I respect everyone. I respect NO beliefs. They are always
several steps removed from direct experience and therefore act as filters and
ultimately distortions of Truth.
Respect comes with appreciation of the other. All
distortions are pointers towards the some other better than that. Without
beliefs there will be no trust towards the other.
Respect must be earned; it is not a gift to be given
lightly.
It's like this. You live in the moment. You act in the
moment. You evaluate in the moment. You want truth; you apprehend what is
directly in front of you in the moment, WITHOUT concepts, WITHOUT naming,
WITHOUT ANY PRIOR CONCEPTS.
Belief, a state or habit of mind in which trust or
confidence is placed in some person or thing. Like the practice of silent
witnessing awareness.
Respect is a relation or reference to a particular thing or
situation, an act of giving particular attention or consideration, a high or
special regard.
Like mindfulness of one’s thoughts, feelings, beliefs, and
relative relationship with the world.
I think beliefs can be temporarily useful and even necessary
for beginning the road to awakening, until some actual direct experience is
attained belief may be all that one has from which to work.
One needs to
believe in the benefit of Truth, in order to even begin to realize it. Beliefs
are just thoughts; they are useful and necessary as pointers towards the Truth.
Ultimately, thoughts are Truth spontaneously manifesting, either way they
appear to be worthy of consideration, until they are transcended and realized
as Truth Itself.
Of course, prejudiced, or hostile belief can also be
extremely harmful. I think that all beliefs are not equal in regard, or
disregard, some lead to freedom from belief.
The stuff of thought, this helped me get over the
"thoughts-are-bad" hump, every thought, word, and deed is
self-contradictory.
I'm one of the great thinkers; I relish thoughts, receive
them like you hear a song, am glued to them, jump up and write them down in a
diary for years and have amassed an important book regarding knowledge.
Thoughts are tools. Thoughts may be tools, but they also can be prisons.
Thoughts are either or neither neither good nor bad, just
inaccurate and incomplete. Trusting thoughts and identifying with them is the
source of ignorance. Also the source of suffering.
Standing back as spacious
awareness and watching the thoughts that run wily nilly through the mind is
freedom and peace.
I have no idea what I'm talking about. If you're wise,
you'll stop listening to me. Oh, and while you're at it, stop listening to your
own thoughts. They isn’t all that either.
All thoughts are distortions of reality. Perceptions, if you
will. Indirect. Filtered. Programmed.
Now, having said all that, you can't get
through a day without them, of course.
