Accept Childhood Teachings is the first stage in The Seven Stages of Discovering Life’s Purpose.
Did you, like most children, accept without much thought, whatever you were taught about life’s purpose? Were you taught by parents, your school, your church or even your peers?
Roughly 85% of the world’s population profess a belief in their religion and thus most children are taught whatever their religion dictates about life's purpose. All religions profess that life’s purpose is to be judged ready for a blissful eternal life. Christians (31%) believe God judges their readiness for heaven. Muslims (25%) believe Allah is the judge of their readiness for paradise. Hindus and Buddhists believe their eternal reward occurs after as many reincarnations as it takes to earn it. For Hindus (15%), the reward is oneness with Brahman, the absolute Godhead. For Buddhists (7%), the reward is nirvana, which is described as incomprehensible, indescribable, inconceivable, and unutterable. Each of the remaining smaller religions (comprising 7%) takes a position similar to one of the four main religions.
Roughly 15% of the world’s population is irreligious. They may be spiritualists, agnostics, atheists, or secularists.
Spiritualism takes many forms, but most spiritualists believe that all creation is endowed with a consciousness by the creator and is thus interconnected. Humanity’s purpose is to channel the creator’s (or spirit force’s) universal consciousness into its individual consciousnesses and thus connect with their creator. Spiritualists may teach their children as much of their beliefs as they feel their children can absorb.
Most agnostics, atheists and secularists accept that life’s purpose is to achieve whatever provides earthly fulfillment and teach their children by instruction or example.
At some point, most children make up their own minds about what they were taught about life's purpose. Some find the new ideas they discover more satisfying than what they were taught and progress to Stage Two – Reject Childhood Teachings and live their lives as they see fit. Some maintain their acceptance of much of what they were taught, whether or not they accept it as life's purpose. These skip Stage Two and move directly to Stage Three – Practice Childhood Teachings. Others are uncomfortable with either accepting or rejecting what they were taught and so move directly to Stage Four – Question Childhood Teachings. A few accept what they were taught about life's purpose based on their unquestioning faith. These skip Stages Two through Four and move directly to Stage Five - Know Creator's Will.
In which of these stages would you place yourself now? Are you content with that stage or are you tempted to pursue later stages? As an adult, what did you teach your children? Do you understand what led them, in adulthood, to the stage they next experienced? Would you like to better understand what led them to that stage and how you might help them move to a later stage? You many find the thinking you need at The Mid Stages: Reject, Practice and Question Childhood Teachings..
Del H. Smith conducts research into life’s meaning and is the award-winning author of the AMAZON Best Seller, Discovering Life’s Purpose.