Affirmation
I affirm a belief; that is I remove all doubt. This allows me to believe something without consideration. I am unencumbered by consideration. I use this belief to bound my thoughts. There is no waste of time spent thinking. I am disciplined. I have unquestioned faith. I am empowered.
When you need to change your discipline in order to survive, affirmation is the right answer.The burden of affirmation
The burden of affirmation is false declaration. Affirmation deals with a problem by refusing to consider what might be the truth.
Get this idea. When you make an affirmation it is at the price of declaration (your best guess). Affirmation turns a hope of a truth into an absolute truth.
When you wish to empower yourself for the sake of power, then affirmation is an abuse.Social commentary on affirmation
In 1948 George Orwell wrote 1984. It was about a man who got in trouble for considering the ideas that Big Brother affirmed. He was sent to the Ministry of Truth where he learned to accept what Big Brother told him. He was safely returned to society where he passed in silence for the people around him did not consider. When I read this in the early 50’s I was terrorized. When I read it again in the late 80’s it had come to pass.
For one thing our education system encourages “ correct” answers above consideration for the sake of empowerment. For the full explanation of this read “education” from “fluff”.
For another, at churches we affirm each other without first discussing what we are about to affirm. We affirm without consideration.
But the biggest motivator is that it’s easier. At present opposing authorities deny each other’s facts. In this culture of contradiction it is difficult to trust our best guess. Rather than deal with the frustration we accept our leaders affirmations as absolute truth.
The result is a population that accepts what they are told without consideration and affirms what they wish to believe without consideration. It empowers governments, churches and individuals but does not make us or them right.
This is how it works. An authority affirms. We accept the affirmation (without doubt). After that we sort the “facts” according to what we have been told by the authority, rejecting all contradiction. When we argue it is not to find contradictions and resolve them but rather to strengthen the affirmation. It’s good to be a winner and frustrating to consider. We are more comfortable without consideration.Use or abuse
Affirmation and acceptance of ideas has become a bad habit. Affirmation and acceptance themselves have been affirmed. Break the habit. Consider first.
Never affirm out of habit. Before you place yourself in a receptive mood insist on hearing and understanding the proposed affirmation. Judge your motive for affirming. Judge the burden of living with the doubt. Then decide whether you want to affirm or consider.
An example from my own life, “don’t drink and go to meetings”. I made the judgment because I need a strong and powerful belief to protect my sobriety. I made the judgment that I want to live soberly. I am empowered. I am also intolerant.
I suspect most of my friends would agree that being intolerant of my own drunkenness serves me. These same friends would deny the medical majority belief that for the average person one drink a day is healthier than no drinks a day. The truth as guessed is not all that important when the affirmation is needed to fulfill sobriety. And the taste to live soberly is doubtlessly worthy. Or is it?
I suspect these same friends would act differently if I proposed white supremacy instead. This would be the case if my church were for white supremacists rather than alcoholics. Hence I do not take affirmation lightly. Before I affirm I judge the burden of the specific affirmation and my motivation.