Belief Systems Essay, Research Paper

September 27, 1999MY BELIEF SYTEMDo you of all time wonder why we do things the manner that we make? All of our ideas, words, and actions revolve around a certain belief system. This belief system is non something that we are born with, although it is deeply dependent on the civilization we are born into. Every civilization has its ain general belief system that has been passed on from coevals to coevals. Although civilizations don t peculiarly force its members to portion the same beliefs, the belief system of the civilization is normally conditioned into the belief system of its members through mundane life within the civilization. This belief system consists of different ideals on a broad array of topics, such as morality, race, fiscal security, and many others. One can easy see how these beliefs change from civilization to civilization by looking at the difference in ideals of a third-world state, such as India, compared to the extremely developed state that we live in. This comparing exhibits how cultural heritage does in fact play an of import function in the development of our ain belief system.My ain cultural heritage, like many other Americans, is virtually untraceable. My ascendants were immigrants from all across Europe ; hence, I truly don Ts have a peculiar set of beliefs that has been passed down through the coevalss. However, I feel that the footing of my ain belief system is the merchandise of life within 3 sub-cultures: white, middle-class America, the Roman-Catholic community, and Generation-X. Although the general beliefs of these sub-cultures are really different, and in some instances contradictory, they have all had an every bit important function in the development of my ain belief system.Out of all three sub-cultures, white, middle-class America has passed its beliefs to me in the most invisible manner. One belief that I have unfortunately attained is that of ceaseless fiscal security. I genuinely believe that white, middle-class America, has conditioned me and many others in my state of affairs, into taking money for granted. I was a child that ever had my demands met. I lived in a nice house and there was ever nutrient on the tabular array for every repast. Even though it might non be what I wanted to eat, it still kept me off from the hungriness of less fortunate people. I ran into a similar state of affairs when I turned 17. Like most childs my age, I got my driver s licence and like most childs at my school I got a auto. Although I may non hold received a new auto like some of my friends, it was still a 94 Ford Taurus that got me around until I came to Lehigh.Another belief that had been conditioned into me as a immature kid is that of a deficiency of comfort around minorities. It is sort of difficult to explicate this belief, so the best manner to acquire this belief across is through an illustration. When my household and I would travel to New York City for a Yankee game we would hold to drive through the chiefly black and Puerto Rican communities of the Bronx. My parents would state us non to gaze because they might hit us or about how this

is the bad subdivision of the metropolis. Although though they weren t needfully racialist remarks, they were decidedly prejudice. This has finally given me this belief that I must pre-judge all people, particularly minorities. Now that I m out of my white community and into a pupil community of all races, I decidedly feel more able to pass on with all people although that inclination to pre-judge people is still in the dorsum of my caput.

Traveling to church and CCD has besides instilled many Roman-Catholic values into my belief system. Most of my beliefs that have attained through the church respect issues about right and incorrect. Unlike the beliefs of white, middle-class America, the belief system of the church are steadfastly portrayed. I know that harmonizing to the Bible things like lying, cheating, and stealing are incorrect and considered wickednesss. Although I can non state that I have ever followed the regulations of the church, when I do sin I can truly state that I am regretful and experience some kind of guilt for making wrong.Although I try to pattern my beliefs after those of a devout Catholic, many of the beliefs have been contradicted by parts of American civilization. The 1 that sticks out in my caput is the belief of creationism. The Bible tells the narrative of Adam and Eve being created by God on the 7th twenty-four hours. However, my public school instruction has proved to me that adult male was created through 1000000s of old ages of development. In this instance the scientific information given to me has made me travel against the Catholic beliefs of my cultural heritage.The sub-culture that may hold affected me with the most controversial beliefs is that of Generation-X. Generation-X has had its ain ideals that have done everything possible to belie the ideals of mainstream American civilization. Generation-X has instilled the belief on me that intoxicant and drugs are O.K. . Despite all the instruction and advertizements that tried to condition 90 s adolescents into believing illegal substances are bad, Generation-X has made the usage of these substances acceptable. Although I don t needfully take part in the usage of illegal substances, I do experience comfy around people that do use.Another one of these controversial beliefs is on the subject of pre-marital sex. Throughout my life the Christian instructions I have received have told me that pre-marital sex is morally incorrect. The public school instruction has besides tried to force off the belief that abstention is the safest sex. Despite all this, I have still followed the belief of Generation-X in believing that pre-marital sex is acceptable if it is done safely.Everyone has their ain set of values and other ways of idea that can be called their belief system. This belief system is impacted greatly on the beliefs that have been passed down from coevals to coevals within a civilization. This cultural heritage is different for all people, therefore doing everyone have a different belief system. My belief system has been most affected by three peculiar sub-cultures that make up my cultural heritage. These beliefs finally decide why I do the things I do.