What or Who Has Influenced Your Choices

[Curiosity]

We have a great cross-section here of ages, political ideology, philosophical beliefs, backgrounds, interests, and stages of life....

...Is there one person or one event which has been paramount in guiding you to your beliefs now?

...Have your beliefs always been the same or have they been subject to change?

...If they have changed, was it because you have made those changes on your own or have been influenced to make the changes.

...Do you expect to remain constant in your beliefs now or would accept changes along the way?

When I think back on how my life started and what I used to dream would be my work in life and what kind of family I would have (I came from a large family and assumed I would also have one), I could not have been more wrong in my predictions.

One major event changed everything for me and while it was an unhappy event, it led me to some
surprising things which I would never have accomplished otherwise.

 

[LittleRunningGag]

A significant event in my life, pertaining to politics, was when someone pointed out to me a truth about laws:

All laws whether killing and stealing, or smoking pot and loitering, are all enforced with the threat of death. The ultimate result of any crime is potentially having the state kill the person involved.

It has made me change my mind on many laws. I try to think of it this way: If I would be willing to hold a gun to a person's head, and kill them, over a law, than I am comfortable supporting it. If not, well than its really not that important.

 

[Sassylassie]

Curio wrote: Is there one person or one event which has been paramount in guiding you to your beliefs now? Yes I would say it was a Major with the Salavation Army who was the leader of the Youth Group I joined when I was 12. One day I decided I would not return to the Catholic Church, my parents agreed to a compromise ( I had to go to church but I could select the church of my choice)this experience open up a new world for me, instead of listening to the preachings of a church that did nothing to help the poor or the needy our youth group helped. We held many events to raise money for those suffering world wide, this church tought me kindness, honesty, sharing, compassion, I look back at that time in my life and it brings back wonderful memories of laughter and kindness, new friendships.

...Have your beliefs always been the same or have they been subject to change?
My core beliefs are the same, but like most young and naive individuals I believed Socialism was the key to poverty and suffering. As I matured I realised Socialism is straight jacket, if allowed it contols every aspect of ones life and that is not something I admire politically.
...If they have changed, was it because you have made those changes on your own or have been influenced to make the changes.
I would have to say maturity influenced my beliefs and ethos.
...Do you expect to remain constant in your beliefs now or would accept changes along the way?
I really don't know as we mature our lives become more stable, but the issues that effect our life become more fluid i.e. health, money, death, taxes, retirement.
When I think back on how my life started and what I used to dream would be my work in life and what kind of family I would have (I came from a large family and assumed I would also have one), I could not have been more wrong in my predictions.
Same here Curio, I vowed never to get married but did get married. I never wanted a family but changed my mind only to find out I couldn't have children. I'm expecting more surprises before my time on earth is finished.
One major event changed everything for me and while it was an unhappy event, it led me to some
surprising things which I would never have accomplished otherwise.
No one event has led me to where I am today, but a series of events took place that made me a better person than I was.

Good topic C.:wave:
__________________

 

[Tonington]

When my brother and I were young, we were like any other kids who were inquisitive about everything. Our father instead of explaining it in some watered down method told us to look it up in his encyclopedias or dictionary, and then if we didn't understand things he would do his best to explain things. He also taught us at a very early age to think critically of everything, always ask questions. And our mother taught us to be understanding and accepting of everyones differences, within a certain context. Like hatred, malicious intent and intollerance wasn't acceptable.

Basically these concepts are what shaped us, and lead both my brother and myself to walk our own paths, though they are very similar. Many things have changed, like religious following. I don't particularly like any of the mainstream media outlets. Also I don't really trust any political party more than any others. Now though I am a Green supporter, though I do think that many in the movement are too radical.

 

[selfactivated]

I cant say one act or person has made me who I am today. I have learned one great lesson so far.........the more I know, the less I know. The more I read the hungrier I am to learn and the more I open my heart the greater its compacity to hold others within it. Ive had many teachers but the greatest teacher of all has been myself.

Will I continue to believe in my belief system? absolutely not. It changes by the second and so do I.

 

[Curiosity]

Do most of you agree with your parents or family members about politics?

Every time I think some of the things I have decided to embrace in the political world I can hear my dad
screaming from afar. He should be happy I am finally interested in politics at all.

Sassy

I love the way you choose to answer specific questions in your posts - it makes them so easy to read.

 

[Tonington]

My mother normally votes Liberal in federal politics, and shes all over the place as far as provincial politics goes. My father doesn't vote at all. The last time he voted he put something like a "non of the above" and markde that in. I've voted for four different parties all in all.

 

[selfactivated]

Do most of you agree with your parents or family members about politics?

Every time I think some of the things I have decided to embrace in the political world I can hear my dad
screaming from afar. He should be happy I am finally interested in politics at all.

Im just the opposite. My Mom, Dad, Step-Dad all betrayed me as a child so I went extreme left just to gain some controle in my life.

 

[Sassylassie]

Do most of you agree with your parents or family members about politics?

Every time I think some of the things I have decided to embrace in the political world I can hear my dad
screaming from afar. He should be happy I am finally interested in politics at all.

Sassy

I love the way you choose to answer specific questions in your posts - it makes them so easy to read.

Well my mother was a Liberal and my father was a Con and my GrandDa (who lived with us) was a commie, so I guess I walk the center line on the road of life visa vie the left and right but I loath Socialism and Communist doctorine. GrandDa was a crusty old fishermen who thought women and children should be seen and not heard and a good citizen did as his country told him to do,gag. He didn't have much influence on my personality did he?

 

[Gonzo]

Being a very young kid during Mulroneys reign of terror has shaped my political beliefs. Then as a teen during the Liberals (which wasn't a bad time despite everything). So, I tend to vote for parties that will never get into power. That way I can bitch all I want and no matter who is in power I can say I didn't vote for them.
Now that I'm a young man I worry about what the planet will be like when I'm older. What kind of planet will my kids have? Since the Cons and Liberals have done nothing but drag their heels on Kyoto, I will only vote Green. How can we rely on lawyers to better our planet? Lawyers only care about money.

 

[sanctus]

not have been more wrong in my predictions.

One major event changed everything for me and while it was an unhappy event, it led me to some
surprising things which I would never have accomplished otherwise.

This is quite an involved series of questions! I'd be interested, should you wish to share it, on the event which you feel changed everything for you.

For me, there are so many different people at different times that put a stamp on my life and my behaviour. It is hard to isolate a particular one person. suffice it to say that many people throughout my life, both family and friends, have had an impact on who I am today.

Mostly I suppose it was God who most worked in my life, even at times I was not aware of His presence.

 

[Curiosity]

Sanctus

I was living a happy life in Vancouver, doing work I loved, being the kind of young woman I had always hoped to be and one singular event changed my future forever.

I detached myself from everything familiar and came to California and it was difficult leaving my family as I did. I found work and put myself through university. It wasn't much of a life for a while but looking back it was something I had never entertained about myself - that I could apply my focus towards a goal and stray only on occasion.

During those eight years I learned about myself and what I was capable of doing and being. I have never looked back. Those who influenced me were the sister I came to live with in California for a while, then
the place where I worked while going through school which allowed me the time and hours so I could keep up my studies and still earn a living, then the professors and advisors and mentors and
fortunately for me - none of them gave me any sympathy or gooey messages - they were tough to please and I am forever grateful.

Years later things are still changing both good and terrible, but I know my resources now and my ability to take life as it happens.

 

[sanctus]

Sanctus

Ime any sympathy or gooey messages - they were tough to please and I am forever grateful.

Years later things are still changing both good and terrible, but I know my resources now and my ability to take life as it happens.

It sounds like you had a rather rough experience. I won't pry any further. Suffice it to say that sometimes it is through the rough moments in life that strength and sense of purpose arrives. But I suspect you already know that. I know that for me, my re-entry into the Church, which I mentioned to you in another post, came after a series of rather difficult situations. I looked for comfort at a time I could not find it anywhere else, and that is when God moved in. His comfort was always there, of course, but being stubborn I had to be down until I could allow Him to let me know this.

Thank you, by the way, for your comments regarding my book site. I also have an ongoing site for my poetry if you're ever interested in checking it out..you can find that at http://www.poetrypoem.com/sanctus

I'd be honoured to see what you thought of some of my work.

Chris

 

[sanctus]

I keep forgetting to ask you if the picture of the woman is you?

 

[Curiosity]

Hi Sanctus

Thanks for the new link to your poetry - I had to go out but will now take some time to have a look see and your work.....thanks for putting the link up.

No the picture is just an avatar.

 

[Sassylassie]

Curio where'd your aviator go? I can't seen ya.

 

[Colpy]

...Is there one person or one event which has been paramount in guiding you to your beliefs now?

Not really one, more a variety of influences.........starting with my parents.

...Have your beliefs always been the same or have they been subject to change?

30 years ago I was an NDP voter. If you'd asked me when I was a teenager, I would have told you I was a Marxist awaiting the revolution.......seriously.

...If they have changed, was it because you have made those changes on your own or have been influenced to make the changes.

I don't know. I've grown increasingly conservative as I have aged..........mostly because I began to relize how untrustworthy Gov't ALWAYS is, and how detrimental to individual freedom anything is that smacks of collectivism.........I guess I just grew a brain.:wave:

...Do you expect to remain constant in your beliefs now or would accept changes along the way?

I expect some small change, but nothing like the chages I've already gone through.

When I think back on how my life started and what I used to dream would be my work in life and what kind of family I would have (I came from a large family and assumed I would also have one), I could not have been more wrong in my predictions.

Me too. Of course there is a limited demand for Marxist revolutionaries these days...........and I hear it doesn't pay well.:laughing7:

 

[talloola]

along the way

We have a great cross-section here of ages, political ideology, philosophical beliefs, backgrounds, interests, and stages of life....

...Is there one person or one event which has been paramount in guiding you to your beliefs now?

Catholic elementary school definitely had an influence in my life. After grade four, I moved to public
school, and in grade five I learned that teachers were interested in my opinion as a person, and taught
me to think for myself, Catholic school didn't do that at all, and the lessons taught in the Many hours
of religion, during school hours, and after, only taught (if you do that, this will happen to you), which
was only fear tactics, and was not a positive influence in my life at all.

...Have your beliefs always been the same or have they been subject to change?

Well, I guess the above explanation pretty well covers that, and I would add that I have never joined
a religion from that point on, and I feel very comfortable with that choice.

...If they have changed, was it because you have made those changes on your own or have been influenced to make the changes.

I became interested in Politics at a very young age, (late teens) and Pierre Trudeau was instrumental
in that choice, as he was with many young people. Tommy Douglas also influenced my thinking as
well, as I saw him as a great leader, and admired his ability to introduce MediCare into Canadian Government.

...Do you expect to remain constant in your beliefs now or would accept changes along the way?

As an older person, I would imagine I will remain constant in my beliefs, I feel comfortable with my choices,
although my provincial voting does change from time to time, and proably will continue
to do so.

 

[L Gilbert]

Beliefs? I prefer having confidence in facts rather than believing in things, but .........
I "believe" in minarchy (a form of libertarianism). The more I see of gov'ts the more I think they are a hindrance to homosapiens and the rest of the planet. The bigger they get, the less efficient, more intrusive, more expensive, less useful, etc. they become.
I "believe" in science, not superstition.
These "beliefs" are subject to change.
A.C. Doyle's Sherlock Holmes, J. Stalin, T. A. Edison, Lao Tzu, A. Hitler, Mother Teresa, G. W. Bush, etc. have all had a large impact on my life and picking one out of the bunch would be a ridiculously long and arduous task. Same can be said of the events in my life.
My hypotheses and theories change as newer facts become evident. (To date, I've flipflopped about matters concerning global warming 4 times, for instance).

 

[Dexter Sinister]

...Is there one person or one event which has been paramount in guiding you to your beliefs now?
No, there are many such persons and events, too many to enumerate.

...Have your beliefs always been the same or have they been subject to change?
They've changed radically. I grew up in a deeply religious household, for instance, but ultimately arrived at the atheist position. Also, like most university students of my generation, I was pretty leftist politically in my early youth. Now that I'm in my late youth (heh...) I've moved quite a bit to the right of where I was 35 years ago.

...If they have changed, was it because you have made those changes on your own or have been influenced to make the changes.
There was no person who influenced me directly, so in that sense I made the changes on my own, but I was certainly influenced by what I was reading and the information I was absorbing. I also think the change in my political views was strongly influenced simply by getting older and acquiring a certain amount of property and prosperity, which some on the left take a dim view of and would want to tax away from me.

...Do you expect to remain constant in your beliefs now or would accept changes along the way?
No, and yes, to answer them in order, but really, it depends on which particular beliefs, or lack of them, we're talking about. I'll be mightily surprised, for instance, if I ever develop any religious sentiments, I rejected that kind of thing a long time ago, but I wouldn't be at all surprised if my political views changed.