Theological ~ Overcoming Cognitive Dissonance

When I ponder my conversion to Catholicism, I realize that in large part it was due to my attempt to overcome cognitive dissonance. Other Christian theologies had a way of dividing up the world into "good" and "bad," in particular: religious activities such as prayer, scripture study, obedience to church teaching and culture (always good) v. "non-church" activities and attitudes, such as having fun, pursuing pleasure, making my own decisions (morally neutral, possibly bad).

The problem of course is that common sense observation intuits that fun, pleasure, and independent mindedness objectively generate good things like innovation and healthiness. It is not enough to say, "oh, those things are okay as long as you don't overdo it." What is needed instead, is an explanation of how those things, in the proper time and place, are actually good and indispensably serve God's purposes. If those things are merely fine in moderate amounts, but "less" good than "churchy" activities and thinking, then the pious soul will never give themselves the permission to relax and live a little.

This is just one example out of many, in which Jesuit thinking about finding of God in all things, has been so helpful. Over time, my entire worldview has been reclaimed for God. I am now able to see what is good and Godly in wealth and abundance, and also in poverty. I can see what is good and Godly in achievement, and also humiliation. I can see what is good and Godly in work, and also in play. I can see what is good and Godly in structure, and also in freedom. Now, I can look at the whole of reality, in all of it's variety, and see what is good and meaningful in all of it. This frees me up to enjoy my life as it is, and to look to the future without fear, regardless of the good or bad it may bring. I am freed up to appreciate other people, in all of their variety. I am freed up to live with balance: now, everything can have a time and place in my life.