An extraordinary person

I met an extraordinary human being recently. Intelligent for sure, but intelligent to the point of rigidity and arrogance. The problem is this. When I read something philosophical or religious, I don’t remember terms or the exact words used by the author. Instead, I try and understand the concept behind those terms or words, so that I personally understand what they mean, and then I can apply them in everyday life. For example the word karma. If I say cause and effect, or what goes around comes around, or you reap what you sow, what am I describing? And if I choose to describe it in this way, am I wrong? 

This person says that what I am doing is practicing my own principles and not the teachings that I have read. The problem is, the people who penned down those philosophies, practices and beliefs are all dead. So when in doubt, you can’t go back to them and ask them for clarification. 

So then, this person says, you read what other learned people are saying about those philosophies, practices and beliefs. My question is, why am I listening to other people who are also interpreting those terms or words? Surely different people, of equal calibre and knowledge, would still have different interpretations? How do you then choose who to listen to? 

I’ve always held the belief that philosophy and religion are open to interpretation by the reader or the recipient. And I think it should be this way, because in the end we all have a brain and should use it to decipher words of wisdom in a way that will make us become better people. I don’t believe that any other person can interpret a text better than any other person. After all, if we are all reading the same text without the benefit of the author’s explanations or clarifications, why should I take your word for it that what you say is right? 

The problem with rigidly clinging to your own notion of what you believe is the ‘correct’ teachings is that you will never be open to different interpretations, perspectives, ideas or views. Once you shut off your mind to these possibilities, I think you will never learn, you will never grow; you will be stagnant in your own belief system which may be right, but may very well be wrong. 

Of course, the biggest problem of all is that when someone (me) challenges that belief system to show that sometimes not everything can be neatly fitted into pigeon holes, or that not everything is black and white, you tell the someone (me) that they are delusional. That is the best thing to say I guess, when you don’t have or know the answer; when something doesn’t fit into your ‘perfect’ belief system. 

I am not delusional. I am a work in progress. I am still questioning, I am still seeking, and I think I will always question and seek till the day I die. I am not finished, like how this extraordinary human being seems to think he is.