Points of view about what is right or wrong can and do change. If we compare our current views with those of our childhood; we will probably find that several if not many of our perspectives on life have changed. Some more obvious examples would be Father Christmas and the Easter Bunny. These changes in our perspectives are the results of a healthy mind because a healthy mind will reason and compare without initial judgement. We may find that what was once perceived as right is now perceived as wrong. What is really happening here is that what is right and what is wrong depends on the perspective that is applied. Our perceptions are based on our beliefs systems which are based on the information that we hold in our long term memory. What we believe is also our personal truth!
Any original or ‘first time’ information is like a data base and all new incoming information is compared with and processed according to that information. We cannot help being influenced by this data and therefore we cannot help being biased towards our beliefs. This original data is also known as our ‘core beliefs’ but these beliefs may be faulty because some of the original information may have been faulty or – misinformation. Please note that a healthy bias helps protect our survival because it provides us with a healthy scepticism on any new information. This protects our vulnerability to being misled and provides us with the opportunity to use our discernment. It can be an asset when used in balance but on the other side of the coin; it can reinforce our fear based beliefs and hinder any productive assessment of new information.
Being willing to stay open to new information, no matter how much it conflicts with our current beliefs, applying our wisdom and discernment whilst applying a healthy, balanced bias will provide us with a safer platform from which to spiritually evolve. Most people would find it hard to create that type of balance in their thinking. They may have to regularly practise applying such a concept in order to transfer it from their short term memory to register it in their long term memory where it will become a permanent memory. Once in the long term memory it can become a habit or an automatic response. Many people believe that they can keep an open mind on any subject but they can’t help making a biased judgement of what they believe is right or wrong. Some scientific research has shown that it is impossible for the researchers to keep their bias from affecting the outcome of any experiment. Why? We know that thought creates outcomes and it is the first stage of any creative process i.e. ‘thought word and deed’. We also know that thought affects matter. Thus; their biased thoughts will always affect the outcome of any experiment. Some research estimates the bias to influence the results by up to 40%. They cannot keep their bias from affecting the experiments, no matter how hard they try. They often refer to this phenomenon as the ‘Placebo effect’. This is a huge scientific conformation of the belief that our thoughts create outcomes.
The human race has a heavy bias towards the belief in the duality concept of right and wrong. We have to learn to manage or overcome our bias if we want to spiritually evolve to the higher levels where the concepts of levels of truth are found. This higher concept is difficult to grasp and it creates a problem because the human race relies on the opposite polarities of right and wrong to function. However; there is a lot of injustice in the world and there are continual arguments about what is right and what is wrong. Countries go to war believing that they are right and the irony is that most of the time; both sides believe that they are right. We all need to raise our consciousness to the higher concept of levels of truth if we are to avoid continuing these repetitive patterns that create anger and hatred. One of Christian Ten Commandments is ‘Do not judge unless you be judged’. This brings up a question; ‘what is the best way to compare conflicting new and old information so as to make a judgement about which one is right?’ New research or information is often discredited by those whose beliefs are threatened by the information. It is usually very difficult to make a judgement about what is right and what is wrong based purely on the arguments put forward by both sides. We know that it is impossible for both sides to keep bias out of the argument and it is just as difficult to judge who is being more biased. If a person is well read on the subject then they may be in a better position to make a more informed judgement. However; even they will be biased in their judgement because they will have core beliefs that are influencing their perspective on the subject.
The answer to the above question is; ‘don’t make any judgement at all’. Allow yourself to observe and understand both sides of the argument. Take it all on board as ‘information only’ and do not judge it. One side may make more sense that the other or both may or may not make any sense at all. It does not matter what perspective you currently have, just treat the information for what it is – information! Many people mistakenly think that they always need to have an opinion and so they make judgements.
However; once that judgement makes its way into the long term memory it will become their ‘truth’ and all new coming information will be processed according to any associated information held in the memory. They will judge the new information according to what they know and the judgement will be affected by what they already believe and they cannot help being biased. Spiritual growth and freedom require us to increase our awareness with an open mind.
David Lane
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