Good Beliefs, Good Actions Poster
🛸 Ships within 2-3 days
Where will you go?
Mormons/Christians/religious people often ask this. Implying there’s nowhere else to go. Lol.
Stepping outside of dogmatic belief reveals a world full of wisdom. There are belief systems without the insane baggage. There is a direct correlation between good beliefs and good actions. I believe Humanism and Utilitarianism produce outcomes that are as good or better than religion, without the many downsides.
"Safe harbors," if you will.
🛸 Ships within 2-3 days
Where will you go?
Mormons/Christians/religious people often ask this. Implying there’s nowhere else to go. Lol.
Stepping outside of dogmatic belief reveals a world full of wisdom. There are belief systems without the insane baggage. There is a direct correlation between good beliefs and good actions. I believe Humanism and Utilitarianism produce outcomes that are as good or better than religion, without the many downsides.
"Safe harbors," if you will.
🛸 Ships within 2-3 days
Where will you go?
Mormons/Christians/religious people often ask this. Implying there’s nowhere else to go. Lol.
Stepping outside of dogmatic belief reveals a world full of wisdom. There are belief systems without the insane baggage. There is a direct correlation between good beliefs and good actions. I believe Humanism and Utilitarianism produce outcomes that are as good or better than religion, without the many downsides.
"Safe harbors," if you will.
Good Beliefs, Good Actions – The Essay
“Your beliefs become your thoughts, your thoughts become your words, your words become your actions, your actions become your habits, your habits become your values, your values become your destiny.”
-Mahatma Gandhi
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I remember when I first realized there were good people who were not part of my former church.
I was embarrassingly old. It took so long because I had been so sheltered. I didn’t have the opportunity to get to know people outside of the context of my religion. I had a narrow view of “good.” One that was reinforced constantly.
When it finally hit me, that “good” could stem from the results of people’s actions rather than arbitrary rules, I saw good people all around me. People who were patient, understanding, kind, welcoming, and not judgmental to me, when they knew many of my beliefs were in moral conflict with theirs.
Good people and their actions are the result of good ideas and beliefs.
In previous essays, I’ve been tough on belief as a concept. However, the difference in long-term risks to the well-being of others is dependent on the associated beliefs of the people involved. The outcomes often occur without forewarning.
Take Jesus. Assuming he was a real person, his primary message was love. But he also believed in monotheism, the “kingdom of God,” and that he played a special role in God’s plan.
Let’s also assume that Jesus didn’t know the future. He likely didn’t realize that his beliefs would spread so widely and spawn the Crusades, killing millions of innocent people and propelling Europe into hundreds of years of religious-fueled violence. He didn’t know his teachings would be used to justify slavery, colonialism, witch hunts, and persecution of minorities.
Or look at Muhhamed, the founder of Islam.
He believed that God was speaking to him. Some of his primary beliefs included justice, equality, and support for the marginalized. But he didn’t know that his “revelations” would be used to justify suicidal terrorist attacks, beheadings, sexual slavery, female genital mutilation, and the general subjugation of millions of women for centuries.
I realize that religion has also produced positive things for the world and provided comfort and solace to many. But there are schools of though without so much baggage. Well-developed philosophies exist that include beliefs based on science and evidence. They may not reach as far as many religious belief systems, in terms of erasing most uncertainty, but they pose much less risk and have stood the test of time.
After emerging from a religious belief-based mindset, Humanism and Utilitarianism provided me with a safe harbor. One that aligns fairly well with the best parts of religious teachings while avoiding the worst.
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