What is the greatest obstacle to your innocence?

Question

To be pure in heart, sounds like a fairy tale but the fact is we all were at some point. What took that from you? What will it take to reclaim it? Do you even want that quaility back? Is it overrated? I don't think so but I want to know what YOU think. Tell me whats what.

Answer 1

peers.

Answer 2

The greatest obstacle to all thinkers is that very 'thinking faculty
of mind'. Sounds ridiculous? Read this:

"Our two minds .... One is an act of the emotional
mind, the other of the rational mind. In a very real
sense we have two minds, one that thinks and one that
feels" (Daniel Goleman, Emotional Intelligence,
Bloomsbury Publishing, London, 1996, page 8).

The rational mind deals with reason and logic. This is what
it prevents you to be pure in heart. The 'reason' is this:

In the 1930s, Austrian mathematician Godel proved a
theorem which became the "Godel theorem" in cognition
theory. It states that any formalized 'logical' system
in principle cannot be complete in itself. It means
that a statement can always be found that can be
neither disproved nor proved using the means of that
particular system. To discuss about such a statement,
one must go beyond that very logic system; otherwise
nothing but a vicious circle will result. Psychologist
say that any experience is contingent - it's opposite
is logically possible and hence should not be treated
as contradictory.

That is the limitation of 'rational mind'.

Answer 3

The biggest obstacle to your innocence is temptation. Temptation can come in many forms. The second biggest obstacle is experience. The more times you lie the more you realize that you can get away with it and the more temptation there is. This is true with any temptation. Once you take a little peice your desire and temptation grows for that cake.

Once lost, innocence is gone. You cannot get it back. Innocence should develop into appreciation, though. What you once thought of innocently you now know, and because of this you appreciate whichever way you do.

I think.

Answer 4

well i havent lost it all yet but i alot of times do long to be completely innocent again. i think innocence is all things new and all things pure. where everything means something and you dont just say "i dont care." innocence is being naiive, not knowing the bad sides of people, the christmas spirit, and being filled with so many little dreams. i think, that once innocence is lost it can never be found again. innocence is taken away slowly as life progresses, as we grow older we learn things about the world that corrupt us or make us hate our selves and the people around us. society makes us feel small and stupid and all we want is to protect ourselves. so we put on fronts and we no longer wish to feel the things that are real. we want to move quickly and life just isnt as pure or beautiful as it once was. and happiness turns into illusions when really everybody just wants to feel good! but i think this is all a part of growing up...loosing our innocence, loosing ourselves but then finding something else which makes us realize who we really are. it could be considered sad, but what cant? either way, i think innocence is one of the most beautiful things in the world.

Answer 5

I don't think anyone will ever be pure at heart. There are too many temptations throughout our lives, from one end of the spectrum to the other. The only time we're pure at heart is when we're infants. As soon as we're old enough to make decisions for *right or wrong* .. it all goes downhill. We become responsible for our own actions, or at least ... those who will admit responsibility. Would I want that quality back? No .. it's unrealistic to even expect that to happen.

Answer 6

Keeping it. It is what makes you see the world around you and the people in it as good and pure. It is the trust that we all are goos and that things will be ok. It is the ability to reach out to your neighbor and know that he or she will be there. It is very important without innocence malice and distrust have ample room to poison the human mind and soul.

Answer 7

This is a very interesting question! It made me think of a lot of things:

When I first read the title from the main page, I was thinking of other kinds of innocence which can Never be recovered, rather than merely Childhood Innocence - which I believe can be recovered.

So I'll classify Innocence into 2 types:
1) Unrecoverable Innocences.
2) Recoverable Innocences.

1) Unregainable Innocences:
When your Mind, Body, or Soul have been Severely Violated by another, then the lost Innocence cannot be regained. This includes the actions of Rape, Torture, Severe Physical/Mental Abuse, etc.

This works both ways: if You also Severely Violate the Mind, Body, or Soul of another Person (or Being), then you not only take away their Innocence, but you also lose your own Innocence. (Killing or Murder needs to be included with the above actions.)

If you Rape another person, or were Raped by another, then I believe that Innocence is Permanently Lost and can Never be regained. If you Kill another person, whether purposefully or accidentally (aka "friendly-fire"), you also lose your Innocence Permanently. In all cases (except for being Killed), I believe Partial Healing is possible, and to a lesser extent Partial Happiness as well, but both are very difficult to achieve.

When you Kill someone, it stays with you Forever. It becomes a Scar or Permanent Shadow in your own Soul that cannot be erased in this lifetime. That is why it is said by those who have Killed before, "When you take the Life of another, a part of your own Soul dies, too." To me, that is an extraordinarily gripping explanation, and its implications are staggering.

The implication? We are so used to seeing Ourselves as Separate Individuals from One Another, with Separate Souls... but perhaps all our Souls are connected together. When we Kill another, we actually Kill a part of ourselves. When we Violate another, we also Violate ourselves. When we Take from another, we also Take something away from ourselves.

2) Regainable Innocences:
The Purity of Heart of Childhood Innocence is definitely Regainable. In fact, I believe that Violations of the Heart are the only Violations that can be Fully Healed. If you have been Lied to, Cheated, or Betrayed by Another, or you committed such actions upon another, 100% Recovery and later Happiness by both Parties (the Violator & the Violated) are possible. Forgiveness (an aspect of Love) would probably be the primary Healing Agent.

One answerer mentioned Greed, which I thought was a great answer, and I think it would fall under the category of Self-Violations of the Heart, as so would Jealousy, Severe Fear or Anger, etc. It is extremely interesting that while all these Violations usually have an External Object (or person), it is the Person themselves who suffers the most. Again, 100% Healing & Happiness are possible, via the primary Healing Agent of the Heart, which in all these cases would be Love. You could also say Patience, Trust, Generosity, etc., but all of these are encompassed by true Love.

Speaking of Love, Loss of a Signficant Loved One (via death, divorce, break-ups, etc.) can also lead to loss of Childhood Innocence. However, I believe 100% Healing is possible as well. It seems that the Heart is extremely Sturdy & can withstand considerable Pain & Suffering, while the Mind, Body, and Soul are somewhat more delicate.

To answer your questions on a personal level, I have some shadows in the Heart, but at the same time I'm also capable of a certain degree of Purity of Heart. Usually, I can turn it on and off, like a Light switch - when I'm in a playful mood, or with little children (if I have the energy!). I think anybody can do it, with practice, because to me Purity of Heart is mostly an Attitude, which can be learned.

But I'm not interested in recovering complete Purity of Heart or Childhood Innocence. I spend a lot of my time analyzing Human Problems in the world, so I don't want to have Purity of Heart Innocence. Having some Shadows in my Heart helps me at my work.

But I do wish purity of heart to all those who desire it!

Answer 8

We never were "pure in heart". That is a myth. If a day old baby could be the size and strength of an adult, they would crush you like a bug if you stood in the way of their bottle. We have to be taught to be good to each other.

Answer 9

Greatest obstacle to my innocense: experience.
To reclaim it : undo all the negative effects of damaging experience

Answer 10

The loss of innocence happens when you walk away from the God you've worshipped you're whole life. Innocence is restored when you come back to Him.

Answer 11

Innosence makes you weak; true strength is the willingness to suffer for what you believe; the more darkness you see the more tolerance you have and the more courage you gain.

The greatest enemy is yourself. Don't turn your head and try to forget learn as much as you can and grow strong. The more pain you see the less misery you get from it and the more you want to end pain for everyone.

Grow; for yourself and for the world