Why do we do what we do?
This is a question I have been asking myself a lot in the last few years. Now I wonder why I didn't ask it of myself sooner. So much time gone that would have been better spent if I had.
I've decided that it all boils down to one thing.
TRADITION!!
That begs another question. Whose tradition? And where did those traditions come from?
When I really started asking myself why I did certain things, the only answers I could come up with were "it's what we've always done" or "everyone is doing it, so it must be right". For me it began with wondering why we just accepted public schooling as the norm and from there I have begun questioning e.v.e.r.y.t.h.i.n.g. And wondering why I swallowed it all, hook, line and sinker!
Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. Colossians 2:8
That's why I swallowed it. I was spoiled through the philosophies and deceit of men's traditions, or as I like to call them, 'societal norms'.
I am not trying to say that all 'traditions' are bad. Tradition is a very important tool to help bind people together, particularly families. What would Christmas be without traditions?? However, I have decided that I do not like the fact that I have been conditioned by our society to accept certain 'norms'. It makes me angry to think how my agency has been removed from me in many ways. I think that from this point on in my life I will always go kicking and screaming when anyone tells me I 'have' to do something. I want to know why. I want to know the reasons behind the societal norms. This has become my main educational focus right now for myself. To look at all areas of my life and see how we've been conditioned and to examine, research, study and come up with my own 'norms' or truths. I will no longer accept societal conditioning and have come to know that nearly all these conditionings were never for our good.
And that wicked one cometh and taketh away light and truth, through disobedience, from the children of men, and because of the tradition of their fathers. Doc & Cov 93:39
The conditioning that we have been subjected to has led us away from light and truth and caused us to be disobedient. It's all in Satan's plan to destroy as many of God's children as he can. And he has lots of helpers on this earth doing the conditioning for him.
In some future writings I will share how I, and by extension, my family, am bucking the 'norms' society has put in place.
*note-If you're wondering if I'm including religion in this questioning, the answer is no. I have already gained my own testimony of Christ as my savior. I'm thinking that getting at the truth in other areas of life ought to be a similar search, ponder and pray routine. Not just an acceptance of what we are told by others. In fact, we are encouraged to gain our own testimony, and not to rely on the testimony of parents, friends, missionaries etc. That being said, there is no doubt that there are some 'norms' in the LDS faith that are just traditions and have little to do with the actual truth. Those I have questioned as to whether they are needful for our family. Some we continue, some we don't.
I thought about exactly that when I began having kids. Early on, I realized that how many kids, and how closely together I had kids met with a lot of scorn. That was my first three. I realized that I wanted to be like everyone else and use birth control and have only four kids spaced 2 to 3 years apart like most members of the church now days. But, I knew better and after a little trial gave up on the norm to do what was right for our family. I wonder this same question a lot in other aspects too. Keep writing, I am curious to see what aspects of your life you have noticed this in.
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