. .
Think. BElieve. Live.
.
For over 6 years, this has been of my overarching mottos to love by (In fact, it’s my Instagram handle @thinkbelievelive and the original name of my blog).
.
.
.
Over the years, I continually stress to my clients and students to think and analyze about all the different sides of arguments and stances. I considered it one of my main missions in life to get my students to “think critically.” I often tell my students on the first day that my goal is to get them to come up to at one point in the term and say, “You know Jenni, I was THINKING about…..last night, and I came to the conclusion that…..,” and I consider my job a success.
.
.
.
.
But did you catch that?
.
.
.
“I was THINKING………and now I BELIEVE….”
. .
.
Blind belief is not healthy.
Blind belief is just listening to others, and not doing the research yourself.
Blind belief has no backbone to stand with.
Blind belief will end up failing you, because you are not invested in the “why you believe it” behind it.
.
..
.
Take Christianity, for instance. I am a firm believer in Jesus. Why can I stand so “firm” in my belief, because I have RESEARCHED and READ both sides. I am a scientist, that’s what I do….
It’s what I encourage others to do, too.
. . .
.
Research both sides and decide for yourself.
.
. .
I don’t ask for blind belief.
. .
.
.
Then, what do you do when you’ve thought and analyzed both sides, and formulated your beliefs?
You live out that belief FULLY.
You truly LIVE.
.
.
.
.
So…..
as I was reading Ibram X Kendi’s “How to be an Antiracist”, this quote struck me quite profoundly. Heck, two of my favorite words were in it.
.
.
“Racist ideas love belief, not thinkers.”
Ibram X. Kendi
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Racist ideas rely on things passed down from others, not researching for yourself the horrendous statistics and facts of how mistreated Black, Indigenous, People of Color have been throughout our country.
..
.
Don’t blindly believe, think first.
.
.
P.S. – Also (as an important side note) Jesus was NOT WHITE. Neither were any of the other heroes of the Bible.
.
.
.
