Knowing vs. Believing: Faith vs. Evidence—Your Choice Will Determine the Distance of Your Journey

All our lives, we’ve been told to believe in ourselves. The hell with that. The conventional notion of believing in yourself is a ridiculous idea that has been repeated unconsciously. Be self-aware. The only thing you truly need to believe in is something faith-based. If you decide to believe in faith-based material, then do it wholeheartedly. However, you do not deserve that much credit for believing you are ‘God.’

According to John 10:34-36, Jesus referenced Psalm 82:6, stating, "We are gods"; perhaps we are a god, but not The God. One requires knowing; the other requires believing. This distinction is crucial because the process of actualization demands knowing, not just believing—if belief is even necessary.

Given that believing in God is faith-based, with little to no evidence, it gives us all the direct reason not to completely ‘know.’ We will never know entirely until God wants us to know. Because our human constraints bind us—our limited understanding and finite perspective—we cannot fully believe in God without any doubt, simply because we do not and cannot fully know.

To know without acknowledging belief is to be evident. Have the evidence right before you. What have you done before? If you have not done it before, do it—prove it. This is the essence of self-awareness. It's not about blind belief, but about having tangible evidence of your capabilities and potential.

Philosophical and Psychological Insights

Carl Jung, in his exploration of the human psyche, emphasized the importance of individuation—the process of becoming aware of oneself as distinct from others. This process requires deep self-knowledge, not just surface-level belief. Jung’s concept of the "Self" as the totality of the conscious and unconscious mind resonates with the idea that true self-actualization requires knowing oneself deeply, rather than merely believing in a constructed identity.

Friedrich Nietzsche’s philosophy of the übermensch (Overman) highlights this difference between knowing and believing. The übermensch is not someone who blindly believes in their greatness but someone who creates their values through a profound understanding of their existence. This creation of values is an act of knowing, of confronting the truth about oneself and the world, rather than simply believing in one’s superiority.

I warn against the dangers of inflated beliefs, where one sees oneself as the ultimate authority or 'God.' Just as Julius Evola cautioned, this modern tendency to overestimate our own significance without recognizing our place within a higher spiritual order can lead to a false sense of security. True self-actualization requires not just belief, but a profound knowing of our limitations and a connection to something greater than ourselves.

Fyodor Dostoevsky’s characters often struggle with the tension between belief and knowledge. In "The Brothers Karamazov," for instance, Ivan Karamazov wrestles with the existence of God and the moral implications of belief versus knowledge. Dostoevsky suggests that true faith, and by extension, true self-knowledge, comes from confronting the darkest parts of our nature rather than simply accepting comforting beliefs.

Confidence and Self-Awareness

Know within yourself who you are and know that you can do what you set out to do. This is true confidence. Many of you believe in yourself all day but lack confidence. Confidence can be absent with the act of believing. However, when you know, you are entirely confident that you will do it. Confidence rooted in knowledge is unshakeable, while belief alone is fragile. So, know within yourself as opposed to believing in yourself. You do not deserve that much credit.

Case Study Questions for Reflection:

1. What is the difference between believing in yourself and knowing yourself?How do these concepts influence your daily decisions and actions? Can you recall instances where belief alone was not enough, and how knowing made the difference?
2. How does Carl Jung’s individuation concept apply to your self-actualization journey?Are you aware of the unconscious aspects of your personality that may be shaping your beliefs? How can you integrate these unconscious elements into your conscious self-awareness?
3. Nietzsche’s übermensch creates values through knowing rather than believing. How can you apply this concept to your life? Are you creating your values based on deep understanding or relying on unexamined beliefs?
4. My warning against inflated self-belief. In what ways might you be overestimating yourself? How can humility and self-knowledge contribute to your personal and spiritual growth?
5. Dostoevsky’s characters often face the challenge of belief versus knowledge. How do you reconcile your beliefs with understanding yourself and the world? Are there beliefs you hold that need to be examined more deeply?

By exploring these questions, you’ll be better equipped to differentiate between believing and knowing, between faith and evidence. The path to self-actualization is not just about belief—it’s about knowing, understanding, and proving yourself in the crucible of experience.