Quote:
Originally Posted by curiouslyrandom  Something that catches my eye while reading through many of the threads on this forum is the absolute certainty by some posters that they are the epitome of correct information, and anyone who disagrees with them is either a) stupid, b) misinformed, c) going straight to hell, or d) all of the above.
It's painful to read those responses. It really is, because it shows how some people shut down and will not accept any opinion other than their own. And you know what? There are over 6 billion different opinions in the world on any topic you can think of. That makes for a wide range of right and wrong.
Shades of gray, people. Lots and lots of shades of gray. In other words, nothing is as black and white as it may seem. |
..."shades of gray," love it...I wrote a song with that title many years ago and this term has served as a motto of sorts for me ever since.
imo, those who see life in terms of black and white are those who are overly attached to the idea of being right, correct and in general to knowing the absolute truth (which they are absolutely sure exists!).
These folks get threatened when others see things differently because it threatens their own convictions.....and within a belief system that says 'ultimate truth' exists and that it's of the utmost importance to find it, it can feel incredibly scary to be floundering between the perception of knowing and not knowing.
personally when I finally fully embraced the fact that my beliefs are just that....MY beliefs, and that I just might change them at any given time..... and that no one else needed to accept the beliefs that I am choosing for them to be 'okay' to hold, it was an immense relief.
An attachment to 'being right' and to having others acknowledge our 'rightness' is a state of being, imo that can cause unnecessary strife.
In a forum such as this, the fine line between stating opinions as personal beliefs and stating them as undisputable 'truth' or facts is a fine one.....the difference often lies in the subtleties of phrasing.
The following is MY truth regarding the issue of truth: Truth is in the eye of the beholder. It is a concept that can have us spinning circles if we feel the need to defend our version of it. The belief in a universal ultimate truth often indicates an attachment to have all the answers nailed down. I don't think as physical beings we're meant or equipt to have ALL the answers...if An answer to all questions does actually exists!...lol...just MY opinion.
