Our “beliefs” are in progress……..they are only “working hypothesis” and must be rejected when proven not to be valid.

Photo by Ian Espinosa on Unsplash

When we say we “believe” in something, we are being lazy and we are accepting something as the truth, the undeniable truth, the permanent truth  and the unchangeable truth, without checking it out whether it works or not. When we say we believe in something, we basically accept something as the truth without checking it.

 

Suppose bridge engineers hear of a method and like the look and taste of it simply by reading about it or hearing about it, and then build a bridge across a valley and simply declare it safe, we all know that’s ridiculous and unsafe and would be very reluctant to walk on it.

 

We all know that engineers start with a “working hypothesis”, then they put everything to tests, use wind tunnels to simulate and test effects of wind and storms on the bridge, and they use all kinds of tests to test different materials, and test, test, test on every possible perspective to improve the odds of success.

 

But when it comes to “believing” in something which will govern our behaviour, such as “believing” in a religion, or a practice or in the teachings of whatever “guru”, we tend to be lazy, and simply buy into the label and assume just because so and so said it, it must be right and therefore I will “believe” in it.

 

Over the years, I have come across teachers who can be divided into two main types:

 

(1) This teacher says: “If I say so, just believe it and don’t question”

 

This is the type of teacher who will pronounce the “truth” and expects the students to buy it 100% without thinking and question. And if anyone questions, he would get very upset (a polite way of saying angry) and treats any questioning as question the relationship and the ego.

 

(2) This second teacher says: “Don’t just believe everything I say. I have discovered this natural law, it has worked for me but please check it out for yourself. If it doesn’t work for you, you must reject it.”

This is the kind of teacher who encourages you to challenge and question everything. Nothing is sacred and no “belief” is fixed, solid and permanent. It’s only a “working hypothesis” which is to be used only as long as it’s still valid.

 

I know which one has won over me and I find that treating every law as a “working hypothesis” is the most honest thing we can do. And this requires us to have the courage to not say “I believe”………….without checking it out.