Belief System

Here is a copy of my first paper for my World Religious Traditions Class.


What is a Belief System?

Introduction

 I believe a belief system is a combination of many things:  including the way you live, how you feel, what you need, who you know, family tradition and upbringing, experiences, morals, ethics, and perspective on the afterlife.  Your religious belief system is you, who you are and what you do and how you feel.

How I acquired my religious belief system

I would have to write a novel to cover all the ways I've come to follow the spiritual path I do.  My life has been a rough one with many childhood traumas.  My mother left my abusive father when I was very young, only to remarry to a pedophile.  Her third husband wasn't a criminal, but he wasn't a great guy either.  It was incredibly comforting to find a heavenly father to talk to when I needed him.  I had plenty of reasons to talk to him; a single working mother, abusive father, pedophile stepfather, moving at least once every year, never truly making any friends until high school. 

In high school, I was very involved in my church youth group.  Our youth group did lots of fund raising and went on lots of trips.  One trip we went on was to the Lutheran Youth Organization Convention.  The LYO Convention was in New Orleans, Louisiana with a Minnesota Chapter gathering in Pensacola, Florida.  That convention was one of the most profound spiritual experiences I've ever had.  The energy created by the tens of thousands of people all singing and praying in unison was overwhelming.  I'll never forget it.  I felt as though I belonged somewhere and who I was and who my family was didn't matter in those moments. 

After high school, I attended the junior college near home to help my mom get through her third divorce even though I had been accepted at a four year university farther away.  Ironically enough, he tried to seduce my sixteen year old sister.  One of many decisions I made for someone else.  I've taken care of my family from as far back as I can remember.  While my mom was working hard labor positions to keep us fed; I read bedtime stories, cured nightmares, and kept my sisters safe from unqualified babysitters.  I married the guy I started dating in high school.  We both lost our virginity to one another.  The degree I got was in something everyone else thought I would be good at.  Then I went on to achieve the American dream; career, marriage, house, car, truck, and was pressuring my husband for children.  All of a sudden, I realized that none of it was for me.

I then left my husband, got laid off from my job, sold the house, separated our belongings, and got reacquainted with myself.  I no longer felt comfortable with the path I was following.  I decided to open up, to learn about my options.  I started working as a barista and got involved in theatre to surround myself with as many types of people as I could.  I learned about people's lives, their loves, and their faiths.  I took what felt comfortable and left what wasn't.  Its incredible how many different ways there are to live?  It's also incredibly absurd how many people truly believe that their way is the only way. 

I think that there should be as many ways as there are people and be ok enough with that enough to be able to follow your belief while another follows something different.  I'll take as many reasons to celebrate life and its inhabitants as I can.  That may mean celebrating Christmas, Yule, and Chanukah this holiday season. 

If I were to choose any specific religions to describe my religious belief system, it would be Christian/ Pagan/ Wiccan/ Unitarian Universalist.  I cannot set aside my Christian Father that helped my through my youth.  The nature faiths, Paganism and Wicca, feel the most comfortable and make the most sense to me.  I found a church called Unitarian Universalism.  This faith system's congregation includes Christians, Jews, Buddhists, Hindus, Pagans, Atheists, Agnostics, Humanists, and others.  As there is no official Unitarian Universalist creed, Unitarian Universalists are free to search for truth on many paths.

The benefits and disadvantages of having my particular belief system

The greatest benefit of this particular belief system is that everyone is included.  Unitarian Universalism includes the youthful; the elderly; the male; the female; heterosexuals; homosexuals; and followers of any faith, including atheism.  There is no judgment or competition for whose faith is the correct one. 

There is also no hell.  Unitarian Universalists believe that it is our human nature and precious free will that causes sin, not temptation.  Some of them believe that everyone goes to Heaven, some believe in reincarnation, while others believe there is no after life.  I am still considering my options and currently leaning toward reincarnation. 

Of course there are disadvantages, including that there are so many faiths and it is hard to have that many different types of people getting along in one space.  It doesn't always work; if it did we may have achieved world peace and eradicated war.

On a more internal level, it can be difficult to consider that every way is the right way.  It seems almost as absurd as 'every way is the wrong way, except one and we don't know which'.  I am hopeful that the majority of the human race is not bound for Hell, if it exists.  The Unitarian Universalist belief system is a way for me to hold onto that optimistic hope.

The role of tradition in my religious belief system

I am in part who I am because of where I have been and the choices I have made.  Christianity has been part of my family traditions for most of my life.  It was a wonderful start in my spiritual path.  I still celebrate those traditions with my family, but now I also include my new found ways of celebrating.  I love to share my own beliefs as much as I love for others to share their beliefs with me.  Being open to all this spiritual exchange allows me to have church available to me whenever it spontaneously happens with whomever it by chance happens with.

My family has helped me have this perspective.  They always seem accepting of so many types of people.  My Grandma would tell me stories of hobos that would knock on the door for warmth and food.  They never begged, but would offer their services to my grandparents in exchange for what was given.  We never really spent much time going to church most of my life, but we always knew there was someone who loved us that we could pray to when we wanted or needed.

The role of tradition in religion in general

 Traditions are important for most people following most belief systems.  Many people find comfort in tradition, reducing their anxiety with expectations of what's to come. Traditions also help us stay rooted within our community and family.  Traditions create memories and legends.  With tradition we don't have to come up with all the answers. They have already been found and are written in scriptures like the Tao, the Koran, the Torah, the Veda, the Tanakh, and the Bible.

The importance of being knowledgeable about other peoples' beliefs and attitudes towards religion

Knowing other people's beliefs and attitudes toward religion can save a lot of problems and open up new opportunities for friendships and business ventures.

Intolerance limits so many people socially and economically.  Being informed will prepare you for interacting in a civil manner with coworkers with different beliefs.  It can also open up career opportunities in foreign countries.  I would be missing out on many friendships if I only allowed myself to befriend those of one specific religion.  I can share my beliefs more freely if I can also share other peoples. 

If we are to continue to live comfortably amongst the diverse population of this world, we all must learn about one another.  Knowledge and wisdom are the most effective combatants of ignorance and intolerance.  The United States is considered a melting pot full of so many cultures from around the world.  Eventually, I hope that freedom of diversity spreads worldwide. 

    

References

Fisher, M. P. (2003). Living Religions. Prentiss-Hall, Inc.

Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations. (2008, Novemeber 12). Retrieved Novemeber 28, 2008, from Other Beliefs:http://www.uua.org/visitors/beliefswithin/6677.shtml