Oh Be Careful Little Brain What You Believe

Whenever there is a horrible violent act like the terrorist attack in Christchurch, I want to say something. I want to offer thoughts and prayers, but I know they can be vapid. I want to say how broken-hearted I am, but that just puts the focus on me. I want to say how much I hate the beliefs and ideas that inspired the terrorists, but that seems easy.

So I’ll offer this: We must be careful what we believe. I’ve always thought that we cannot choose what we believe, that the mechanisms which produce and sustain convictions are more or less out of our control. But there’s a lot more to it.

If you really want to believe something, you’ll find a way to make it fit. These terrorist attacks were the result of deep conviction and sincere belief. These terrorists acted according to their hateful ideas.

We must be on guard for the seeds of hate we let take root in our minds and hearts. They start small and, and might not give a hint as to how they will grow.

The immigrants are stealing our jobs.
The LGBTQ agenda is poisoning our kids.
The Muslims want to Islamify the West.
The OTHERS threaten the US.

Ideas about race, religion, or any kind of identity threatening our own liberty are dangerous. Do not allow these ideas to grow. Call them out. Expose them so they cannot sprout.

Terrorists are tempted by the desire for easy answers to complicated situations. Desire conceives belief. Belief, full-grown, can bring forth death.