Do I believe?
My beautiful friend, the great Tinac, asked me for further explanation of whether I believe. It is common to cite dictionary definitions when it comes to determining the meaning of words, but I prefer etymologies which help me to understand that shifts in pronunciation, spelling, and meaning occur over time. This reminds me that my explanations and arguments are time-bound and are useful, if at all, based on current usage.
The Merriam-Webster etymology for "believe" reads: "Middle English beleven, from Old English belEfan, from be- + lyfan, lEfan to allow, believe; akin to Old High German gilouben to believe, Old English lEof dear -- more at LOVE." The etymology at "love" traces the root further back to the Latin lubEre, libEre to please. What this reminds me of is that there is a certain pleasure taken in the ideas one calls "beliefs." There is an affection toward these ideas, and as I have also noticed, a fierce protection surrounding these ideas.
Tinac asked me if I believe that not breathing would cause me to die. First of all, I take no pleasure in this idea; I have no affection for this idea; and I feel no need to protect this idea. Secondly, I entertain an alternative idea that someday my lungs will be so badly damaged that they will cease to be able to supply my body with the oxygen it needs. In that case, I ardently hope that someone has played with the idea of lungless respiration, i.e., a way to supply oxygen to cells through a more direct method, perhaps intravenously. So in this case, I do not believe that not breathing would cause me to die. However, until I understand that lungless respiration is available, I will entertain the "working hypothesis" that I need to breathe to survive.
This brings us to an idea that I do take pleasure in, have affection toward, and feel compelled to protect. The idea that any mind or system of knowledge is too small to comprehend the universe whole. This idea supports the attitude and practice of intellectual (or spiritual, if you prefer) humility. I see colors, I hear sounds, but I do not know why. But I still enjoy painting pictures and drawing maps of what is going on behind the perceptions that help me explain, predict, and fashion my perceptions into something that is more to my liking.
What does all this have to do with chemical abuse?
What does this have to do with AA?
Over time, I have continued to go to AA meetings. I have observed that my life, both internal and external, have improved when I attend AA meetings. I have also observed that my life quickly becomes unmanageable when I stop going to meetings. Other folks have noticed the same thing in their own lives.
The problem is that many of these folks have not learned the principle of spiritual (or intellectual, if you prefer) humility. They have an explanation for this set of correlations, (quality of life and meeting attendance) and they browbeat and connive against others that disagree with their pet theories. I personally have felt the need to escape these armchair therapists, and I have felt unsafe being an intellectual at an AA meeting.
My task is to make AA safe for the intellectual, the sceptic, and the inherently curious — to make AA safe for me.
The Merriam-Webster etymology for "believe" reads: "Middle English beleven, from Old English belEfan, from be- + lyfan, lEfan to allow, believe; akin to Old High German gilouben to believe, Old English lEof dear -- more at LOVE." The etymology at "love" traces the root further back to the Latin lubEre, libEre to please. What this reminds me of is that there is a certain pleasure taken in the ideas one calls "beliefs." There is an affection toward these ideas, and as I have also noticed, a fierce protection surrounding these ideas.
Tinac asked me if I believe that not breathing would cause me to die. First of all, I take no pleasure in this idea; I have no affection for this idea; and I feel no need to protect this idea. Secondly, I entertain an alternative idea that someday my lungs will be so badly damaged that they will cease to be able to supply my body with the oxygen it needs. In that case, I ardently hope that someone has played with the idea of lungless respiration, i.e., a way to supply oxygen to cells through a more direct method, perhaps intravenously. So in this case, I do not believe that not breathing would cause me to die. However, until I understand that lungless respiration is available, I will entertain the "working hypothesis" that I need to breathe to survive.
This brings us to an idea that I do take pleasure in, have affection toward, and feel compelled to protect. The idea that any mind or system of knowledge is too small to comprehend the universe whole. This idea supports the attitude and practice of intellectual (or spiritual, if you prefer) humility. I see colors, I hear sounds, but I do not know why. But I still enjoy painting pictures and drawing maps of what is going on behind the perceptions that help me explain, predict, and fashion my perceptions into something that is more to my liking.
What does all this have to do with chemical abuse?
What does this have to do with AA?
Over time, I have continued to go to AA meetings. I have observed that my life, both internal and external, have improved when I attend AA meetings. I have also observed that my life quickly becomes unmanageable when I stop going to meetings. Other folks have noticed the same thing in their own lives.
The problem is that many of these folks have not learned the principle of spiritual (or intellectual, if you prefer) humility. They have an explanation for this set of correlations, (quality of life and meeting attendance) and they browbeat and connive against others that disagree with their pet theories. I personally have felt the need to escape these armchair therapists, and I have felt unsafe being an intellectual at an AA meeting.
My task is to make AA safe for the intellectual, the sceptic, and the inherently curious — to make AA safe for me.
posted by Troy Spears at 10:04 AM
1 Comments:
My great friend describes the universe and life as " a great mystery." I love that, because it is humble, and unanswerable.
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