This may be the most difficult part of your lesson at this time. What you have perceived as being definite issues are nothing more than variables, caused by your perception of the situation, given your experience in life, your culture, and beliefs.
Yes, we have basic rights and wrongs, yet even they are not 100% “definites.” All living beings have the concept of not killing, as in murder, stealing, lying and such, but it varies, depending on each given situation. These situations are what you might call “perceptions.” For example, if one is to say it is never okay to kill another living being, what would you eat then? Just because your food may not be another of your kind but of another animal or even a plant does not mean you are not killing. Someone is dying so that you may live. In the west, the concept of thanking ONLY one’s perception of God for the food is a good act of appreciation. My question is, then, what about everyone else who helped to give the food to you? Do you thank them also? If so, I perceive that as being a “good” thing — a judgment, but still, a good thing. If not, then, why not? Do you not appreciate it when someone thanks you for your hard work? Then, why not thank the farmer, the one who brings the food from the farm to the store, the store workers, the cooks, the servers, and the animal or plant which gave its life for you? Without them, you do not have food. I think they all would appreciate your appreciation. Some cultures do this already. Others do not. If you think this as too extreme, that is fine. I am just giving you a different perspective to see things a little new for you.
“Gee, thanks! Just what I need. A bear telling me how to act,” he whispered to himself. “I wonder if this is something about what that gentleman was talking about over lunch? Hmmm.”
As he turned the page, he read,
Yes, it is what he was saying, and it is different and new to you. Again, I am not telling you how to act. It is merely a different perspective.
He dropped the book in disbelief and shock. “How on earth can a book know what I am thinking like this,” he asked himself.
Opening the next page, he continued reading.
“Maybe it will explain this for me.”
I am happy to explain many things. You will learn about other things in their time. We will stay with perception right now. Here is a new thought for you.
And then, he turned the page.
Imagine a diamond — cut with many facets. Each facet reflects a slightly different color and brightness. No one facet is better than another for it is part of the diamond as a whole. The diamond would not be perfect without all of its facets.
A person’s perception of the universe is a facet of the diamond called the universe. As living things, we can only perceive so much. Some of us might be able to see two facets, if one’s heart is open enough. To see all of the facets, however, would require distancing one’s self from all perceptions by a long distance. This, for many, would be too scary as it would mean the person would have to admit there could be another way of seeing things than what one sees currently. There could be a possibility that one’s perception might be “smudged” or not 100% accurate. To admit one’s thinking may be wrong, for one’s self, is very brave.
The issue of perception facets is that, if you believe your ideas are right, you must also be willing to admit another may be right — not necessarily for you, but for another, for their perception. There may be no ONE TRUTH, except for the universal truth that there is, indeed, no universal truth. What causes these facets? Our experiences, our beliefs, our cultures all add into the “grinding or chipping” of these facets. Sometimes, our brain interferes with our own ‘vision’ of our facets, blurring our perception as well.
Who is right? The only answer may be, “Yes.”