Of Beliefs

Of Beliefs

Actually, it was something that I said in my last article, "Of Cults and Worship," which sets me off to writing this one. The small disclaimer with which I started that previous article still applies here.

My words were "Religions tell people what to believe. That's not what is happening here. Each of us is independently deciding what to believe." And I find it sets in motion a somewhat separate train of thought. Just what is it that I believe?

In the summer of 1996, I went to Seth Network International's Consciously Creating Change Conference which came to Austin. There, I was introduced to some serious methods and tools for beliefwork.

I guess it paid off. Recently, upon being inspired during the writing of "Of Cults and Worship," I decided to write some of my own personal beliefs down. Without hesitation, hey tumbled right out of my head and into the following:

~[|]=[o]=[-]=[|]=[o]=[-]=[|]=[o]=[-]=[|]=[o]=[-]=[|]=[o]=[-]=[|]=[o]=[-]=[|]=[o]=[-]=[|]~

My Beliefs about God, Existence, and Beliefs

by James N. Thames
(4-30-2002)

1. Everything is continuously created by God, because we exist in the mind of God.

2. God makes everything, and "God don't make no trash." God is All That Is.

3. Mankind is not separate from God. Everything merges together, like the colors in a rainbow. Complete separations are an illusion.

4. God created us with Free Will in order that we may create, as It does. This is how we are made in It's image.

5. We must take responsibility for our own creations. We were the ones who created Hate, Evil, Sin, Fear, Destruction and the Devil. We were the ones who created religions, government bureaucracies, conflicts over cultures or ideologies, and war.

6. Whatever we create, we can uncreate.

7. I create this, the reality that I experience, with my own thoughts, emotions, and beliefs. I believe we all do, whether we are aware of it or not.

8. God gives me the power to create whatever I want. I want the good stuff. I'm still learning how to create it, and I'm getting better; but there is always infinite room to grow more.

9. My mind, personality, consciousness and soul (in other words: "I") continue to change, grow and expand for eternity; there is no death. As it is with me, so it is with God; only on a much, much higher scale.

10. I use my free will to choose or change my beliefs whenever and however I see fit, and I take full responsibility for them. Everyone has that basic right.

11. Beliefs are always optional, never mandatory and never static. It might be cool if everyone had the same beliefs, but one person's truth can be another person's falsehood. It is because we are all unique individuals and we all are equally endowed with God's gift of Free Will.

12. Although I may not share the same beliefs as others, I believe I should respect their right to their beliefs, because I prefer that others respect my right to my beliefs. I will respect others and their beliefs to the greatest extent that I believe possible.

~[|]=[o]=[-]=[|]=[o]=[-]=[|]=[o]=[-]=[|]=[o]=[-]=[|]=[o]=[-]=[|]=[o]=[-]=[|]=[o]=[-]=[|]~

Okay. I guess that will do for starters. I can tweak it, if need be. But it's kind of neat to step back and say, "Yep. That's what I do believe these days."

Anybody else care to give it a whirl?

…James