Belief is dangerous. It requires radical devotion and commitment to action. Often times, it has a shape and form and a guideline for how/ why/ when we exist within the belief.

It should be simple though. Belief in itself should not hurt. The floating thought it your head that I believe is innocent and unassuming; even ignorantly blissful.

For example: If I believe in unicorns, that doesn’t hurt anyone. I can spend my days thinking there are magical horses with horns that have glitter for skin and still live a normal life.

The danger in belief is when the core of that belief requires I make decisions and take action to uphold the belief.

What we believe guides everything from our day to day choices to how we see the world and the impact we have on it. Beliefs systems don’t have to be rooted in any truth but the acceptance of that belief makes it true for the believer. And from the truth, we get stereotypes, biases, discrimination, etc.

That is where the danger comes into play and why agreeing to disagree isn’t a simple solution for folks on opposite side of belief systems.

For example: If I believe people born in February are dumber than everyone else, I won’t date people born that month. I also won’t hire them, vote for them, speak to them, trust them, or treat them with dignity and respect.

Seems a bit far fetched, I know, but history has proven that a belief system has the power to impact the structural and developmental existence of a thing.

During my time as a minister, we often posed this question: If someone was about to get run over by a car, would you wave gently and whisper “yoo hoo” at them to get their attention or would you scream and shout to let them know they were in danger? You might even run in the street to push them out of the way.

Belief systems have the ability to radicalize a person in that way. We can become aggressive and ravenous about showing & proving to people that the belief being held requires action on my part and even forced action upon you.

So then what?

We can only really govern ourselves right? I suppose that would be the best way to be. Attempting to change what people believe is futile. Person’s either A. Believe a thing so whole heartedly that they let it ooze out onto any and everything around them or B. Believe a thing intimately and don’t mind other people’s business.

The idea that we agree to disagree only suffices when there is no danger present. But if the thing we disagree about effects my life, than that person might be deemed unsafe.

For example: We can agree to disagree that grape jelly is better in PB&J than strawberry jelly.

For example: We cannot agree to disagree that you can shoot me in the face.

There are other conversations that can be had here: belief vs. knowledge, the types of belief systems, the impact of belief on society, etc. But for the intimate nature of this thought process, think about this: What’s the last belief you held that you know longer hold and what did it take to change you?