Appendices for my book: "The Religion Of Opinion"

WatcherWraith said:

Though Ent will be able to most accurately provide his own answer, I will advance a possible solution of my own:

Provided I have not misunderstood you and you have not already thought of this, perhaps Ent is referring to holding one point of view(justified and not mere opinion), but at the same time beholding other points of view as one does in a museum. One goes to the museum with a particular viewpoint and in this museum, other viewpoints are brought up and discussed, turned over, examined, but all of this without necessarily believing in them oneself. They are given "benefit of the doubt", but are not granted certainty as of yet. Not until they have been justified.

Of course, this type of thinking requires strict standards. What equates "justification" in this scenario? When is an opinion no longer a mere opinion but justified true belief? We must always be aware of our points of view and be careful to question ourselves more than we question others, for we are responsible for the welfare of our own minds.

If this does not address your issue, I apologize. The same goes for if I misunderstood Ent's point of view. But this is what I thought would best fit, and this is what I believe.

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Ent At Large said:

my effort is simply to write a book helping mankind to THINK

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Olorgando said:

Laudable, no question. But thinking may not be one of humanity's favorite hobbies, as it takes effort.
I have the suspicion that this correlates with the decades-long precipitous downhill slide in the reading of books.

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Ent At Large said:

Well, as I've made a promise elsewhere to share the Statement of Faith and Doctrine and Covenants (Appendix A and B) of my future book The Religion Of Opinion, it's only fair I share them here as well, where the ideas for the book were first coalesced, together with long preceding history, into a determination.

It is my belief this particular thread within TTF provides an appropriate platform to share them. Hopefully you all agree. And as you are the first to have heard of it from me in any place at any time, you deserve also a 'first look'.

Once read, you will know what's in my mind, when I mention The Religion of Opinion at any point... and why I fear it may be setting in. The Religion of Opinion is easily the oldest religion in the world, as will be demonstrated by my book.

Here is the Religion Outlined, prepared to be fit into the Book in the appropriate time.

THE RELIGION OF OPINION:
Statement Of Faith
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- We believe there is one Opinion, eternally existent and undeniably true.
- We believe this Opinion is our own Opinion, in whatever manner of expression we choose to present it at any given time.
- We believe our Opinion to be the inspired, the only infallible, authoritative Opinion to Follow.
- We believe in the deity of our Opinion, in its self-origination, self-existence, perfection, comprehensive nature, applicability to every existing circumstance or situation, supremacy over all other thoughts (errors) due to its incomprehensible purity, its unassailability, and its vindication of itself as The Truth without need for verification or support, in the face of every other statement or thought about any matter whatsoever in existence today or at any point in the past or future.
- We believe humanity must live a life acceptable to us.
- We believe in the present ministry of our Opinion by whose existence and acceptance humanity is enabled to live that life acceptable to us.
- We believe we are to acknowledge other life, and extend unity and companionship to it, if it is in acceptance of our Opinion as its own and adheres to its tenets.
- We believe all life disagreeing with our Statement Of Faith on any matter is unworthy of current or eternal association with us.
- We believe and attest our behaviors and actions in our own daily lives should fully and consistently demonstrate our adherence to this Statement Of Faith in all matters and every respect constantly.

THE RELIGION OF OPINION:
Doctrine And Covenants
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- We will work for and insist on agreement with our own Opinion through every means of debate and disagreement available to us.
- We will contend with every thought not consistent with our own, exercising the skills of insult, belittlement, and rudeness, faithfully admonishing and mistreating any who will not acknowledge our Opinion’s supremacy.
- We will ultimately forsake associating and communicating with contenders, ignoring their needs and rejecting their thoughts.
- We will endeavor to bring those under our care under the nurture and admonition of our Opinion, and by force of will set the acceptable course for their own thought and opinion on any subject, insuring its consistency with our own.
- We will rejoice at each one’s conformity to our Opinion, and endeavor with tenderness and sympathy to aid them in adopting a lifestyle consistent with this Doctrine and Covenants, and Statement of Faith.
- We will seek to live caustically in the world, denying all disagreement, remembering that, as we have voluntarily chained ourselves to our own Opinion, and are not willing to raise ourselves from its grave, so there is on us now a special obligation to lead others into the same bondage.
- We will work together for the continuance of a faithful adherence to the doctrine of this Religion as we sustain its worship, ordinances, discipleship, discipline and doctrines, proselytizing others to its tenets.
- We will contribute regularly and cheerfully to the support of our Opinion, the expenses associated with maintaining it, and fund the needs for its proselytization to all nations and peoples.
- We will, when we move from any one place, as soon as possible in our new location, find and unite with others adhering to the Religion Of Opinion so we can carry out the essential spirit of this Covenant and its principles in companionship with others of like mind and bondage.

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Ent At Large said:

The Statement of Faith and Doctrine and Covenants will be specifically referred to, point by point, as I bring forward history in all its glory, and demonstrate mankinds inability to overcome himself.

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1stvermont said:

What does it derive from? Relativism? Pride?

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1stvermont said:

I think it derives from humanism, the rejection of truth outside of ourselves. There is no god, so we rely on ourselves. We become gods!

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Ent At Large said:

You should take issue with this.
What you describe means "some people listened to opinions, wondered, thought differently, RESEARCHED, discovered different things, and ultimately realized those opinions did not hold together." AND, some who have held certain opinions have "listened to options, wondered, thought differently, RESEARCHED, discovered different things, and realized their own opinions/persiectives didn't hold together."

You see... this is called not just 'learning' but 'wisdom'.

My point is - there is a massive group of people who will not 'listen, wonder, think, research, discover, and change if needed - or come to be better able to discuss and validate their own opinion."

In the process of actually researching and learning, OPINION transitions into PERSPECTIVE - which has more research and support behind it than Opinion - and eventually PERSPECTIVE may transition into TRUTH. At least, the 'truths' currently being held at the time, given the particular issue/subject in view. There are countless thousands/millions of things we still THINK we know some "truth' about - but are still currently only 'the best theories we have been able to discern.' Both 'religion' and 'science,' (also a form of religion), for example, are rife with this.

A problem occurs in that it becomes dangerously 'cyclic.' What we had 'opinion' about at one point, but moved through perspective and may have incautiously finally determined to be 'truth', may yet be reviewed again later, and prove only to be more 'opinion.' A constant state of listening, wondering, thinking, discovering, researching, and disxcussing must always be maintained to move forward.

The Religion of Opinion is insidious, and can reoccur at any time. One perspective re really need to face, is the older we get, generally speaking, the more we THINK we have really know, and the greater is our jeopardy of becoming stagnant, happy to stand where we are and less willing to face the difficulties and realities of change.

If someone holds an opinion or perspective different from ours, I still maintain the best course of action is to allow them their opinion, respect that they hold it (not the opinion itself - they have every right to be where they are) - and DISCUSS, provide alternatives, etc. Never 'argue' or 'demand' agreement. It does not profit the other person.

But you see... therein lies a root of difference, perhaps, between me and many others. My TRUTH will always be that "the other" is always more important than "the self". Even when "the other" is totally wrong. it does NOT give me the right to demean, distain, disparage, or denounce them in any way. I may need to deal with their VIEWS - but they as a person will receive their just rewards as a result of what they DO with their opinions. Not what their opinions actually are.

I may think many things about many things (and I do) - but if I am able to control them so they do not adversely impact others, I am DOING the 'right' things with them. If however, I ACT ON some of those 'thinks', and my actions are injurious to others, then I have reaped the reward for my actions.

Digging in one's heels in The Religion of Opinion to the point where I ACT by demeaning, insulting, harming, killing, etc. is wrong.
We all fall into it sometimes. My point is some live there. And history is rife with those who have lived there. Many in positions of great power.

I feel like I'm beginning to say the same things I've been saying - but I hope I'm saying them in different contexts and ways, so my perspective is coming across.

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1stvermont said:

Much of what you refer to can be summed up in confirmation bias, humanity's most common logical fallacy. We desire to be correct and only wish to reinforce our own views and avoid anything that might challenge it. That is because we are religious! We attach to a group emotionally, spiritually and mentally, and we self-identify with said group. Anything outside of our group, any foreign way of thinking, becomes a threat, and our defenses go up, and we no longer logically work out the truth. We, as you said in the OP, would rather our own opinions remain true; it is comfortable.

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1stvermont said:

Much of what you refer to can be summed up in confirmation bias,...

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