If you were to find out that your system of beliefs was abruptly invalidated......?

Question

(This is theoretical, and not meant to be construed as an attack on any one religion)

How would you react?

NOTE: I do not wish to get into the hows and why's it was invalidated. That's not my question.

Actually Jibba Jabba ~ I am asking

"How would you react"

No need for name calling.

Answer 1

that is a great question and i have always wondered about that. how would i act? what would i do? i do know my beliefs are a part of the way i live my life and i have found a lot of happiness in the way i live. so i don't know how much i would change. if i'm happy that is what is most important.

Answer 2

It would depend on the manner in which it was invalidated. Since we're talking about beliefs, you may not believe the information that invalidates it - either through denial or through insight or other means.

I went through this experience, although it wasn't a sudden splash of cold water in the face. I did one day "yaknow, I don't beieve this anymore," but it was a long time in the coming.

Me, I went about the task of becoming as pragmatic and open-minded as possible, wanting to see the truth of things, and ways that I may have discounted / shunned before my change.

Honestly, it was a very disruptive phase of my life. I was depressed and unsure of both myself and my future. I've never fully recovered from it, really, but I've become comfortable with the way of things and with myself. I still feel like life is a big question-mark, and wish I could be as certain and secure as I was growing up, but I cannot go back. I just don't believe in the Bible anymore.

That's not to say that it's not chock full of wonderful teachings and philosophies. What I also did, was glean from my experiences what I considered to be strengths and helps, and did not abandon those things. Just because the core is invalidated doesn't mean that everything in your system was invalid too. (If a hurricane demolishes your house, the household items not destroyed can be saved and re-used, yaknow?). Take the good that you learned and bring it with you on your future endeavours. Otherwise, it truly would have been a waste of time.

Answer 3

Our personal beliefs will certainly provide us with a level of comfort and security. We make our own calls on x/y/z and then never really need to think about these aspects again, because we framed them as established belief.

However, our world moves so quick these days, that what we know right now could change without a moment’s notice. Add to that the fact that life has this way of tossing us a curved ball now and then, we will probably need to re-examine ourselves and x/y/z sooner or later.

Perhaps … and my attitude to your excellent question stems from more than half a century of experience, belief equates to a form of doubt at best. Perhaps belief has an ephemeral quality about it when we get down to the nitty-gritty.

What would I say if I suddenly found my current system of belief invalidated?

No worries (grins).

Viva la adventure!

Answer 4

First, I would think "Knowledge is always changing," so I would evaluate whether or not this was something that could be changed again in the future. If so, then I would consider keeping my beliefs, depending again on how and exactly what. If it was beyond a shadow of a doubt that I was wrong, I would start over again. I have been through something similar before, though not abruptly, and now that I am no the other side of it, I am not afraid of it happening again.

Answer 5

At first, I would be shocked. I put lots of years of thought into my beliefs and if they were abruptly invalidated, it would take a while for my ego to recover.

Once that wore off I would start analyzing why I was misled in the first place and would start trying to find a new system that would answer my questions about life.

Answer 6

My system of beliefs is that there is no god.

How would I react if my system of beliefs were invalidated? I would pack a fire proof cooler with an endless supply of the most potent booze on the planet and prepare for an eternity in the blazed pits of hell.

Answer 7

My Belief is not in a system by on a Man Christ Jesus who is not dead but alive now and forever. So it is impossible for my belief to be abruptly invalidated by anyone Including Satan..

Answer 8

As an atheist, I would gladly change, convert and accept god or whatever the main focus of the true religion is and take my a$$ to heaven.

But once I got there I would slap god (or what/whoever) across face for allowing all the stupid things that happen on earth.

Then I would gladly go to hell or where ever and take my punishment.

Answer 9

Well depends on what the belief was... That milk is healthy? I'd stop drinking it...

My religious beliefs? Well, I'm currently looking at Islam... since the only reason i didn't ever want to switch from christianity is because i agree with Jesus. So judaism ain't for me, but since Islam likes Jesus too and seems to give answers that make sense to my small brain i'm gravitating there.

But i need more info about it. Hope God leads me...

Answer 10

I would proceed to alter my system of beliefs to match my experiences and new understandings. I've done this many times in life. I like how my spirituality has evolved over the years as a result.