When a bird becomes ready for flight, the bird does not ask how other birds fly, but simply flaps its wings until it is airborne.
The same applies to mammal babies who begin to crawl then when they feel their legs are strong enough, they begin to walk.
As we grow older and begin to interact with our community we start to accept its tradition as ours. Tradition is a defense mechanism shared by a community to protect it from external and internal dangers. However, Tradition, over the years has become more detrimental to the global community. Human Beings are the smartest of all animals, and for many years continued to discover new things and live life based of their present. With the "Present" being the feelings YOU feel now.
What we see now is a community where people cannot make decisions without referring to what people in the past have done when faced with the same situation. You have probably realized by now that then you would have been living YOUR life the way someone else would live THEIR life!!! And not the way YOU would live yours!
This is the one reason relationships continue to fail and conflicts prevail.
Below you will find a list of thoughts people have that cause tradition to be a factor in 'relationships' and 'conflicts.'
RELATONSHIPS
1. Women rarely approach Men because they BELIEVE they will look "easy to get." Hey Ladies, you could be missing out on something good. Your gut says yes? Then go for it!
2. Men always feel they have to be Macho and stick to the famous phrase "Bros over Hoes." Well guys, how much longer you think she is going to wait?
3. I'll wait for Him/Her to text/call first. I shouldn't text Him/Her this, I'll look desperate. No kissing on the first date, fine on the second date. Is He/She a TEN(dime)? "Guys, live out your feelings, if that person meshes with them, you'll be good.
NOTE: Most people continue to ask these questions, how many times have you tried this and come to the same conclusion? Which is back to square 1 with someone else asking the same questions?
CONFLICTS
1. He is Christian/Muslim/Jew, He/She can never understand what we are talking about or He/She is nothing like us so avoid them. "FYI, that person may know more."
2. He/She is Gay, they are going to Hell. "Bear in mind that God judges based on His standards."
3. I will go to Heaven for killing Non-Believers. "You are just carrying out the belief of someone who believes that. Why does the person who sends and pays other people to blow themselves UP!! Not want to go to HEAVEN too? He is still alive right?"
NOTE: Even though the Bible/Koran/Torah was written from inspiration from God, it was interpreted by Man!
Why is it a rule for women in some religions to not show their hair and body in public? Because some MEN felt it worried their faith? Well maybe they weren't as strong as they needed to be, but because of them, women in some parts of the world get stoned for trying to live their lives.
"The Lord works through us, He does this by evoking emotions within us. Who are we to let others dictate how we listen to the Spirit?"
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ReplyDeleteWhile you make a good point that we are obliged to follow the way that everyone else goes or we do not necessarily have to live our lives the way our ancestors did, I think you are ignoring the VERY important point that we have these "traditions" as you call them for a purpose. They're available to us for us to learn from them, if only that knowledge is to do something completely different from what the ones before us did! okay, enough abstract talk.
ReplyDeleteTake the scientific community for example: Why would they publish all their research even the ones that did not come out with expected results? They want the young scientists to learn from their research and adapt this information to their current situation. Since you use the Bible as an example, I should do the same. The Bible tells of men, Godly and sinful, brave and weak, loving and hateful, so that we have something to use as a guide. If nobody referred to these examples, people will make the same FOOLISH mistakes all the bloody time!!!! You say the present is how you feel now! I beg to differ. See, life isn't all about you and its a problem if you see the present being about how you feel. The Bible says love your neighbour. How the hell are you going to do that if all you are thinking about is yourself and how you feel? Traditions are not always right and I know I have gone against what is expected more times than I can count but I also know they are there for a reason and one should consider them carefully before deciding to go against them and one should know their reasons for going against them. I know I didn't comment on the other parts but i'm running out of time. I'll comment on those later. I hope I hear a response to my comment. It will make a very interesting discussion.
Like I said before, some traditions were put in place for certain reasons but are still followed now (often blindly) without the existence of those original reasons and that is where there is problem. New situations call for different traditions/ways of dealing with them. Though yes, you do have a point about some traditions being necessary as the situations that brought them about still exist. Either way it is still necessary to consider whatever situations we are in an decide whether or not tradition provides the best answer.
ReplyDeleteWell written Ruddi.
ReplyDeleteSeyram I think you might be missing the point of this particular blog. It is a blog on the negative aspects of tradition and how it is evident in our society today.
If I were to write on the positive aspects of tradition, I would have twice as much material since Tradition is what prepares man and all other organisms for what the world has in store for them.
We have tradition to learn from, but in its application we must weave our own cloth.
In Ghanaian Public Schools, we were taught to learn and digest whatever the teacher or textbook says, and produce that same information during finals.
Here in the US, people are taught the material and its application at a very young age. They grow up with an individual perspective on the material they learn.
The Bible teaches a lot of things. I believe it is the best guide to life in this world.
When you read the Bible, you must take the things that apply to your life. What if a person was to read a part of the old testament and see the quote "An Eye for an Eye, a Tooth for a Tooth?" and later in the day be hit by a person. If this person is naturally a peaceful and loving person, should they then ignore they're gut feeling that says to them not to retaliate?! And just follow that quote? Not everyone has read the whole Bible and would know that later in the New Testament Jesus said to turn the other cheek instead. Thus the reason we have that gut feeling or Holy Spirit to tell you how to deal with situations. That is what you must listen to.
I REALLY feel you missed the point. When I say "YOU" I dont mean be selfish and keep everything to yourself* What I mean is live your life for yourself. If deep inside you feel happy by giving to the needy and poor, YES do it for the needy to be Happy. Not really selfish huh? Why should you talk to someone who continues to cause you to sin, who causes you to go against your gut feeling (No dont do drugs!) Be selfish and get them out of your life! All organisms are wired to resist danger or harm, when you get that feeling you flee not think about who's feelings you might hurt. Evidently you are a powerful choleric in nature, so you were also being selfish by expressing just what came to YOUR mind and not what the message had to say. But at the same time you were RIGHT in your own perspective.
Think about the people in the Bible who would have condemned you for speaking up to a man. Or the people in the middle east who would have done the same. Think what you would have gone through for responding to even something as little as this blog in countries that heavily practice the Sharia Law. But your gut caused you to respond through your own frame of reference. Don't waste your time on what I think, its my perspective, rather use the energy and passion you have to uploft others! Add me on facebook so we can talk more. I respect your passion!
Oh I do use my energy and passion to uplift people! Thanks for clarifying your position. I do think its important to be more specific. I think we both agree that all sides should be considered.
ReplyDeletea few points tho, sorry, i couldn't resist. and i guess these are foundational differences but while i am at it, i might as well state my position.
I guess you understood my problem with your statement about the present being you as being a material problem. I don't think life should be lived 'for yourself'. you should give not only when it makes you happy but because God commands and I promise i'm not trying to be overly chrif here.
and I would argue that your example is actually being selfish because you are giving because it makes you happy.
But its okay not to see eye to eye on this. After all, arguments make life interesting.
P.s. Believe it or not, I am actually not a choleric! Far from it. I am sanguine/phlegmatic.
Well if you think hard enough about your statement too, you will notice that when you do something because God/Allah/Yahweh commands it, do you not do it to get favor from God and to appease your conscience knowing that you are doing right by your Creator?! At the end, it all comes down to what You want to feel. Everyone is wired to think about themselves first. The reason why in the face of danger, a mother will save her child first before anyone else's. You are here to satisfy "YOU." We are all different and thus will thrive in different environments. Your unique but selfish desires in these God assigned environments will benefit not only YOU but your community at large!
ReplyDeleteI can see how you would be Sanguine, but Im a 100% sure from our previous conversations and this blog that you are Choleric in personality.
I can see we're not going to agree. So when a mother saves her child, is she thinking about herself or her child? I'm all for living your life but I do not think we're here to satisfy ourselves. life would be so much more depressing.
ReplyDeleteoh but you're wrong. after all, my conversations with you have all been arguments and sanguines are passionate ppl.
You can ask Koks. she's lived with me.
btw, i'm also a psych major and have read extensively on personalities. In fact, it is temperaments and personalities types that got me interested in psych the first place.
Her child, but to satisfy her internally that she played her role as a good mother.
ReplyDeleteCholerics are also very passionate about their opinion and stand on any argument.
Great discussion.
I can see this is becoming a which came first? the chicken or the egg? argument. shall we agree to disagree?
ReplyDeletep.s. i still think you're wrong but i'm allowed.