It's funny isn't it, how we convince ourselves that we know things.
One of the things we pronounce with conviction, is that by simply knowing facts we can understand a period of time. But when we look backward we see with today's eyes. I used to believe that everyone tried to read history with yesterday's eyes, but I discovered we are few.
Sometimes when you borrow yesterday's eyes and breathe a bit of yesterday's air it changes today, and you begin to understand why the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge had to be forbidden.
Because Knowledge means forever questioning and while the fruit is sweet, you have to choose the discomfort of knowing. Knowing is not for those who only follow orders, we were not pushed from Eden, we earned our right to leave the nest by being more than sheep. It would be messy, but it would be real. Earned independence from Deity, not given.
Here is some fruit from the Tree, in the nature of a forgery.
Now for me Yesterday's eyes are little sharper and Yesterday's air has a metallic tinge. Things will change for Today's eyes.
We should revel in the Discomfort of Knowing because it is the enemy of the complacent Dark which will destroy whatever soul we might posses.
2 comments:
Because of circumstances in my life that had me leaving my childhood religion, I'm occasionally asked if I could go back "just enough" to satisfy friends and family. In fact, I hear this question a great deal, as there is a support network available for people who leave.
Within that group there is a marked difference between people who left because of acquisition of knowledge and facts, and those who leave for all other reasons combined. Those of us who know, cannot even consider going back. But those with knowledge also are able to forgive ourselves, because we can see how it was that we also were duped, in spite of possessing intelligence.
It's often not a matter of stupidity, but of blindness. It's human nature to see what we want to see. To create the facts we want to exist. We write our own stories and superimpose them on other circumstances, and assume that our values are the same as others'.
A little knowledge becomes a string that unravels then entire fabric.
I'm reading this series of articles you linked, and find it fascinating to see the parallels between the psychology of accepting the faked vermeers, and the acceptance of faked spirituality that I was handed in my childhood and early adulthood. How could I have been so blind? I lacked knowledge and wisdom. I forgive myself.
Let me know when you've finished the series and it's illuminating to read the comments because a completely different type of commentary than I have ever seen happened under this story, making me wish that I could bottle whatever it was that kept it so topic based and respectful
When you're done I'll tell you what it was that changed for me.
Glad you're reading it : )
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