of what my environment or physiology drives. THis is how people can rise above their circumstances and do something outside what might be expected. This can be good or bad. Juast because someone grew up in the perfect environment and health, doesn't mean he can't choose to behave poorly.
In the end, regardless of who we are, we can make a difference in our own lives. We can choose to be different.
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Friday, January 8, 2010
Forgiveness
I watched an interesting documentary titled “Forgiving Dr Mengele.”
Eva Moses Kor was a twin who was collected with her family, and sent to the Auschwitz extermination camp. She was Jewish in World War II. As a twin, she and her sister were immediately singled to a separate area – one for Dr Mengele to perform experiments on live humans who had a biological copy as a control. In a way, that saved her life, as the rest of her family were killed there in the camp.
The documentary is about her learning to forgive Dr Josef Mengele and other Nazis for their crimes against her. She was searching for Mengele’s records, so she could find information that could help with her sister’s health, she met with a former Nazi doctor, who actually had a reputation for helping Jewish people in the camps. While visiting with him, she learned that he had nightmares of the horrific events and felt terrible guilt. She had never thought that a Nazi would feel guilt and have nightmares about it. That started her on a process of thinking, and led her to formally forgive him. This led to the question of whether she could forgive Dr Mengeles. Eventually it led her to be able to forgive the Nazis for the atrocities.
Many of her fellow survivors did not share her feelings. Some were pretty shocked that she would dare to forgive the Nazis. I listened to a gentleman state that there can be no forgiveness without atonement. Another lady felt she didn’t have the right to forgive; she didn’t have permission. One person considered forgiveness without some gesture on the perpetrator’s part a hollow gesture. Many were upset with Eva for her declaration of forgiveness.
My thoughts were that they were missing the point. I believe Eva Kor has found the beauty of forgiveness. We as human beings have no capability to forgive in the sense that they are not responsible for their sin – that can only come from God. But as individuals, we can forgive others in that we, personally don’t continue with anger or hate. As Eva described it, we can let go of the pain that someone has caused us, and remove that pain from our hearts and minds.
The Lord said “I, the Lord, will forgive whom I will forgive, but of you it is required to forgive all men.” Doctrine and Covenants 64:10. With this directive, the Lord isn’t asserting His power, but giving us a way to be happy, to be whole. As Eva Kor mentioned, when we forgive others, we stop being victims. I believe Eva has discovered the true meaning of forgiveness, and shows us how we can free ourselves and make room for happier lives.
Eva Moses Kor was a twin who was collected with her family, and sent to the Auschwitz extermination camp. She was Jewish in World War II. As a twin, she and her sister were immediately singled to a separate area – one for Dr Mengele to perform experiments on live humans who had a biological copy as a control. In a way, that saved her life, as the rest of her family were killed there in the camp.
The documentary is about her learning to forgive Dr Josef Mengele and other Nazis for their crimes against her. She was searching for Mengele’s records, so she could find information that could help with her sister’s health, she met with a former Nazi doctor, who actually had a reputation for helping Jewish people in the camps. While visiting with him, she learned that he had nightmares of the horrific events and felt terrible guilt. She had never thought that a Nazi would feel guilt and have nightmares about it. That started her on a process of thinking, and led her to formally forgive him. This led to the question of whether she could forgive Dr Mengeles. Eventually it led her to be able to forgive the Nazis for the atrocities.
Many of her fellow survivors did not share her feelings. Some were pretty shocked that she would dare to forgive the Nazis. I listened to a gentleman state that there can be no forgiveness without atonement. Another lady felt she didn’t have the right to forgive; she didn’t have permission. One person considered forgiveness without some gesture on the perpetrator’s part a hollow gesture. Many were upset with Eva for her declaration of forgiveness.
My thoughts were that they were missing the point. I believe Eva Kor has found the beauty of forgiveness. We as human beings have no capability to forgive in the sense that they are not responsible for their sin – that can only come from God. But as individuals, we can forgive others in that we, personally don’t continue with anger or hate. As Eva described it, we can let go of the pain that someone has caused us, and remove that pain from our hearts and minds.
The Lord said “I, the Lord, will forgive whom I will forgive, but of you it is required to forgive all men.” Doctrine and Covenants 64:10. With this directive, the Lord isn’t asserting His power, but giving us a way to be happy, to be whole. As Eva Kor mentioned, when we forgive others, we stop being victims. I believe Eva has discovered the true meaning of forgiveness, and shows us how we can free ourselves and make room for happier lives.
Sunday, January 3, 2010
This I Believe
This blog is my attempt at capturing my beliefs, thoughts on weightier matters, why the world turns, and any other appropriate cliché. I feel it’s important that a person shares his or her beliefs, even if no one is listening. It’s good to get it out. If someone wants to comment, great. I love discourse and sharing beliefs and thoughts. My family thinks this is called arguing. I disagree. It is only through the free flow of ideas that we truly learn.
Is it the height of conceit to write a blog solely about one’s beliefs, thoughts and opinions? On the other hand, isn’t that what all blogs are in essence. In my other blogs, I talk about skills or techniques, but aren’t they still about things that I’m thinking or feeling? So, maybe; maybe not. I guess in the end, as William Shakespeare said “nothing can come from nothing.” If I don’t play, I can’t win.
This also serves as a journal, a written record of things as I perceive them. It is a way for me to capture these ideas and store them is a relatively safe place. It is not because I know I’m right about everything. Far from it. The more I learn, the more I realize how little I know. My thoughts, opinions and beliefs have changed throughout my life, and I expect that to continue. The alternative is to become stagnant or close minded, or worse, close-hearted.
So, where to begin? I don’t have to get everything at one – the beauty of a blog is that it’s dynamic, on-going.
I believe that I am a man, created in the image of God. We are Spirits that existed before we came to Earth, and we came to Earth to gain a physical body and gain mastery over it, that we may eventually return to live with God, our Father in Heaven, with our families eternally. I believe we are responsible for the things we do, and don’t do.
I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints called Mormons by many. I was not born and raised in the Church. While in High School, I was baptized. At the time, it felt right to me. I had little idea of what it all really meant. As I have grown older, and learned and studied more, my belief in the precepts taught have grown stronger. Over the years, I have felt the confirmation of this many times. I believe this feeling is from the Holy Ghost testifying to me. I believe all men can experience the same confirmation if they desire. It is simple. Read the Book of Mormon and prey to know if it’s true. If you sincerely want to know, you will feel it. If the Book of Mormon is true, then the Church is true. It’s pretty simple. Yet it’s something that no one else can do for you.
So, does that mean I am a slave to my Church and its leaders as many suggest? Are we mere automatons following our book of rules? Not at all. Well, maybe some people are that way. There will always be people who must be told what to do or what to think. But in reality, we should study the principles in our own minds and seek confirmation from the Holy Ghost. That is how we gain a testimony of the principles. We live it, experience it, study it, and ask the Holy Ghost for confirmation. So, while folks will say my Church doesn’t allow me to drink or smoke, in reality, I choose to follow those rules. I do so because I believe them to be true, or at the very least, trust those who set the rules. I am a free man and choose my own path in life.
Is it the height of conceit to write a blog solely about one’s beliefs, thoughts and opinions? On the other hand, isn’t that what all blogs are in essence. In my other blogs, I talk about skills or techniques, but aren’t they still about things that I’m thinking or feeling? So, maybe; maybe not. I guess in the end, as William Shakespeare said “nothing can come from nothing.” If I don’t play, I can’t win.
This also serves as a journal, a written record of things as I perceive them. It is a way for me to capture these ideas and store them is a relatively safe place. It is not because I know I’m right about everything. Far from it. The more I learn, the more I realize how little I know. My thoughts, opinions and beliefs have changed throughout my life, and I expect that to continue. The alternative is to become stagnant or close minded, or worse, close-hearted.
So, where to begin? I don’t have to get everything at one – the beauty of a blog is that it’s dynamic, on-going.
I believe that I am a man, created in the image of God. We are Spirits that existed before we came to Earth, and we came to Earth to gain a physical body and gain mastery over it, that we may eventually return to live with God, our Father in Heaven, with our families eternally. I believe we are responsible for the things we do, and don’t do.
I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints called Mormons by many. I was not born and raised in the Church. While in High School, I was baptized. At the time, it felt right to me. I had little idea of what it all really meant. As I have grown older, and learned and studied more, my belief in the precepts taught have grown stronger. Over the years, I have felt the confirmation of this many times. I believe this feeling is from the Holy Ghost testifying to me. I believe all men can experience the same confirmation if they desire. It is simple. Read the Book of Mormon and prey to know if it’s true. If you sincerely want to know, you will feel it. If the Book of Mormon is true, then the Church is true. It’s pretty simple. Yet it’s something that no one else can do for you.
So, does that mean I am a slave to my Church and its leaders as many suggest? Are we mere automatons following our book of rules? Not at all. Well, maybe some people are that way. There will always be people who must be told what to do or what to think. But in reality, we should study the principles in our own minds and seek confirmation from the Holy Ghost. That is how we gain a testimony of the principles. We live it, experience it, study it, and ask the Holy Ghost for confirmation. So, while folks will say my Church doesn’t allow me to drink or smoke, in reality, I choose to follow those rules. I do so because I believe them to be true, or at the very least, trust those who set the rules. I am a free man and choose my own path in life.
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