The Joys (Perils) of Detail

I'm reading a book (actually, skimming it) for a reading group I'm in. It's The Bible After Babel: Historical Criticism in a Postmodern Age by John Collins. This is one of those highly technical books of which about 87.5% goes over my head. And the remaining 12.5% gets me really thinking!

I've read several particle physics books that had the same effect.

In this book, the author spends enormous amounts of time looking at how Bible scholars interpret the Bible. Suffice it to say, they argue about issues I didn't know existed. The primary focus is "Does my (your) agenda when reading the Bible provide sufficient bias that I (you) can never be sure that what you're reading or interpreting really means what (I) you think it means?"

If you find that last sentence confusing, welcome to The Bible After Babel!

But here is what got me thinking. As I begins to look at how beliefs affect my life (not just Bible interpretation) I can take two directions. I can focus on dissecting beliefs down to the smallest non-divisible parts and deciding if they are right or wrong.

Or I can begin zooming out, for lack of a better analogy, and looking at the outcomes in my life and how they may be generated by the beliefs I hold.

I've had experience with both. My exercise with organized religion consisted of a deeper and deeper analysis of what I believed, a constant struggle with how to determine the truth or error of those beliefs and finally wrestling with a number of techniques to "get it right." This focus on "rightness" was ultimately useless, painful and damaging to me and those around me.

It came to head in my marriage and in my relationships with my sons. I determined to find another way.

Over some time, and with help from many kind and patience souls, I did.

This approach was a "zoomed out" approach and the fundamental question was, "Are my beliefs creating the results that I want in my life?" In my case, at that time, the answer was a resounding "NO!"

This led to a ten year long process of learning how to look at the results I was getting in my life, whether I determined them to be good or bad, and then exploring the beliefs that lead to these results.

This was at times a terrifying quest. The bedrock beliefs and ideals that I had held and defended for years turned out to be extremely counter productive. As an example, the belief that there was a right way and a wrong way led me overlook all kinds of rotten behavior because the results of that behavior were deemed right by some religious authority. And conversely, behavior that had been deemed wrong or evil by those same authorities, frequently created results that led to my being more compassionate, caring and in integrity with myself and others.

Yoiks!

In my view, the beauty of this zoomed out approach are numerous and here are several.

First, my sense of self is not tied to any belief. I am free to explore other ways of thinking, feeling and experiencing life without guilt or fear.

Second, surprisingly, since one of the beliefs I've discovered to have great benefit in my life is to treat others as I would like to be treated. But truly embracing this belief, my moral compass seems far more finely tuned than I ever remember it being before. No longer do I have to consult some highly detailed rule set to determine my behaviour, I can simple ask myself the question, "How would I feel if someone did what I am considering to me?"

Third, in those moments when overwhelmed by some other influence (usually my sense of "rightness") , I violate the above principle, the question becomes, "How would I want someone to deal with it if what I did to this person what was done to me?" Then my apology is quick and sincere.

Finally, and this part is really interesting, by adopting this highly introspective and selfish approach (what feels the best to me), I end up offending and hurting people far less often than I used to. And my level of honest and integrity is much higher to boot! When it is necessary, I can use whatever tool I need to get outcome I want. However, most of the time, the tools I use are far softer and safer than the cruel, uncaring, manipulative tools I used to use.

Upon reflection, this is explanation is not complete. But it is a start.

Here, I guess, is a summary. Analyzing the results of my actions for their effect is a far better tool for living a fulfilled life than constantly referencing a set of rules.

Any comments?