Believing is the primary and major cause of most problems humans experience. What's wrong with believing? Believing is an unexperiential way of knowing, in truth of not knowing, and a prime obstacle to knowing the truth. Believing unlike knowing can be unhealthy.

There is a place for believing, mostly on a temporary basis, until, the believer can say as did Apostle Paul, "I know whom I believed." (2 Tim. 1:12). It is wonderful to be able to say, "Yesterday I believed that, today I know this." Let the cynic who questions the possibility of knowing, honestly answer this question: "Do I know that I exist, i.e., I am alive" Don't play games with your life.

Admittedly, it may be difficult, after years of indoctrination and practicing believing, to know or accept that you know when traditions and customs, sometimes offered in the name of God, more likely, false gods, are mandated beliefs that are obviously outdated and need to be upgraded.

A word of caution is in order: knowing is not just a greater degree or degrees of believing. The difference in believing and knowing is not a matter of degree, but of kind. We know that a big orange cannot be even a small grapefruit because the difference in an orange and a grapefruit is not a matter of degree but of kind.

While believing can  be necessary and at times  beneficial, it is often destructive. There is evidence that most relationship problems, sickness and premature deaths are held by belief-possessed victims whose lifestyles are anti-healthy. On the contrary, knowing is lliberating, reality-based, illuminating and engenders insights into imagination, creativity and thinking that inspires actions that are productive and healthy.

These suggestions are offered to enable the person who would like to become more a knower and less a believer even if he is a true believer. Take two sheets of paper. At the top of one sheet write "This I believe" and at the top of the other sheet write "This I know." Under these headings appropriately list the things you believe and the things you know. You are likely to have many more things listed under "This I believe" than under "This I know." Your This I believe list can become shorter. Of course, this  will not happen by wishful thinking or without effort. Now on another sheet of paper make a third list with the caption: "This I do not believe or know." This list can enable you to more quickly rid yourself of certain beliefs and upgrade from believing to knowing. You may also see more clearly and convincingly that some beliefs you hold dear because your grandparents passed them on to you are baggage that you no longer need to carry. Moreover, what was good enough for your grandparents may not be good enough for you. And may not afford you with the quality of life experienced by your granparents.

Honest skepticism, embraced  by truth seekers, has been the basis of what has propelled much progress in society. Jesus said, "Know the truth and the truth shall make you free." It is also true that holding fast to beliefs will keep you in bondage. "Know yourself, " a mandate from sages, informs us that knowing yourself is a personal challenge that must be faced by everyone who desires to experience potential living. Knowing others, the world and the transcendent or spiritual realm depends on knowing yourself.

Knowing and faith, not believing and faith, are compatible. There is not a schism between faith and knowing. This alignment accounts for faith accomplishing what believing cannot. Speaking of a woman who had declared before she was healed, "If I can but touch the helm of his garment I know I will be healed," Jesus said, "Your faith has made you whole." Notice he didn't say "Your believing has made you whole." The kowing in faith and the faith in knowing are indistinguishable in the process of actualization of thought into creative productivity.

Knowing is power and so is believing. Very often the believing dividend is destruciveness but the knowing dividend is healthfulness. Few humans among us doubt that health is more important than wealth. The rest of us know that health is more  important than wealth.

Copyright 2010 by Uriah J. Fields

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MUTUALITY WORLD COMMUNITY CHURCH
{The  Written  Word  Church}. It  is  written!
"The people  read  it and  were  glad for its
encouraging message." - Acts 15:31 NIV.
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