Brian Lickenbrock
Mr. Sciuto, Theology
October 9, 2008
FIVE FOUNDATIONAL LESSONS

Lesson #5 The most significant decisions I make in life will be faith decisions. Faith is an opinion based upon evidence to which I am committed.

Amanda makes a decision to not believe in good, moral men. She bases this opinion on the actions of her previous husband, Bob, who cheated on her and was flirting with his mistress during Amanda’s and Bob’s wedding ceremony. Amanda sticks to this belief for a long time.

Lesson #2 I see the world through "colored lenses." I am necessarily and unavoidably (to a greater or lesser degree) biased.

Amanda sees the rest the men in the world possessing the same cheating, immoral qualities of her husband. This distorted view shielding her mind from the pain of her past relationship blocks her from finding good men. The bias also prevents her from finding any happiness in the presence of other men.

Lesson # 1 I am necessarily and unavoidably making decisions all the time. These can and do affect me, others and my world. By these decisions, I am determining who I am and the person I am becoming.

Amanda makes everyday choices based on her faith that affect others. Upon receiving her assignment, she immediately resists working at the wedding because of her past experiences. This makes her boss mad because she keeps neglecting to let go of the past and it is affecting her work. At the wedding she immediately suspects the husband of cheating after she sees the figures of a man in a tuxedo and a woman in a dress having sex in an adjacent room. She almost disrupts the wedding and ruins a new marriage because she did not bother to look past her hastily made decision to investigate the identity of the pair in the adjacent room.

Lesson #3 The value judgment I make determine my actions. My mental health and happiness (and often those of many others) rests on the validity of these value judgments.

During the wedding, Amanda sees a pair of thought blobs on the floor by Elliot’s feet debating about whether or not to ask Amanda if she would like to dance. Pity fills her heart and after a few drinks she goes out and dances with Elliot for the rest of the wedding. Her value judgment results in her becoming a happier person till she looks in the mirror and eventually her mental health strengthens.

Lesson #4 Any change in the particular beliefs that control my approach to life cannot help but modify and change my life. It will affect the quality and the texture of all I experience.

After her experience with Elliot, Amanda’s beliefs about men drastically changes. She previously believed that every single man in the world is evil and never should be trusted but afterwards she sees that some men are good. Also she believes that some men should be given a second chance. With her new belief, she goes out to the movies with her ex-husband Bob.