I originally was going to make one giant post for week 3 but decided to create this as a separate one because i think it deserves its own thought and response category.
As far as the first point I have been thinking about what it means to actually believe something and what teh ramifications of that are. Or, equally, if you do not truly believe something what the ramifications of that are. The most applicable way of explaining this is to show my initial reaction when reading the Bible, studying the gospel, or even just looking at a hero. I think my first reaction is to try and change my actions to match or mimic whatever actions i think are good. This is a pretty faulty way of doing things because most of what i do is motivated by my belief system. when i look at pornography i am looking at it because fundamentally i believe that i will be happier or better off or more satisfied than actually listening to god's commands in regards to sexual morality. this is a very stark and important distinction to make. i think my most common mode of operating is to assume that i believe truths found in the bible and gospel because i have heard them when in fact my life would prove that i do NOT in fact actually believe them in faith. In some ways this may seem discouraging but in a whole nother sense it can provide quite a bit of freedom because it does provide you a and the only true sense to change your actions and that is to change your belief. Ultimately it can only be god that softens our heart but through a class, like this, i have found that having your own beliefs thrown in your face and having them challenges with scripture really acts as a catalyst for some thought and therefore change. it really does all begin, though, with being willing to ask yourself the questiong of: "maybe i don't really believe all these things that i think i do, or claim to?" Even though this is a very simple question, i think that it may compose 90% of the work load in changing a belief system, especially if you were raised in a christian family and were tought that you actually believe something just because you "know" it. From there though, that is where the real work begins. I think that i will need alot of meditation that is baptized in prayer and scripture reading. these latter two i am particularly bad at.
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I think a lot of identifying or faulty beliefs and constructing the right ones has to do with taking every thought captive. If we believe something it will shape our thoughts even before it effects our actions. I remember when trying to work my way out of anorexia it was largely a battle to keep myself from thinking things contrary to my beliefs about God and His relationship with me.
if that makes any sense.
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