QUESTIONING AUTHORITY

candi

candi

Cathlete
I am rebelious by nature, especially to authority figures. I was thinking about this the other day trying to remember when it started.
I think it was when I was about ten years old and there were changes in some of the rules related to the Catholic religion. We were taught we could not eat meat on Friday. If you did it was a mortal sin and you would go to HELL. You know, fire and brimstone stuff. Then all of a sudden the Pope said it was okay to eat meat on Friday. No more Fishy Fridays for us.

I remember thinking..."Gee, God can just change his mind about things like that? What happens to all the people who were in Hell because they ate meat on Friday? Does God move them up to Purgatory or Heaven now? I never got any good answers from anyone I asked, or at least answers that satisfied my curiosity.

That was to the dismay of my parents, I started having a mind of my own.

Just wondering how many of you out there just believe what you're told just because someone of authority tells you it's true? Who are the true rebels of the Cathe website?
 
Hmmm interesting question. I'd wager we're all true rebels, if only b/c we do something that the vast majority of the population does not (i.e. exercise).

But I'm with you Candi--I'm the type of person who will blow my horn in a tunnel only b/c there's a sign at the entrance that says not to. Of course it never would occur to me to blow my horn if the sign wasn't there, but if you're first gonna bring it to my attention & then tell me not to.............what else can I do? }(
 
Wow, Candi! I could've written your post on the Catholic church. That's probably the first place I started to question authority. Probably because what I was being "fed" in catechism class so often didn't mesh with a lot of values that I (and my family) believed in, i.e. regarding gender equity, what made you a sinner, etc.

I only made it to confirmation because it was important to my mother and I'm pretty sure my catechism teacher has a few gray hairs with my name on them. :)

I'm a big fan of good data, and of picking the right battles. So if someone in authority tells me something that's out of whack, they'd better have the data to back it up.
 
Great question, Candi!

I question authority (and societal norms) a LOT -- sometimes to my own detriment, I'm sure. I, too, had a taste of the Catholic church but not until I was about 13. I don't know for sure if it was a major factor in my personality development, but I do remember having controversial conversations with my mother for the first time during that period. Controversial in the sense that I didn't believe everything the priest told me -- or that a book told me -- or that she told me :)

I question any religion (or anyONE for that matter) that attempts to change my behavior by making me feel bad about myself. I don't understand the point of marriage, other than society (or a religion) expects it to be a part of life. I don't think it is my duty to have children -- although many people have suggested that I will "change my mind". Yeah...that's going to happen. I question the management where I work and have little respect for titles in general. I will do things that make sense to me and seem to have a purpose -- not because someone expects it of me. Otherwise, what's the point?

At times I believe my life would be a whole lot easier if I just went along and kept my mouth shut, but I have not been successful at that plan yet. I simply don't know if I could quiet the annoying little questioning monster inside!

It's good to know I have some sisters out there who behave in similar ways.

Shonie
 
Maximus, Gayle and Maxwells,

Based on your past posts, I could've guessed you would respond immediately. There are a few others out there I'm waiting to hear from but I'm not gonna say who I think they are }( .

Questioning authority has worked for me where I am employed because we have been empowered over the years to affect the status quo. Most of my management appreciates this because it leads to change and improvements in many of our business processes. I've learned (the hard way) that I have to tread a certain path and try to be assertive rather than aggressive in trying to get my points across.
 
DH and I are big on questioning authority and drove our parents crazy growing up. We're raising our kids to think for themselves and question what they read and what they hear. We always tell them we'll back them up on anything as long as they have a good reason for disagreeing with something and aren't disrespectful about it.

Raising my kids like this has led to some very interesting discussions and I'm really proud of the way they think and express themselves.

Erica
 
According to my mother, I was questioning the "but why?" even before I was born. Poor mum was in hard core labour with me for 4 days before I arrived screaming and kicking in protest. The doctors hadnt seen such a loud and almost "angrey" baby in some time...............and I havent shut up since!

I beleive that you should "question" everything and everyone. Its not good enough to me for someone, whether they are a friend or your boss, to just STATE something without "backing" it up. I want FACTS and FIGURES to go with that argument please, not a "because I said so"

Anyone wonna "question my authority on that?"

Marion





You have to stay in shape. My grandmother started walking when she was 60. Today she is 97 and we don't know where the hell she is! - Ellen DeGeneres
 
i am very bad about this! i have never been good at taking orders or holding my tounge when i disgree with who ever's "in charge" i used to embarrass the hell out of my mother at church and i was on a first name basis w/ the principals at school. as a child, i despised rules, questioned everything and deliberatly did whatever i was told not to do. it's s gift. i have to know a reason for everything. otherwise, you're not getting any cooperation out of me. and even if you do give me a reason, unless i like your reason, your SOL! i prefer to make my own rules....i know, it's shocking.

jes:p
 
Oh gosh yes!!! "Question authority" should be my bumper sticker!

I am perpetually trying to get people (in Insurance offices, members of the police force or South American government military groups) to see that the rules they are trying to enforce upon me are indeed changeable, since laws and rules are man-made, they can be over-ruled, changed, challenged and re-written.

The police office who stopped me for speeding in an airport area disagreed with me though........shame. I argued my best.

I nearly had my passport confiscated in Quito, Ecuador in 1987, by the Instituto Geografico Militar when I questioned why a certain map was "unavailable" now in the afternon, when we had been granted access to it in the morning of the same day!?!?!?!?!?!?! Apparently, "unavailable" was not to be questioned........

My parents told me last year that I reminded them of someone, "Erin Brokavich" as portrayed by Julia Roberts in the film. I asked why and they said, it's that "argumentative, in-yer-face" quality you have dear" they replied!

Three years ago, I faced down my own Dad at the base of a mountain we were goig to climb and which was giving him the willies. We were a mere centimetre apart, face to face, I could see veins popping on his forehead, and he demanded I shut up and respect him because he was my elder. To which I told him, "even elders have to command my respect." Oh dear! Still, he apologized to me for his hasty words and behaviour by mid-afternoon, and we have understood eachother so much better ever since!

To my mind, it goes without saying that the medical profession is to be thoroughly questioned and challenged, especially on matters of women's health, hormonal issues and mental health. After all, studies
on women's health are not as well funded as they are for men, women have not always been included as test subjects in major research studies and all the answers on hormones and the brain are not yet it.

We women have a duty to be informed and become active decision makers in our own health care. I staaunchly believe that.

Candi: did you expect me to reply to this post?!!? Interesting: I was raised a catholic too!

Clare:7
 
ClareMc, I thought you'd be the first to respond, LOL! I love it.


Thanks for responding ladies. It takes all kinds to make the world go round. I prefer to make some noise before I go to the great beyond. I belive our spirit lives on in our children and the impressions we make on others through our words and actions. Critical thinking and voicing our thoughts and opinions is so very important, IMHO.
 
It's interesting to read how the Roman Catholic church has affected a few of you. Martin Luther, a Roman Catholic monk, was also shocked when he got ahold of a Bible and found that most of that stuff wasn't in there.

The Catholic church didn't start out with indulgences (buying salvation, even for someone else already dead) or purgatory, or the Pope with his own army. And there should be no middleman between you and God, except Jesus, that's what the Bible says. Anyone who acts as a go-between, especially for money, well, the Bible has some harsh words for them.

But these things were added to the Catholic church through the ages after it became a state religion. The word catholic with a small c means all-inclusive and all-encompassing. It can be used to describe all Christians, wherever they may be found.

All churches have something wrong with them because they are made of people, and people are flawed. What is really bad is institutionalizing the bad stuff in a bigger-that-international-corporation mega-"church."

The victims of this are the millions of innocent Catholic subjects being kept away from the truth that's in the Bible. But I believe, from what I have read in the Bible, that anyone with a humble attitude, who knows he/she needs God's mercy, will be saved, no matter where they are. God does not discriminate.
 
I agree with you Connie. I didn't grow up Catholic but my mother added all sorts of rules to the Bible that I questioned probably from the time I could open my mouth...Why is it o.k. for you to get rid of the hair on your upper lip but I'm not supposed to pull the ones above my eyes? Why is it ok to change your hair by perming it but dyeing it was wrong? I never got good answers and more often than not I was told (on more serious issues of course) "because I said so." I've always tried to give my kids logical answers for why we do what we do but I find now they question me on everything (Why do we have to do the dishes? Why does a bed need to be made? Why should I save my money? and on and on...and I wish I could just say "Because I said so!" and the discussion would end...and the dishes would be done...and they'd have enough money for schooling etc...OH WELL!

Trish
 
Candi, great question!

Did you ever find out??? Are all those poor people still in hell for eating meat on Friday?

The stuff we as children are told to believe...sigh.
 
I'd like to propose an answer. It isn't about the food that they ate on Friday that was harmful. It was purposefully choosing to disobey. The purpose of the rules and commandments it to test us all to see if we are willing to humble ourselves and do what God has asked us to do which all eventually lead us to become our best selves and worthy of blessings and inspiration.

Of course He understands that people will always make mistakes and that is what repentance is for. You repent, change your ways and move on. (that is the purpose of the atonement of Christ) He makes up the difference for your shortcomings after you have done all you can do.

Just a little information. It's a little deep but I thought it would help explain it a little.

I know I get alittle hot under the collar when I disagree with what people are telling me to do. I think it is hard wired into everyone a little.

It can certainly get in the way of progress sometimes. Sometimes it is nice to be right and other times it is more important to be nice.


Danna
 
Danna,

Thanks for trying to give me an answer but I still want to know what happened to the people already in hell. Was there a grandfather clause?

As you can see, the Catholic religion didn't do much for me.

Wayne,

I'm still trying to find out.


P.S. I didn't really want to get into a religious discussion. I was just trying to use my experience as an example of when I started questioning people who had authority over me. I'll just say that IMHO, organized religion has bred much more fear and hatred in the world than it has love and peace. I feel we all have a right to our own beliefs, no matter what they are :)
 
Candi - if you haven't read The DaVinci Code yet, I think you'd be quite interested in it. It has some very interesting theories about Christianity.

I'm an Episcopalian and my husband was a Catholic. I refused to marry in his church, nor would I baptize my daughter a Catholic. Not that we're into church anyway. We've hardly gone in the 8 years since we got married. Our awesome priest got a new job in Spokane and the replacement priest was a major bore.

I pretty much go with my heart. I have a pretty strict moral code about some things and follow them to the letter. However, I never obey the speed limit if I'm outside of a residential area.
 
I have found it very beneficial to question "authority", particularly in the area of finances. Many years ago, I made it a goal to pay off my mortgage. Many people told me this was foolish, because I would lose the mortgage deduction. Well, I ran the numbers and it's a much better deal pay taxes than it is to pay interest on a mortgage. Last month, I lost my job to a reorg, and guess what -- I didn't panic because the greatest cost most people have (a mortgage) doesn't exist for me. Now a lot of my friends say they want to do the same thing in case they ever lose their jobs!

Juli
 
As a born and raised Catholic, I find the turn this thread has taken very offensive. I do not feel "kept away from the truth that's in the Bible" as one person said. If you are looking for the truth about the Catholic religion, I suggest you visit the following website: http://www.catholicanswers.org. A lot of people (including many Catholics themselves) don't know what the Catholic religion teaches.

As a sidenote, I don't believe there's any problem with questioning authority. Maybe the key is asking the right people. Food for thought.
 
Donna,

Yes, I read the DaVinci code. I was so intrigued by the book it only took me three days to read it. As a matter of fact, the History channel (or Discovery channel) aired a special showing how some of the facts in the book are true. There was/is a secret society established to protect the secret...or so they say.

I belive they were going to be making a movie of the DaVinci Code.
 
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