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Sharing the insights I discover as I explore and experience the mystery that is our reality. Join me in my journey and share yours.




Sunday, February 5, 2012

Richard Dawkins and George Harrison: What Could They Possibly Have in Common?


Courtesy of Google Images



This morning as I did my chores George Harrison's song "Brainwashed" hummed through my earphones coming along with me as I walked my dogs, prepared and served breakfast for my children and later washed them while looking out at the woods that lay beyond the window before me gilded by a warm hue of a sun just risen.

"Brainwashed in our childhood, Brainwashed by the schools, Brainwashed by our teachers and brainwashed by all the rules...brainwashed by the media, brainwashed by the press...brainwashed in the open and brainwashed behind the scenes.". The lyrics got me to thinking that we really are all conditioned to think, to behave and to interpret the objects and events that enter our existence by what we are taught either directly by that of an authority or indirectly through the images we are exposed to. Oftentimes we simply embrace the information we are given and don't think much of questioning it at all. Our whole reality, if we allow it, is shaped by what we receive from others. We get an idea of how we should dress, what makes a person successful, what makes us happy and what is true historically and scientifically by the sources we choose to ingest. If we are not careful and discerning we can allow ourselves to be caught up in delusions that keep us from finding real truth in our lives.

This isn't all that bad, at least in the beginning of our lives. In fact it is essential for our survival. We readily accept and conform to information our authorities have to give us that is critical in assuring our safety. If we were to question or pause or altogether rebel against some of the information we were given in early childhood without simply trusting it was true it would be to our own potential demise. For example, if we were to test the idea that crossing the road without looking both ways was an insignificant and irrelevant rule we would quickly, perhaps permanently, realize how we indeed should have heeded such instruction.

As we get older and our thinking becomes more complex and our participation in this world becomes more involved we have a certain responsibility to not be led around on a proverbial leash guiding us this way and that, hindering us from breaking free and discovering deeper truths on our own. We somehow need to filter the wheat from the chaff, to somehow decipher fact from fiction and move past the herd like mentality that our society endorses. 

The need and desire to conform to the ideas around us is incredibly strong for with conforming comes acceptance and everyone wants to be accepted. But at what price? We must dig deeper for the truths no matter at what cost. But how? When the very sources that we might go to for truth and clarification might also have their own biases and objectives that  far from revealing actual reality might even be designed to manipulate us into digesting a distorted view of it for their benefit. How do we know what is truth and what is not? Who we can and cannot trust? In a world of dancing illusions how do we find clarity?

This is where Richard Dawkins steps on the stage and helps us out. What does Dawkins and Harrison have in common? They both believe in the reality that the masses have a strong propensity to be brainwashed by the suggestive ideologies they are exposed to. By our teachers, our parents, those in authority. Dawkins is a prominent atheist who speaks strongly against the indoctrination of children and the maligning of truth in order to carry out one objective or another. His criticism is strongly projected outwards towards the religious community, but regardless of your views towards his criticisms directed at religion, Dawkins has a thing or two to teach us all about critical thinking and finding the truth amidst the obscurity of illusion, group mentality and wishful thinking.

In the film that I watched (Faith School Menace?) Dawkins shares with viewers part of a  letter that he wrote to his ten year old daughter encouraging her to think critically about all the information that she will receive as she grows older and to not be taken in by deceit but to think for herself.  In his letter he tells his daughter one good reason to believe something is true is evidence. Strong evidence. He also shares that there are three bad reasons to believe something is true. I completely agree with him on this one. The bad reasons he shares in his letter are the following (these are his words):

1. Tradition. Believe it because our people have always believed it. It has been handed down over generations. The trouble with tradition is that no matter how long ago a story was made up it is still exactly as true or untrue as the original story was.

2. Authority. Believe it because your parents do. Believe it because a priest does. Believe it because a teacher does or a holy book does.

3. Revelation. Believe something because it just feels right.

He goes on to write to his daughter, " And next time somebody tells you something is true why not say to  them, "What kind of evidence is there for that?" And if they can't give you a good answer I hope you will think very carefully before you believe a word they say."

While both Dawkins and Harrison believe in the reality that we are all are vulnerable to indoctrination in one way or another their methods in seeking clarity in truth seem to differ. As we just saw Dawkins relies on strong scientific evidence to determine what is true. Harrison, however, seems to seek truth and clarity from another source. Here are some additional verses from his song "Brainwashed":

"God God God
You are the wisdom that we seek
God God God
The lover that we miss
God God God
Your nature is eternity
God God God
Your are Existence, Knowledge, Bliss...

God God God
Won't you lead us through this mess
God God God
From the places of concrete
God God God
Nothing's worse than ignorance
God God God
I just won't accept defeat..."


One man seeks God as a source for clarity and truth and the other seeks evidence.  The question I pose to those that read this is: Could they be one and the same?


Now bear with me...I can almost see or hear some of the reactions at this point! For sure there most likely is no reconciliation between the two depending on the definition one uses of "God".  Certainly some versions of God actually add on layers of illusions to one's perceptions of reality. But perhaps there's a whole other version of what God could mean that could help us unravel these illusions, layer by layer, eventually exposing us to a naked core of truth, of reality itself. A conception of God that, far from contradicting with the evidence,  is the embodiment of that evidence itself.

Some say religion and science cannot be mixed. They are like oil and water. That is very true for the most part. But spirituality in its most revealing form, I believe, can create a harmonious and beautiful synergy adding depth and richness to both while compromising the integrity of neither.

Thoughts? I'd love to hear them! Please leave them in the comments section. Thank you!

28 comments:

  1. Personally, I think science is as important as our spiritual faith. I think if an almighty creator can set the laws of the universe into existence then it is our job as believers to try to understand them, because glimpsing the language of science would be glimpsing the hand of God. I also think that if we begin to understand science it illuminates a better understanding of scripture, in some ways. Genetics for instance...as we understand that better wouldn't we be able to go back to the "begats" and perhaps see some kind of deeper connection between all the lines? I don't understand why people think one contradicts the other. The big bang is very realistic to me, because if an all powerful being spoke aloud something is going to explode right? LOL <3 Great post!

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  2. Thank you Lisa for your thoughts...I'm glad you enjoyed the post!

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  3. Wow. GREAT post! So thought provoking. I love the three bad reasons to believe something is true. We all do that at times and should definitely be questioning instead.

    Thanks for encouraging us to THINK!! :) xoxoxo

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  4. Thanks Rachel! Yeah I particularly liked the one about not just blindly accepting a tradition that is being passed down without first critically examining it. It reminded me of a famous quote from the Buddha I once read.
    Thanks for stopping by! :)

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  5. Vary well written. Very well said...

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQO61TvrNSE

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ulX8nZjeCXE

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  6. Thank you for stopping by Allen and for the links! :)

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  7. Beautifully written, Jessica!
    My folks were the best parents they knew how to be, but they truly didn't teach me to be an independent thinker. That is something I learned from many mistakes in the school of hard knocks.
    In raising my own, I encouraged them to question and not just accept the status quo. (After, of course, we got by the "run in front of the car" stage.
    I also don't believe religion (spirituality) need be at odds with science. Discovering new things in God's creation simply serves to point to His immeasurable creativity, complexity, and leaves us in awe of it all.
    A thought-provoking post, indeed!
    Blessings, my friend!

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  8. Martha..I think all of our parents had the best of intentions and yet there are always things that can be improved on in each successive generation. I am definitely trying to take the extra effort in teaching my kids to think for themselves a little more than I was encouraged to. To question and never be afraid of expressing themselves.

    Thanks for stopping by. :)

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  9. Hi, Jessica! ~

    I love to watch you grow right in front of my eyes form one post to the next! You go, Gurrrlll!!

    I believe that all True spiritual law will someday be reconciled with science. Not necessarily in my lifetime and I don't need science to prove things for me to believe that it's true.

    I was interested in this quote: "If we are not careful and discerning we can allow ourselves to be caught up in delusions that keep us from finding real truth in our lives." I would add that we not only need to be 'careful & discerning' but also diligent because we don't always choose consciously what we believe, especially when it comes to brainwashing -- which reminds me of a post you might be interested in on this subject at http://www.dangerouslinda.com/?page_id=459

    Keep up the great work, Sister! XOXO

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  10. You're starting to hint on Buddhism - primarily thoughts from the Dalai Lama when looking at truths uncovered by science and how to proceed forward based on new discoveries.

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  11. Jessica you always manage to make us think with all your posts. I saw agree with you that as children we are taught certain things but as we grow older we have our own perception of truth.

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  12. Thank you Linda! I always love when you stop by. :)

    "I would add that we not only need to be 'careful & discerning' but also diligent because we don't always choose consciously what we believe, especially when it comes to brainwashing "

    A very good point! I'm headed shortly to check out the post you left a link for. I always enjoy your articles and suggest them to any who are reading this. :)

    ~blessings

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  13. Your posts are always so insightful and thought provoking Jessica! Another great post!

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  14. Shad...Thanks for reading this and leaving your thoughts. I find both Buddhism and Taoism intriguing and appealing. I'm not too familiar with the Dalai Lama but I have read from Thich Naht Hanh, Pema Chodron, Shunyru Suzuki, some others as well as the Bhagavad Gita, some of the Upanishads and the Tao te Ching and I find it amazing how eastern philosophies can merge quite naturally with scientific principles.

    Thanks again for stopping by. :)

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  15. Thank you Rimly and Nelieta for stopping by. :) I always love your input!

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  16. A very thought provoking post. I agree as we get older our critical thinking develops. I'm now at the age where I can swim against the tide for what I believe is right. Its a pity this doesn't come when we are younger and perhaps need it more. A great post.

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  17. I love how you put that hocam..."swmiing against the tide for what I believe is right".

    ...May we all learn to do that more and more...and also have the discernment to know when it's alright to flow with the tide and let us carry us closer to the shore!

    ~blessings

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  18. Jessica: Love this post! I also have taught my children to question. I don't know if anyone remembers when they came out with "outcome based education." The underlying principle was that part of the curriculum would be to teach children to conform. My children would bring home surveys and questions to answer and receive grades and extra credit for bringing them back completed. The answers to these questions did not belong in the schools. Today, more than ever we have to be careful as there is so much propaganda out there disguised as fact, and so many people ready to believe it. Even more frightening, is how many people are ready to follow a person rather than follow God. Lord knows, there are plenty out there preaching their own gospel. Yes, I agree, very thought provoking.

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  19. I don't think being brainwashed really matters. I'm talking, of course, of social brainwashing, that which goes on as a part of evolution and behavioral psychology, not the Jim Jones, pick your flavor of Kool-Aid kind.

    I don't feel special or better than anyone else because I think differently from them. In fact, it's quite a burden at times to disagree with just about everything because I see a bigger picture. I wonder what life would be like if I were a lowly country bumpkin.

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  20. Interesting post, Jessica. I don't think religion and science have to be mutually exclusive, as long as there are not restrictions on how one frames their religious belief.

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  21. Thank you Nelieta for stopping by! :)

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  22. Kimly,

    "Today, more than ever we have to be careful as there is so much propaganda out there disguised as fact, and so many people ready to believe it. Even more frightening, is how many people are ready to follow a person rather than follow God."

    So true! We should always seek discernment, especially us parents, in moving forward ourselves in the truth and guiding our children, giving them the tools, to be able to do the same.

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  23. Thank you JR,

    Some "brainwashing" can seem harmless, and in many respects, perhaps it is. But layers of delusion can be added on to pre-existing ones, eventually threatening to give any of us who fall prey a distorted view of reality...tunnel vision at its finest..fine tuned by those who seek to gain from it.

    Thanks for stopping by. :)

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  24. Thanks Sweepy for stopping by and leaving your thoughts. :)

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  25. One man seeks God as a source for clarity and truth and the other seeks evidence. The question I pose to those that read this is: Could they be one and the same?
    Good question!
    This is relevant for now. And deep.
    I may be sharing this with a skeptic I know ;-)

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  26. Turtles like thinking, therefore I like your message! :)

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  27. I have been reflecting for days...and based from the kind of education that I had when I was younger, I was spoonfed. It helped that I had a photographic memory then, so I was able to memorize books. Exams were easy because everything had the right exact answer.

    The challenge began in college and religious science classes. We had theological reflections in between immersions. It took a whole new revolution in my way of thinking. I broke free from most things I have learned as a child. Some experiences led me to ask about my existence and God's...

    We shouldn't throw away traditions, authority and revelation altogether but instead give them a different more realistic meaning ~ something new, something fresh and bold. They should always lead us to critically think and decide.

    Things should neither be black and white ~ I think the best evidence for Gods existence is the life we are living :)

    And for the things we couldn't answer by ourselves ~ I leave to the story of inspiration and real encounters with God.

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    Replies
    1. Beautiful insights Melissa...

      "We shouldn't throw away traditions, authority and revelation altogether but instead give them a different more realistic meaning ~ something new, something fresh and bold. They should always lead us to critically think and decide."

      I think that's a great perspective!

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