I’ve caught grief from commenters on this site from time to time on my views and opinions on things; usually those of a spiritual nature. You see, I’m a heretic, by definition. Not a lemming or a sheep. I’m also not a coward. I tell it like I see it and do so in meat space as well as online. One doesn’t have to agree with me. One doesn’t have to like what I think, say, and write. One can even be offended. I don’t care. For, you see, I base my understanding about things on logic, study, experience, observation, and evidence. That combination results in “facts” as I understand them. It’s been said that the reason facts don’t change most people’s opinions is because most people don’t use facts to form their opinions. They use their opinions to form their “facts.” I’ve been wrong before and will be again, but I’m always willing to admit it when I am and will change my understanding based on additional verifiable input. I humbly recommend my model for those with closed minds regardless of the topic in view.
From Zerohedge: The Price of Truth
I don’t share my opinions because I “get away with it”—I don’t get away with anything. I’ve paid socially, professionally, and even financially. But I do it anyway because the alternative is spiritual death. The alternative is becoming someone who messages critics privately but never takes a public stand, someone who’s perpetually annoyed by others’ courage but never exercises their own.
The difference isn’t ability or privilege. It’s willingness. I’m open-minded and open-hearted. I can be convinced of anything—but show me, don’t tell me. I’m willing to be wrong, willing to change my mind when new information comes to light or I gain a different perspective on an idea, willing to defend ideas I believe in even when it’s uncomfortable.
There are a lot of us right now realizing that something isn’t right—that we’ve been lied to about everything. We’re trying to make sense of what we’re seeing, asking uncomfortable questions, connecting dots that don’t want to be connected. When we call that out, the last thing we need is people who haven’t done the work standing in our way, carrying water for the establishment forces that are manipulating them.
Most people could do the same thing if they chose to—they just don’t choose to because they’ve been trained to see conviction as dangerous and conformity as safe.
I am looking forward to reading the ZH article you included in your comment. Thank you for another comment that requires me to reflect upon my values, and check in with myself. The burden in this world is different for each person. Commitment to self reflection is not a one time event but continues 24/7 throughout everyday of our lives. We are all on different pages in the book of life at different moments. It took me a lifetime to stand alone and speak my peace.
Trying to live the truth in a world full of lies.
I enjoy, appreciate, and agree with most of what you post. It is clear you have done your homework to overcome many of the outright lies, assumptions, and dogmas that plague our world today (politically, spiritually, individually, etc…). Wanting to know the truth has not come easy or quickly so I really appreciate free thinkers like you. Keep it coming, I do believe that trading lies for truth is the only way out of the mess we are in.
That was an extremely good article, any i agree with my fellow Joe you provide good insights into the things you post, even if we dont agree on all of it.
Valid point in that article about how people deal with the bs and how some of us have chosen a complete scorched earth no hold back method, i think this may be related to some comments you see which may or may not be over the top depending on ones point of view