Do you have to believe in something to actually follow it? Frankly I don't know. I would like to though..
I mean, I'm not an expert in religious affairs, but Christianity (which I am addressing because I am extremely ignorant on all remaining beliefs) strikes me as quite limited. That's right, limited. For example, people often argue about how timeless the metaphors on the Bible are. In my view that is simply not true. Take the the tenth commandment for instance:
"10. Neither shall you desire your neighbour's house, or field, or male or female slave, or ox, or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbour."
First thing, ox or donkey? If this is truly the word of an All-knowing god, shouldn't it be general enough to fit modern times? I mean, on today's society this would apply only to a handful of movie-like gypsies. Ok, seriously though, should there really be a commandment that implies the institution of slavery? is that trully the word and hence the will of god?
Anyway, my point with this is that you should be able to stand for and live for something that you don't quite believe in. Jesus was a peacemaker, that argued for forgiveness and equality. I don't believe he was the son of god, but he was a pretty good role model.
Now, take Idealism, the philosophical theory. Basically (thank you Wikipedia) Idealism is the philosophical theory that maintains that the ultimate nature of reality is based on mind or ideas. It holds that the so-called external or "real world" is inseparable from mind, consciousness, or perception. In Berkeley's words:
"Esse est percipi" ("To be is to be perceived")
For me, the most interesting thing about Idealism (especially the Subjective idealism) is that it equally hard o accept as it is to reject. To understand why let me introduce you to one of its most famous anecdotes. Suppose a lightning hits a tree somewhere so that the tree is set on fire and falls to the ground. Now, does the tree falling down produce any noise? Well, obviously it will.. or will it not? Has anyone ever heard the sound of of the tree that is falling down with no one near? Of course this may strike you as ridiculous, as we have known trees to always make some noise while falling. To ask such a thing is equivalent to asking whether the earth is the centre of the universe during the middle ages. The sun and the moon both moved around earth meaning that earth must be static, QED, right? well, I guess you know the story.
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