"And if I remain in the dark about our purpose here, and the meaning of eternity, I have nevertheless arrived at an understanding of a few more modest truths: Most of us fear death. Most of us yearn to comprehend how we got here, and why...And we will no doubt feel that ache, most of us for as long as we happen to be alive. "
-John Krakauer Under the Banner of Heaven
 |
| "The Road to Perdition" |
Last night I watched the documentary, Sons of Perdition, that documents exiled young men and women from Colorado City, a town founded by Fundamentalist Latter Day Saints. The theme that resonated most deeply for me was discovery. Discovery of a life outside of a very small existence... Enjoyment, fulfillment, opportunity and knowledge.
The youth and even adults in this documentary were undereducated, sheltered and told to believe their whole lives that people on the "outside" were evil. They were kept from listening to music or reading books, magazines and even newspapers. Their education was based solely on the teachings of the Book of Mormon, the Bible and the musings of Prophet Warren Jeffs.
Their knowledge of the world and what it had to offer was confined to the limits of this small antiquated town.
Those that stay, will never know more than a life of repetitive piety. But those that left and were exiled, began to discover knowledge, opportunity and living.
This documentary got me to thinking about the lives that we on the "outside" live. With the advent of smartphones and tablets, we have quick access to knowledge whenever we want. We have TV, newspapers, social networks and literature we can easily access on our phones.
But even with all of this at our fingertips, are we sheltering ourselves to some extent? Are we holding ourselves back by succumbing to the margins of a comfortable existence? Do we fear the unknown and choose to accept the news the mass media feeds us... the placating kitten videos we watch for hours on Facebook... or the mind-numbing games we play on our phones? Is it possible that we are just as sheltered as the youth in the documentary?
"I want to experience life, firsthand." - Sons of Perdition
I do believe we shelter ourselves to some extent. That -- inadvertently we become so comfortable in life that we avoid taking risks and being brave. The boys and girls in this documentary took the ultimate risk that bared with it very significant consequences: One, that they will be damned to hell according to the Mormon religion and two, that they lose all ties to their parents, siblings and any form of financial support. But, they do it anyway because they were the brave thinkers to question the laws of a very influential "prophet."
We can learn a lot from drawing this parallel...
1. Feel the fear and do it anyway.
We all have fear, but for some of us it is debilitating. In general, we tend to know what's good for us and what is ultimately bad for us. We are logical beings with varying levels of fear. That's what separates the leaders from the followers.
2. Be brave and trust your gut.
Despite being logical beings, we are also privy to gut feelings about situations in life. If you're faced with a difficult decision, dig deep and listen to your gut. Learning the difference between fear and what your gut is telling you is a valuable tool.
3. Go beyond the levels of your comfort.
Get out. Do something new. Visit an offbeat news site -- one that doesn't report mass media. Pick up a book from the library about a culture you know nothing about (an Ethnology), plan a trip somewhere far away, voice your opinion at work.
Be open, be brave, be you.
Links:
- Watch the documentary on Netflix - Watch Trailer HERE
- Read about Prophet Warren Jeffs HERE
No comments:
Post a Comment