At the "Core" of every human being is this choice: Am I an indvidual or am I part of a crowd, group, or even, "gang?"
I believe most individuals sort of "drift" into this choice, often without really realizing we have made such a choice. This may be, the most important choice, made by every individual.
We follow the value-teachings of our parent(s), become a part of a group of peers, attend school with classmates and a teacher, visit places we like and sometimes, don't like (the Dentist comes to mind here). Whatever we do or say, whatever others with whom we come in contact do and say, every life experience, great and small, is recorded and often "judged" by our individual self. "These things are "good," these things are "bad," these things are "inconsequential." All thoughts, words and deeds are recorded, even though we don't often consciously realize they are.
How we categorize all these thoughts, words and deeds, of ourself and others, becomes our own personal "Value System" (I place these in capital letters and quotes because of their importance to each individual).
My Value System IS ME.
In the series by Jack Whyte, "The Camolud Chronicles;" published by Tom Doherty, Associates; New York, the Author identifies this individual value (am I an individual or part of a crowd?), as each of his books in the series, unfolds. The series is an interesting and different view of King Uther, King Arthur, Merlin and Camelot.
Within the different books, one of the "sub-plots,"is how the main characters deal with the early formation of the Catholic Church. They meet "real" monks, self-appointed monks (fakes), knights who avow allegegiance to the Church and even despicable practioners of the so called "black or evil" arts, who practice in the name of the Church.
Whyte's main characters "wrestle" with either following their own "inner self" or accepting and becoming, followers of the young Catholic Church. Read these books for yourself to discover the outcome of this inner struggle by Whyte's main characters.
My point is, EVERYONE goes through this struggle, am I an individual, think, speak and act from a self-created value system, or...
Do I say I am a (fill in the blank here: Christian, Muslim, Jew, Buddhist, Native American, Other)?
If I answer as an individual, I accept the responsibility for all my thoughts, words and deeds.
If I answer as a member of some religion or philosophy, I can always credit "a Higher Power," (God, Allah, Jehovah, The Buddha, The Great Spirit, Other and, of course, "The Devil") for my thoughts words and deeds (actions).
The Lucky and "Skilled" human beings, are those that have CONSCIOUSLY made this choice. One can always "come to consciousness" at some point in their life and review their value personal value system and how they arrived at it. This is the way to confirm oneself or to change and become the person I really want to be. Often, individuals "come to consciousness" as the result of tragedy in life, such as the death of a loved one or divorce.
So, who am I? What/Whom do I want to be? Do I "belong to me," or do I "go with the crowd?"
Everyone has to answer and be accountable for the answer, this question. It is the central, core question in every human being's life.
So how do you, have you, answered the question? Are you an individual, accountable to yourself for all your thoughts, words and deeds, or are you answerable to a set of values formed by a religion or life philosophy, in which you have ultimate belief and trust?
Dr. Walter Wayne Hopewell
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