Beliefs- Do you mind

Abstract

There is a common belief, that when the whole world believes in something, there are certainly some people, who are not going to believe it, and have their own theories or ideologies behind that and they simply reject, with no belief in that particular matter. In this, I emphasize on the human beliefs and their psychology of the mind, and what intrigues them when it comes to certain topics like their beliefs in `God'. To dig deep, I believe, it also reveals a lot about ones individuality. The environment, education and culture plays a vital role in imparting certain beliefs and rejecting some and it can also be that we may have inherited certain beliefs. Do these beliefs really signify something in our lives or they just an alliance between beliefs and illusion - the `Belusion'.

1 Beliefs and lives

Beliefs can be classified as strong and weak beliefs. If we heard that, it is snowing in Madurai would we believe, I don´t think so, we may believe unless and until we have no clue of where it is. We hold strong beliefs like the one above in which our mind ignores to accept that it is snowing in Madurai. Did the awareness about the city make us so, or we blindly rejected it unless and until we saw them with our

own eyes. What, if we had seen a visual proof of the heavy snow in Madurai, would that be enough to justify the fact. May be we are caught in a dilemma of whether to accept what we see, or to change

the long lasting belief we had, that it can never snow in Madurai.

Humans have strong beliefs in some cases, which might be hard to change. Beliefs are embodiment of human lives. Most of the lives we live in are based on certain beliefs without which we cannot exist or act. These beliefs are so deeply hidden into our minds `unconsciously' over the years that some of them are not very easy to understand, why they are so and how they are in.

2 Beliefs the root cause

Observation and belief has a strong link between them. Our beliefs are often heavily influenced or otherwise shaped by the people around us. Some are incorporated from our parents, from the culture, and the environment we grow in. We also shape our own beliefs, with our experiences in life. When we have believed in something, for a long time, we tend to have an emotional attachment to that belief. There are certain beliefs that we desperately want to be true and certain situations arise, which challenge our beliefs and contradicts with ours; and we tend to react `irrationally'. Even though we see it with our own eyes on some level we cant believe it.

Here, I emphasize on the most widely debated beliefs of the human mind, the belief in the existence of `God'. There are people who have belief in this and some not. But, each of them

has their own reasoning. And when these two minds meet, they never come to an conclusion.

3 Beliefs - origin and influence on humans

In order to understand completely, what has intrigued some people to believe in `God', we have to take a deeper look at how evolution has vastly influenced the human mind. Humans evolved millions of years ago with their unique reasoning abilities, and as a matter of fact, made their lives a bit insecure in the hands of nature. That cognitive perspective in him made him to observe and analyze the real purpose of life and question the meaning of life. The first time he encountered the forces of nature he was afraid to live with it. He needed someone to protect them and to give meaning to their lives. The curiosity arises that paved the path to understand what is happening around and why. The only explanation he had to convince himself, and the rest, was that these natural events (lightening, thunder, storm etc...) are controlled by `God'. Thence, the birth of `God' was seeded into the minds and the lives of people - they adored him as the one who is controlling the acts of nature and all the beings around, thus feeling safe in his hands. As Alper says \With the emergence of self-conscious awareness, a life form became cognizant of the fact that it is going to die. More terrifying yet, death could befall us at anytime" [?].

These beliefs are strongly held as they enabled him to cope with some of their most basic fears of life. Rather, than questioning this belief, and being stranded from the community, which would pose a stereotype threat for that individual, he/she ignorantly followed them.

And, they did not stop here, they made them believe, as being watched by the `God' and no one can go unpunished for any malicious acts, persuading the humans to refrain from social deviance and, subsequently, to preserve their genetic fitness as Jesse reports in his book[?]. They then started working for their community with moral values and social concerns. It was indeed a response to the societal need, in the authors opinion, one of the best discoveries ever made for their own survival and for our existence. The solutions he was seeking may be incorrect but was shared by others living in the same environment, the life he was leading was the alliance between the beliefs he held and the illusion of his lives experiences in short `Belusion'.

These beliefs are grounded in reality and are so much part of every culture. The idea was slowly Spread, rephrased and retold in many communities across the globe.

4 Science versus beliefs

The safest way for humans to accept things, when they have no clue over the things or events happened, is simply to follow the masses.

We believed that this group had something common with us and has the right justification for that matter. But, it is not always the case, some stay alone and tend to make significant changes, and also into the minds of human belief systems. Over the years, this belief has been questioned many times and even some succeeded in disproving them. It was not until that Charles Darwin came up with the idea of natural selection and evolution theory that humans had a different concept of the evolutionary process, and it shattered all those beliefs which had been held for many eras. Galileo was imprisoned and later held under house arrest when he supported the heliocentric theory of Copernicus, until which they had a different opinion.

Every time the science has advanced it has closed the doors of those belief systems which had been held for long. We have advanced as a species by leaps and bounds, over the years and there has been enough scientific contribution made by the most intellectual ones that these primary fundamental beliefs are questioned, and there comes a different theory which ts to us, more perfectly than ever. The zeitgeist is that science has answers to all questions and we know exactly `what' is happening and `why' or we believe we may have the answers one day.

If science had really answered all our questions then there would never be a discussion like this. But it has definitely made significant changes in the minds of the people. When people tell us their experiences on supernatural forces or things like that, humans in the past may have highly justified, as the actions of god. But it would be really hard to take, for the humans of this generation. If science has really taught us to disprove the existence of `God' or We do not want someone like the `God' to take control of our lives, rather then we control our own lives and even at times others.

In spite, of us still using those phrases in our day-to-day life such as: luck, mystical and miracle, where we mean, that we have no clue of what has happened, we tend to outsmart the others who still believe, it is the role played by `God'.Before analyzing deeper about those beliefs and getting open to discussions we tend to debunk people who hold those beliefs. The skeptical answers we give may (when someone comes with his experiences which do not fit into the scientific reality) may not reveal the true reasoning behind it, but still we tend to ignore them with our answers. As Eisenstein says `the unfalsiable world-view of the skeptic extends far beyond scientific paradigms to encompass a very cynical view of human nature. Behind every explanation for the paranormal behavior they encounter, are the beliefs; that we are smarter, saner and better judge of human character than you [?]. He further adds that the beliefs about the nature of physical reality are connected to beliefs about human nature. This, is turn, determine how we relate to the world. What you believe in, and why you believe that way, would reveal a lot about ones personality.

5 Beliefs and personality

Our beliefs are important indicators of our personalities and reveal true senses of identity. It is very easy to question everything and seek explanation, the reasoning of how and why keeps on going and it never ends. That is the inquisition of the mind and it's specialty. It is better to understand what lies beneath, than to just merely question them and try to outsmart them. As Frank says `Explanations in terms of more general laws and principles comprise vastly fewer steps and are cognitively much more challenging as the quest for an explanation of sufficient depth can never be ending. `Why' and `How' questions can be chained together recursively'[?]. Science cannot hold answers for all events or things that are happening around. It has its own limitations. Though with the advancement of science these beliefs have slowly faded away, but the underlying phenomena did not. All of us carry a sense of morality and beliefs in us about the way of life we should lead and avoid. Humans still stick to their moral issues and social concerns irrespective of their beliefs in `God'. This particular trait in him has been into the minds of people for years which have been inherited from our ancestors albeit we forget to analyze. With the seeding of `God' in humans, there was also many things rooted in which we forget to realize. The caring nature of humans for others and the resistance to cheating or nothing but those long held beliefs of our ancestors which have been passed on to us, which has nothing to do with that individual; it is a deeper invasion of our minds. The very essence of the modern man which had taught him to follow the rules of life and be socially aware of his consequences is not only for the fear of law or punishment but it is this particular `trait' which has been transformed to us through generations and thus makes us to lead a meaningful life.

6 Conclusion

Rather than debating against the beliefs we hold, it is better to understand what lies beneath. The fear in man and the necessity to pass his genes for the advancement of mankind had urged to have certain beliefs. Each one of us have certain beliefs like this to keep us surviving. No matter how far the science advances it can never completely take this ignorance out of our minds. And also for the betterment of the mankind I wish not so. It is the "Be-illusion" that makes us, to survive here. And I believe you do not `Mind'.