Perceptions of Reality

This is something I realised many years back, and has guided me ever since. Everyone sees the world differently - and I'm not talking about opinions. I mean that two people seeing the same event happening will interpret it differently even if they are trying to be as objective as possible.

There is no science behind this claim, just what I have experienced. A dollar given by a rich man to a poor man can be charity or pity, in kindness or with contempt. Context plays a part, but certainly each individual has their own interpretation.

I strongly believe that perceptions are guided by prior experiences, and so, some people cannot be swayed from their version of the truth. I am more than happy to attack the various religions for their flaws, but I find it difficult to criticise a religious person for their belief, because to a certain extent, their past does not allow them to see an alternative.

Consider this. A child who was raised in a religious cult, with no access to television or the internet, surrounded by abuse and neglect, would probably consider that kind of lifestyle to be normal. Without providing an alternative, there is only one possibility in their minds, and that is the life given to them by the cult. Sure, this is an extreme case, but most religions serve the same purpose but on a lesser scale.

If your parents, your friends, and your teachers taught you that God provides for everything, so you should do what God says; if you've been taught this all your life, it can't be easy to visualise an alternate life without religion. Part of our humanity is that we are sometimes creatures of habit, and something as vital as our belief system become habitualised quickly.

So no, I don't necessarily fault people for going to Church every Sunday. I will always be intolerant of those who have the oppportunity to change their lives but choose not to, and I will always stand against organised religion. But I won't judge people without considering their perceptions and their upbringing.