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VIEW PERSONAL BELIEFS
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POSTED BY:
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jonathanncrm
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DATE:
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15.10.2008 |
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SUBJECT:
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Faith and its expression |
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LOCATION:
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Alpine,
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Friday, May 16, 2008
Faith and its expression
My recent involvement with The More Good Foundation www.moregoodfoundation.org has been an amazing sequence of eye opening experiences. I am very fortunate, to work in an environment where personal expressions of faith are the norm, not the abnormal.
The existing office where the foundation suite is housed is surrounded by people who use other forms of expression. These include tattooing, smoking, vulgarity, piercing and colorful stories. I am not making this observation in effort to pass judgment; rather, to point out contrast. Although the behavior and attitudes that seem prevalent in the other business are not the majority in this valley, they are the majority in this building.
I have observed that faith, relating to things larger than ourselves is not expressed in the outward conversations around the office building. The foundation is an isolated basement suite that is surrounded by things much more worldly and negative.
Having said this, the reality that our mission expands and reaches others well beyond our office is profound to me. Many openly mock the man or woman who chooses to share their own expression of faith. They may label them out of touch, uneducated, or fragile, for expressing their belief in God.
Irrespective of where one resides or works, other forms of expression have become the norm in our society. Expressions of values, faith and family are now mocked and are generally excluded from "legitimate" conversation.
I believe that expression by those outside of our foundation doors is intended to send a message. What is the message for me, shared by them in their language, body art, clothing, and lifestyle? The message for some may be innocent, or harmless, but the message from others may be intended to illustrate rebellion, anger, attitude and insult.
The trouble I find is learning how to decipher the intent and message expressed in these forms. In their attempt to be different, or to express themselves, they all look the same and blend together. I thus become unable to get the clear message that they individually hoped to send.
These thoughts have caused me to wonder if my attempts to express myself are fruitful or futile. I have also wondered; what is my message? What am I attempting to share or express?
In my attempts to do this am I being misunderstood or am I blending in?
I believe that there are environmental factors that mold us. The traits of others, whom I have observed around the foundation, have left me to wonder if such outward expressions are prerequisite to being employed by their employers. Knowing that this is not the case, what then is the intended expression? Is it the environment that is fostering these types of expressions, or have they chosen to associate with others of like minds and attitudes?
Are my expressions, expressions fostered by the organizations that I am employed by or have membership to, or do I associate with these groups because they are congruent with my personal feelings and personal expressions. How then am I identified and with whom do I fit best?
As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, is my testimony fabricated based on an attempt to fit in, or is it sincere? Do I continue to associate there just because I fit in or do I attend there because its teachings and its doctrines are a part of my personal expressions? Do I go there, because although I am a minority in a larger sense, by associating there I don't need to be concerned with being different? Do I just go to an office building where I can there be the majority, even though I am in truth the minority? Where in this is my faith and how is it being expressed?
These have been questions that I have asked myself. Each day the world is evolving away from God, morals, ethics and personal responsibility. It encourages alternative thinking, lifestyle and very little self control. It would want you to believe that you are on a mission to find who you are, so therefore try it all! Once you have found who you are, the worlds plan is to make a big announcement through outward expression. This course will no doubt repeat itself. Your mission to self realization may require self denial.
I have been surprised to find people, whom I thought I knew well, expressing themselves differently in different environments. With participation in online, social network sites and blogs growing rapidly, I have seen expressions from people that have surprised me and at times even shocked me. I believe a great sociological research study could be performed on these sites. "The uninhibited vs. the inhibited"
The internet has created an environment where alter egos and alternative lifestyles are prevalent. It is a place where a shrimp can make him or herself appear a giant. I have seen those who I presumed to be proud of their faith, withhold it from their expression and explanation of who they are.
I have seen others still, stretching the truth, embellishing in many areas and competing for faux friends. Here groups are set up, to further express personal interest and further define character and personality. We willingly place ourselves into groups where we feel we best fit.
I wonder how often we forfeit our true feelings in effort to feel included. I believe this is a slippery slope to self destruction. We are now seeking for a new identity and by so doing must give up our true identity.
Thus, it is my belief that personal expressions of faith can be a defining message of clarity, purpose, direction, intention and identification. When we choose to omit our faith from our lives, we blend in and become like everybody else. It is true, that one may feel the "faithless club" is bigger in numbers and therefore must be more credible, but this is a false presumption.
Whenever we introduce ourselves we give our names. This in part, expresses who we are. Our last names are important to our identities and association. They link us back to our roots or our beginnings. Most of us do not omit our names from an application, introduction, business card, or any other place of purpose. It is a part of us and as such, should not be separated. So should our expressions of faith be.
Why would we separate our eternal identities, the blessings and birthright that we have as sons and daughters of God? Why do we omit His name when we have taken it upon us? I have been guilty at times, of conveniently omitting things of spiritual nature from conversations. It is interesting that I can remember the feelings felt during and immediately afterward. I felt weak, ashamed, and frustrated. On the other hand; I have never felt weak, ashamed, frustrated or hollow, when I have expressed my personal faith filled stories or experiences.
I have come to realize that it is my Faith in my divine nature that gives me the clarity, direction, identity and purpose, which so many seek. I am realizing my responsibility to understand my message and my environment. I also understand better that by so doing, my message is clear and understood. It is easy for my expression of faith to get lost in association. I must share my expression outside of the building, as well as inside.
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