IN BELIEVING SOMETHING….

….it doesn’t mean it’s true,
does it?
I mean, it may be a platitude, a cliche, a plausible assumption;
a conditioning, born and built out of fear or hope.
It may be the fact or once was or might be.
It might be a safeguard against Enormity or a need to please Someone.

But it can still be something people will kill and die for,
render them deaf to all reason, humour, humility or perspective;
where questions or doubt are but blasphemous heresy
as if in believing, one has suddenly become God’s own personal Rep and mouthpiece,
taking on divine infallibility or prerogative;
yet without any evidence of promotion or permission from HQ.
Just a mechanical copyright blurb.

How odd, for a supposedly rational creature,
to adopt a stance of authoritative, verified believing
while minas any qualification or explanation:
to assert something essentially unprovable
with total certainty and without apology.

But what is the difference in this from pure knowing?
Knowing in one’s gut or heart,
one’s bones and very soul
- as against knowing with the computing brain, with its facts, proofs, lawful evidence?

One can think outside the box, reserve final judgement, acknowledge opposites, listen to dissent, intuit the true from false, respecting differences
and still maintain integrity and faith; and even be able to base decisions and choices thereon.
Be sure.

But labelling this as belief
closes all doors to options;
declares a bias, an unarguable stance
of “belonging” to some partisan in-group,
which immediately invites an Opposition, some alternative beyond the pale
as well as an assumption of exclusive rightness and superiority,
of some secret, insider privilege,
promoting polarisation and judgement,
while forestalling any debate
to a still-born negation.

Ah, see the power in a word!