This I Believe

Growing up in Alaska, I learned that my tongue sticks to frozen flagpoles, that bears rummage through my garbage at night, and that I am expected to clean up after them. I am now in Israel, and since arriving last July, I have learned that the disengagement from Gaza and the West Bank was a big deal, that hatred and stupidity are one-in-the-same, and that my beliefs are thankfully harmless.

I remember during the Gaza withdrawal when young, orange-clad Israelis lined up in protest against their own army, trying to hold-off the disengagement. For the life of me, I could not understand why they would do this, why they would deliberately inhibit the peace process v something we all want. A friend explained to me that it was because they had no more hope that violence would ever end, they believed peace was impossible, and so why should they yield in an ongoing fight?

These individuals were blinded by their beliefs. They didn’t pay attention to the world as it was on that day: no closer to peace because they believed peace was impossible. Their belief intended to prolong conflict . . . unbelievable!

I am a medical student and a scientist, and I am fascinated by the human condition and the physical world. I like to observe, question, and if possible, explain. I try not to believe too much, because belief is inherently subjective, and who am I to determine the legitimacy of anything? I prefer to let reality speak for itself. So, to me, belief is useless. Belief could steer me in a bad direction, or, of course, it could also steer me in a good direction. But the point is: a belief is an unverified conclusion, and it may muddy one’s perception of reality. I wish I could come up with a clever pun with the word (belief), like we all can with (assume.)

It seems to me, that if you’re paying attention to what is happening around you, you don’t have to believe in anything. You can focus on the present, immediate experience of life, and not dwell on what (you believe will happen) or what you (believe should happen). Shouldn’t we be concerned with what actually IS happening?!

We are killing each other . . . because we (believe).

Belief is not armor against guilt or penalty, and it shouldn’t be used as a weapon. So instead, let’s stop and take a look around at the world as it is, and ask the question (what do we want?) Well, we all want peace, so let’s be peaceful here, now, in plain view where belief isn’t necessary.

(I believe this land is mine) . . . (I believe we were here first).

None of that matters.

I’d like to believe that I didn’t have to clean-up after a night-prowling bear destroyed my garbage cans. But that doesn’t change the fact that I have to, if I want a clean driveway.