Willis Power?
I see and hear so many posts and announcements proclaiming people’s big and small life decisions made because it’s “obedience to god’s will for my life.” Really?
“Whatchu talkin ’bout Willis?”
This is yet another episode airing on the Delusion Network…
Is it “obedience” to god’s will for your life or rationalization and justification to feel better about your sometimes irresponsible decisions to do what you really, really want to do?
In psychological terms, this is called confirmation bias. This is “the tendency for people to favor their perconceptions or hypotheses regardless of whether the information is true” or not.
“I distrust those people who know so well what God wants them to do because I notice it always coincides with their own desires.” ~ Susan B. Anthony
Look, I get it. You wish to be in a better place, have a better job… a better life. You want to feel better about… well, everything. You may want to chuck your day job in favor of pursuing your passions and your dreams. I’m with you. That’s awesome! I say do it… I did.
This type of mentality is rare, and only a few actually follow through and do it.
My issue is calling any decisions that you make “god’s will for your life.” It’s your will, your decision-making process, your intentions, your plans, your desires, and your dreams. You’re dressing it up with god’s stamp of approval because to many, this somehow makes it more believable; more authentic. Anything that “god” approves carries more weight right? Labeling it “obedience to god” is a technique people use to rationalize and justify doing what they really want to do, whether good ideas or not, to make themselves feel better about taking the risks. If there’s some “higher purpose” involved, well then, it HAS to be a good idea and therefore “god’s will.”
What’s truly impressive however, is all of the false humility and covert self-congratulations that’s cleverly disguised as divine decision-making. Don’t try to sell this life-whispering fairy tale to those of us rooted in rational reality, reason, and science. It’ll never fly.
Make no mistake, I believe that there’s power in will. The question is: whose will is it?
But here’s the kicker… it doesn’t really matter where one chooses to place this power. Because the real power ultimately exists within one’s decisions to take action on their plans. The power is not in the source of the perceived power, but in the action taken afterwards and ongoing.
So whether it’s god’s will or Willis’ will, call it what you want, I’m just calling it as I see it. You may “see” it differently, and that’s OK. Just back-up how you “see things” with critical thinking and science, and be open to healthy debate. It might just be “god’s will” at work…
Stay tuned-in…