believe it because I said so!

Was channel surfing tonight when I got home from hanging with Christmans and Scholls.
Just had gotten home and turned on the tv so I could watch something while I checked email and took out the contacts, etc. etc. etc.
I am not sure what show it is but I have seen little pieces of it before.  One of those investigation shows where the police are after criminals.

They made a great point in the show tonight.  They talked about how we sometimes hear things and we automatically believe them because we are immersed in them by someone in authority.
I love this thought because I have long advocated the idea that you have beliefs not because you are taught them but because you truly believe them.
Religion is a big one for this.  If you say you are buddhist or christian or muslim and I ask you why and you say it is because you were raised in that religion then I say that you are in trouble.
If you say you are a religious choice because you have thought and prayed (or not if you aren't in a praying religion) and researched and looked into your heart then even if we don't agree I am more likely to understand where you are coming from.
This is because I have searched my heart and I have chosen things in my life that fit me and who I am and what I truly believe.

If we all really thought about things and learned based on hearing all sides and truly looking at ourselves I think we would all be a lot more convicted in our choices in our lives and we would probably be a lot happier in many ways.  For those of you that already do that, I am glad that you can do that for yourselves.

p.s. - If anyone is wondering I am a Christian from that earlier thought.  I believe because of personal experiences and truly searching my heart and my mind.
p.s. 2 - The show was talking about Christian Science and I loved what they said - If God created doctors and all these treatments and cures, why wouldn't He want us to use them?  Good Call!  (to me, if you believe different and can truly say you have researched and searched yourself then good for you even if we don't believe the same thing)