Distinguishing between believing and knowing has always been important but in our modern times of instant communication through the information superhighway I find that the line between these two rather simple appearing words to be less defined.  I believe it is imperative that we understand the difference between the two and accept that we actually know very little if anything at all.

As I see it, believing is an intellectual process of gaining understanding about a subject from reflection or from what other people think is the truth about the topic.  The source for our belief can be a person, community, or other body we see as an authority.  We are constantly in search of authority in our lives and seek this from many sources including our occupation, science, religion, politics, parents, friends, people with greater education than us, the list goes on.  This is a good thing because we need input to grow and we must first believe in the possibility of a topic before we can know anything about it.

Seeking authority is a natural drive for us as we strive to make sense of the world around us.  I believe we should seek authority to help us gain understanding but question what we find until we justify the information for our self.  This does not require you to be a radical rather it requires that you investigate your beliefs even (especially) if you agree with the authority making the statement.  Questioning authority is about questioning one’s self and not accepting anything from any source without asking, “Is this a belief or a fact?”

I think that we should be careful as we make statements to assure we have an understanding of the topic before we repeat a belief.  In my experience the more convinced I am that my understanding is the definitive one and only truth on a topic that I am limiting my actual understanding.

It was a scientific fact that the Earth was the center of the universe until the 1500s when Nicolaus Copernicus proved (re-discovered) otherwise.  Now it is a fact that there is no center of the universe.  I know from my observations and from the current scientific data available that the Earth is not the center of the physical universe.  I believe that there is NO center of the physical universe but I have no way to know that. (It is impossible to experience something which does not exist so if there is not a center to the universe I will never know that no matter how much I hunt for it.)

So if the Earth is not the center of the universe and I am on Earth then I must not be the center of the universe, right?  Sounds logical but it is not a fact, it is a belief.  According to some Metaphysical philosophies we are all the center of our universe.  This gets to how we define a universe in the first place.  From the spiritual perspective I may well be the center of my universe, all matter being my thoughts etc.  I cannot prove either so none are a fact, both are beliefs.  I believe I am the center of my spiritual universe while I believe I am not the center of the physical universe.

From my perspective I BELIEVE that there are very few absolutes in the universe.  The only thing I know for sure is that I exist.  “I think therefore I am.”  The reason I know I exist is also based on a belief that I cannot ask the question as to my existence if I don’t exist.  So even the one thing I claim to know is based on a belief which I cannot prove, it just makes sense to me.  Basically, I don’t know.

Saying that there are no absolutes in the universe does not seem accurate as I believe that there are many.  While I believe there are absolute answers to questions I also believe we don’t get to know those answers as absolute.  We may get some right, who knows?  We may even get to a point where we believe them with such confidence to say we know the absolute truth.  I do not believe we will ever fully understand anything and therefore outside of the fact that I exist, as Shultz from Hogan’s Heroes would say, “I know nothing”.

Believing is easy to identify while knowing is less so.  I think most of what we know is actually a hybrid of what we believe mixed with experiences which convince us the belief is probably a fact.  If you know me you may have heard me say, “Every time I answer a question I end up with twenty more questions.”  I use the number twenty to indicate “more than complete”  Ten to me is a complete exchange of energy as you can read in many spiritual text.  As I see it the statement “You cannot cast your bread upon the water without having it return TEN fold” is saying that energy will return fulfilled or complete, not that it will be measured as ten times the amount expressed.  So for me the fact that I have answered one question means there is a lot more to learn and I should not assume I know everything about the topic.

Knowing is not so easy to deal with, I know my name is John but most people call me Grateful and I answer to both. Both are facts and I know both words.  I know how to ride a bike.  I know that the President of the United States is a citizen because I saw the official record.   I believe in reincarnation because I find it in most religious text and it makes sense to me.

I believe there was a man named “Jesus” and he was from Nazareth.  I believe he attained a state of Christ Consciousness (Buddha Consciousness depending on the context) but I do not believe he is the one and only son of God.  The writing about him says he told his disciples “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father” I choose to believe that means I too am capable of attaining Christ Consciousness if I follow a similar path of learning.  I don’t know the truth about any of that and do not suggest that you also believe as I do.

I know it is possible for a male runner to run a four min mile not because I have done it, rather because I have witnessed and measured others doing so.  I believe it is possible for a woman to run a four min mile but it has not been done yet so I cannot say it is factually possible. I can say that I believe it is possible because women have broken other records held my men in the past and it was once thought that no one could do it.

Believing is a static state but leads us to the next plateau of understanding.  We must take action in our lives to gain understanding from our beliefs and turn them into a form of knowing.  I use “a form of knowing” because I am not convinced that we can know anything, I believe we can.  I do not see knowing as being static.  I see it as a process of perception based on our past understood experiences fused with our current beliefs which we create to keep our spirit moving forward.

From my view when we accept a belief as a fact without any question and act as if we know the truth we are hindering our growth.  If we take that static state and add action to it then we personalize it and make it ours.  Once ours the belief and the action come together and the river of understanding continues to flow.  This is great as it takes a static reality and turns it into a fluid process of change and growth.

Believing is a necessary step in knowing but can be a road block too.  Many times we are motivated to accept a belief as a fact and repeat it as if we know the information to be factual.  This sets in motion a chain reaction as we confidently spread our belief to others as fact.   They in turn duplicate the belief and eventually people decide the belief is a fact.  We are programmed to follow the leader and not question authority.

I see this exemplified on Facebook, through Email and other areas of the internet quite a lot.  It goes as such, someone sends or posts a disturbing statement on a topic and then others repost it (or forward the email) without actually checking the facts.  This regurgitation of information leads others to repeat the process and soon there are millions of people who believe a statement to be true which has no basis in fact.  I believe that there are groups who count on this and use our compliance as their method of self expression all the while taking your expression away.

Before you forward that mail or re-post that information ask yourself a question, “Am I adding value to the topic or simply forwarding some else’s thought?”  Using this simple method is one way you can add to the discussion and express yourself.  If you are always forwarding or re-posting the thoughts of others without adding your value then you get lost.

I too do this and feel embarrassed when I find out because I am forwarding along another’s message under my reputation without making sure I have done my research.  This is not to say we should check every piece of information we pass along.  It does mean to me that we should use the correct vocabulary when doing so.   The words we use when we rehash others ideas are important, if you believe that something is true then say so, that is cool.  Just don’t state it as a fact unless you know it to be a fact for you.  If you do present something as a fact then please be open to the thoughts and ideas of others on the topic, you may be blessed with the understanding that you were wrong.

The basic message here is to “Question authority”, especially if the authority is you.  If you express truth as you see it and don’t express that in absolutes terms I believe you will reach a fuller understanding of life which may lead to peace of mind.