One of the most powerful abilities of the human mind is the ability to ignore.
Ignorance can help us or hinder us depending on how it is utilized. If we ignore the judgmental or unkind thoughts that inevitably pass through our consciousness from time to time, then ignorance is useful. In this situation, the ability to ignore allows us to be a more respectful person.
However, there are many cases in which ignorance is a huge detriment to ourselves and to our communities.
Before we dive into this, know that I am coming from a place of loving observation, and that I cannot illuminate aspects of the collective human condition unless I have first illuminated these aspects within myself. I present the following as a caring friend, family member, and equal.
Since we came into this world, we have been educated (or programmed) of what and how to ignore. Some of us have parents who are affiliated with a certain religion. These parents usually studied only one religion and raised their children to ignore all other religions because they were educated (or programmed) to believe that only one religion has any validity. Thus, generation after generation, children grow into adults who are ignorant of the stories, virtues, and values of other religions. Many of these grown children judge people who do not follow the one and only religion of which they are knowledgeable.
Ignorance of varying perspectives leads to prejudice. As someone who has studied numerous religions, I have learned that prejudice is warned against within most religions.
There is a very important reason for this: prejudice, like ignorance, limits one’s ability to see truth.
Let’s move away from the touchy topic of religion and into another hot button: politics.
Man, oh man, do political loyalties hinder our ability to see clearly. This has become more evident than ever during this global crisis. Here are some examples:
Last week, I posted a video on social media in which a doctor from Montana was sharing in-detail of the common practice of counting deceased persons as “dead from COVID-19” even in cases when the deceased died from other causes.
I have interviewed numerous doctors and interfaced with other journalists during this pandemic, and they have verified that what this Montana doc says is absolutely true. Deborah Birx recently made a statement which also spoke to this.
I did not post this video to make a political statement. I posted it to share actual information. However, many political friends were up in arms about it – stating that this Montana doc is a right wing extremist trying to make POTUS look good.
My response is this: who gives a darn about anyone’s political affiliation if the information they present can be verified and thereby offer an expanded perspective of our situation?
I once beheld a strong political identity, but I experienced how that identity created unnecessary prejudice and separation between myself and fellow humans. I no longer consider myself a Republican nor Democrat (though I’ve gone through my phases on both sides of the fence), but rather an advocate for truth and a servant of the people.
I recently came across some interviews with Dr. Shiva Ayyadurai, an MIT Biologist who speaks to the importance of immune health, and who offers specific information for how we can enhance the resilience of our physiology.
This deeply empowering information is generally missing from the mainstream narrative. In advocacy and service, I decided to share Dr. Shiva’s information on social media. I was met with this response:
“These videos are Russian propaganda…”
This person had clearly not watched the video, but even if the video were Russian propaganda, the information Dr. Shiva shared about immune health and nutrition, was factual and empowering. Why would I choose to ignore useful information just to safeguard some useless prejudice?
We have been programmed our entire lives to “look this way, but not that way.” This is a dangerous kind of ignorance in which we have all participated – myself included.
If we wish to be an empowered people, more aware of the choices available to us, then we simply cannot continue to judge books by their covers. A society which does so is far too easily manipulated, deceived, and controlled.
Let us not behave as predictable creatures of habit and limited knowledge, for we are so much more than that.
Let us see through the false sense of importance and security that comes with identifying with one party over another, or one ideology over another. Let us deprogram ourselves from seeing only in black-and-white and learn to bravely explore the gray areas of life.
If we keep choosing one side over the other, the empowerment of truth, community, and common ground will never become available to us.
Instead of judging the books by their covers, can we please crack them open, consider them with a discernment of the heart instead of a prejudice of the mind, and move away from the realm of limiting “knowledge” and into the dimension of wisdom?
Many of you reading this are already doing that, and I am so grateful that you exist.
We can still call ourselves Christians, Republicans, Democrats, Jews, whatever… but to be a strong and unified humanity, we must be self-honest and aware of when those identities may be causing ignorance and prejudice.
The power of ignorance filters out useful information, and this keeps us sick and divided against one another.
Are we ready to turn the page and write a brand new chapter?