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Re: Conscience

At 07:00 AM 11/3/96 +0100, you wrote:
>Jerome Tan wrote:
>>
>  Going back to my first
>> question, because NLPers know about the mapping of our brains, do they
>> still believe in religion?
>
>Hola, Jerome,
>
>Religious beliefs are part of our map, I believe, and one of the parts
>most difficult to change since it is so "natural" to believe in
>christianity for a westerner.(Some westerners might disagree - I'd like
>to hear them, especially the aetheists.)
>All this means that you don't "believe in religion" rather that religion
>pervades your beliefs and perceptions, or, like a framework, limits how
>and what you perceive.
>
>Regards,
>
>TOM

Hi Tom,
A point that demonstrates how one may turn away from the practice of the
religion one is reared to accept, but still live within the framework that
limits your perceptions and ideas is this.
Years ago I took voice lessons to learn how to sing the "bel canto" style. I
had some weird ideas about how the vocal chords operate while singing, and
the lessons didn't produce the results the teachers wanted. Later, I saw a
plastic model of the vocal chords, figured out what I was doing wrong, and
have been successfully practicing, using my memory of what the teachers were
trying to tell me back then. To sing I have to use the songs I remember. The
songs I remember are mostly from my childhood, and guess what? Most of them
are the songs I learned in the church. When I reach out for a song to sing
that I remember the words to...I find myself singing about how much I love
Jesus. Religion cannot be avoided if I access the memories of my childhood.

Will my childhood allow me to be an atheist? No, but it does allow me to be
an adult whose experiences have given me options I also practice with just
as much joy and devotion.

Respectfully,
James