I struggled with this before, and i cant say im done struggling with it. After living under your parents house, having your parents rules, and also having your parents beliefs, you begin to fit the mold of what you were brought up in. Well, as most do, there comes a time when you have to leave your parents and stand on your own. Once you are out though, you begin to wonder and question everything that you were taught to believe. Is it true or is there a different way of looking at an issue. I think the tradition of those before us, our parents, our teachers and/or our elders, become our own because thats all we have ever known. But we are supposed to find these things out for ourselves, right? Tradition can be a good thing because when we believed them for so long, we begin to acquire a knowledge about what we believe, but when we are faced with those who, like Socrates, question our beliefs, we begin to falter because we dont have a good knowledge about it.
I think it is very important to have a very good basis and understanding about what we believe. If we believe it just because our parents did, then we dont have a good knowledge or understanding about it. And that is very crucial to us as humans.
p.s I commented on Kelsey's post.
This blog made me wonder if there is a way parents could raise children without heavily influencing their children's believes...furthermore, can you hang out with people and socialize with people and not them change or shape your morals or believes?
ReplyDeleteThat's a good question Rachel. I'm commenting on this blog just to make a note that my parents beliefs have not rubbed off on me. I don't exactly know where they are with God but there lifestyle does not reflect what we would call the "dying daily Christian life". Happily, they have been getting into church more recently. Tradition for me pretty much means nothing when it comes to my family. I hold the "traditions" of my Father in Heaven, if you must say.
ReplyDeleteSo, I said this to say my beliefs are not molded by them whatsoever-Which also answers Rachel's question. I think it is more common to come from a Christian home and have unchristlike friends influence you into straying rather than the other way around. For me, I have Christian friends who encouraged me and helped me and gave me someone to talk to. I definitely believe that the people you hang out with can change or shape your morals. A friend of mine recently accepted the Lord just because he hung out with us (us being myself and other Christian friends). He knew we who we where, and what we stood for. He knew there was something different about us. He wanted that and accepted the Lord and became a believer just because we "lived it" and loved him no matter what. I think most of the time we hear about people being bad influences on others, that's just an example of a GOOD influence.
I totally agree on your comment Brittany. My parents are very strong Christians. They are wise and are so because of experience. I mainly meant to say in my post that after we leave we must have our OWN understanding of why we say we are a christian. Not because our parents are or because we were taught that or because of anyone esle, we are supposed to be able to have a strong faith-based belief and be able to share that with those who come along and question our beliefs. Because if a person sees why we SAY we are a christian and strongly prove it, then in effect, that person might be inspired and become a christian as well.
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