The Metastatic Subsystem

We are all True Believers whether we want to be or not. We believe that our pictures of reality are true and objective. Unfortunately, all beliefs are subjective. The "I-know-how-it-is" compulsion is an inherent quirk of the ego. We can't kill the ego and still expect to remain functional as a human being. As a result, many float through life in fanciful mind-bubbles. Although we lack a cure for this mental malady, we can learn to balance ourselves while inside of these slippery, irregular spheres.

Why are beliefs hallucinations? They are mental interpretations of reality - thought threads spun together forming a web. Falling asleep, we become entangled in our own kaleidoscopic reality net. We can view this in a more concrete way. It's like confusing the menu for the food and eating it. No wonder we're hungry!

By definition, you can't prove beliefs. If you can, then they're not beliefs anymore; they become facts. You can prove facts by experiment. (The Truth, however, is greater than the sum of all facts in the universe.)

For instance, the world is round - fact. However, in 1993, Sheik Abdel-Aziz Ibn Baaz, the chief religious authority in Saudi Arabia, issued an edict. It stated that the world is flat. (The Koran says so.) If the Sheik were to take a world cruise, eventually he'd fall off the edge, right? Yet, others have been circumnavigating the globe for the last several centuries. This makes you wonder. "Hmm. . . . I thought our beliefs create our reality." But, what if the belief isn't in touch with the facts?

At least one drawback exists in True Believerism. Practitioners are certain that they know The Truth. The Truth, however, is a living entity. It is the formless spirit of God. No one can possess this. We are floating in our mind bubble when we claim to do so. Our hallucinations appear so vivid, because the universe rearranges itself to accommodate our picture of reality. Life conforms to our picture of reality like a glove pulled tightly over our head. In our mind, it confirms that we are right.

This tight fit between the universe and your beliefs has consequences. If someone contradicts your beliefs, it feels as if they are attacking you. Naturally, we pick like-minded people for friends. Then, we don't have to deal with the problems posed by heretics.

Beliefs

In the New Age, Descartes' idea "we create our own reality" runs rampant. This model proposes that wrong beliefs cause dysfunctional realities. If this theory is true, then it becomes very important to find the right belief system. After all, your reality and quality of life depend on it. No wonder people defend (often to the point of offending) their beliefs so staunchly. Conversely, you may not believe that you can climb a mountain. You go, however, and climb it a bit. Soon, to your surprise, you're on top!

Just how influential are beliefs? We've seen that the earth doesn't suddenly become flat just because some of its creatures have decided that it is. How about the ancient teaching that the earth rests on a giant tortoise? Many other examples confirm that facts beat beliefs every time, at least empirically.

The Dali Lama demonstrated an understanding of this principle. During an interview, a prominent scientist asked the religious leader a question. Would he, the scientist asked, denounce the Eastern belief of reincarnation if science proved it to be false? The Dali Lama thought a moment. He smiled and answered, Yes, he would.

How about not believing in God? To most religious people, atheism is unthinkable - the worst possible notion. They have two reasons for this. First, God demands that we believe in certain things. Second, we must be imbued with the fear of God. If not, we would abandon our morals. For the first, let's say God demands that we believe in Him. Usually, He extends this command to include His prophets, His Son, or one of His various incarnations. Those who don't believe, must pay. God will banish them to hell, or they'll reincarnate as demented wart hogs. The threat of such severe punishment persuades many to believe. After all, who wants to risk riling a potentially angry God? This perspective, however, assumes that He does not love His creation unconditionally. Punishing someone for "not doing it right" isn't an aspect of unconditional love.

We wonder, "Here we are, on earth. We have brains that think linearly and can never figure out The Answer. Life is a paradox. Everywhere you look, you can see suffering and injustice. And God allows this, when He could make everything right in a moment? Even if God doesn't love us unconditionally, you'd think he would give us some slack for living here, maybe even a medal!" The second reason - moral decline - implies that religious people are more moral, less dangerous to the community. This is true, generally. Much, though, depends on the nature of the religious group. For instance, mix a batch of Israeli zealots with a portion of Muslim fundamentalists, and watch the fireworks explode. (Any two groups with deeply held, conflicting beliefs will do.) Theists can be as dangerous to themselves and to the community as any atheist.

True Believers

True Believerism exists even in the Teacher/Student relationship. Here, we have the Seeker of Truth and Teacher of Truth. Supposedly, the Teacher knows The Answer. The Seeker, we would imagine, doesn't know The Answer. Yet, the Seeker is a True Believer, as well. For instance, say a Seeker is studying reincarnation. She's new to the teaching. Say someone approached her and said, "Reincarnation isn't necessarily true. It's a theology that developed in cultures with an Indo-European root." She won't accept this new information. She's studying reincarnation because she already believes that it's true. What she wants is more information on the subject. She's already a True Believer.

True Believerism has an ossifying effect. Although you can gain knowledge about the system you are studying, the tendency is to become rigid. You take your opinions too seriously. The first casualty is usually your sense of humor. Do you imagine that your beliefs (or lack of them) can derail the Divine Plan or somehow hurt God or others?

Impact

This leads us to another question: Just how important are beliefs? Beliefs are tools. We use them to explore life. If we become attached to them and try to force them on others, we can easily become obnoxious. Sharing your truth, you are "direct." When someone shares an opposing view, they are "negative" or "deluded." The emotions jump in and then we really become estranged. Although nature forces us to believe that mind bubbles are reality, by remembering that we are in the grips of a temporal illusion, we won't act like sub-beasts. (Lions don't care what you believe.)

Here are two situations. Which is worse? (1) You are surrounded by a dozen angry atheists, all thinking bad thoughts about you. You then walk away, unharmed. (2) A child approaches you and playfully smashes you in the head with a brick. The moral: Beliefs don't hurt others; actions hurt. Beliefs don't help others; actions help.

Using the Metastatic Subsystem

IROOT:NOTics (TM), the quasi-esoteric system in service to the Force of Evolution, uses paradoxes as tools. Part of mastering paradoxes consists of knowing that everybody, including yourself, is totally clueless about The Answer.

To find The Answer, people sometimes follow the beliefs of another, because the system is steeped in tradition. Alternatively, maybe the leader has invented a clever system that makes sense within the confines of the systems' parameters. (Of course, IROOT:NOT is an exception to these rules.) IROOT:NOTians, however, know that they don't have a clue, that beliefs are thought experiments. They play along, because human nature demands that they believe that they not only have a clue, but must have The Answer too. In response, some IROOT:NOTians say,

"I am [a willing puppet of] the Truth, [an unworthy lens of] the Light, and [another] Way." They walk the line, daring the universe to unfold in more amazing and miraculous ways. By staying in their integrity, they remain in balance. You can do this with your identity, as well. Here's an example. I can say with relative ease and confidence, "I am a human being." Yes, that's a fact. I also can say,

"I am Evin, the Unsavior. This is my truer identity. As the Unsavior, I am a seventh-dimensional consciousness - a living ur-fractal - projecting my consciousness into this body. Non-verifiable logic supports my position. Others may perceive me in this role as a profit, a demon, a brother, a teacher, or simply insane (or other things). Yet, in a blink, I'm human again. I am an expression of the same Great One as you are. In this way, we are exactly alike."

What you do reveals much more than what you believe. The Metastatic Subsystem is, in part, the habitual practice of using all beliefs as stepping stones. We use these stones to cross the river of uncertainty. They lead us to the shores of our worthy goals, which themselves are beliefs.

The next time you take a step, remember the Second Miraculodynamic Principle: "Happiness and kindness are more important than beliefs."