RUNNING HEAD: GABISM

MyCredo:Gabism
KaylaChubbs
RenaissanceCollege:UNB

RCLP1011Worldviews
ChristyClarke
December9,2013

Abstract
ThispaperisanindepthanalysisofGabismasaworldview.Gabismexplainsa
purposetolife,andprovidesapracticethatcanleadtotruehappinessforsome. The
mainconceptofGabismiscompassionandloveforoneself,others,andnaturetothe
fullestextent.Gabismwillbeexplainedthroughaculturaldimension,whichwillinclude
sixcategories:stories,teachings,ethical/moralprincipals,rituals/symbols,socialization
andexperientialpractice.Theintentofthepaperistoprovidethereaderwithadetailed
descriptionandbetterunderstandingofGabismasaworldview.

GABISM

Ifyouwantotherstobehappy,practicecompassion.Ifyouwanttobehappy,practice
compassion.TenzinGyatso,14thDalaiLama(Schaef,2000)
Gabismgoesbeyondreligionandismoreofaphilosophyorwayoflife,the
meaningofphilosophybeingloveofwisdom.Gabismasabeliefcanbesummedupas:
leadingahappylifebymakingthosearoundyouhappythroughcompassion.Itendorses
lovefortheself,othersandnature,andencouragesdevelopmentofunderstandingtothe
meaningoflife.Gabisimisamixtureofvarioussecularandreligiousbeliefsthatgohand
inhand.AnindepthanalysisofGabismasaworldviewwillthereforebeexplained
throughaculturaldimensionincludingsixcategories:stories,teachings,ethical/moral
principals,rituals/symbols,socializationandexperientialvalue.Ambitions
Myths,stories,narrativeshavespecialorsacredmeaning. Buttheyalsooftendeal
withstoriesoflife,howweshouldthinkaboutlifeandhowwemightact,orabout
dealingwithrightandwrong(Valk,2013).Therearemanystoriestodaythatfitunder
Gabismasaworldview.Someexamplesarebooksincluding:HarryPotter,ACoatof
ManyColorsandmanyworksbyNicolasSparksaswellastheChristianBible.

GABISM

Itdoesnotdotodwellondreamsandforgettolive,rememberthat.Albus
Dumbledore(Rowling,1997)
HarryPotterbooksreflectideasGabismbecauseamainpartofGabismisbeing
abletoexerciseanimaginationandtoutilizecreativity.Gabistsmustquestioneverything
thatrealityhastoofferwhosaysthatthereisntsuchthingaswitchesandwizards?The
abovequoteexemplifiesthatyoucannotjustdream,youmustliveyourdreams,which
relatestoGabismbecauseachievingindividualgoalsanddreamsinlifeprovidesthe
upmosthappinessandGabismfocusesonhappinessfortheselfandothers.Gabismis
livingoneslifetothefullestextentandthatcomesfromhappinessoftheself,andoncea
individualishappytheycanseekouttomakeothershappyaswell.
ACoatofManyColorsbyJudithSutton,basedonthesongbyDollyPartontells
astoryabouthowwealthismeasuredinlovenotmoneyinGabism(Parton,1994).The
storyisaboutawinterinTennesseeandthere'snomoneytobuyanewcoat,soalittle
girl'smamasewsoneforheroutofrags.Thelittlegirlwearsittoschoolproudly,and
whentheotherchildrenlaugh,shegivesthemalessonaboutwhatitmeanstoberich
throughhavingloveandcompassionratherthanmoney.
Iamnothingspecial,ofthisIamsure.Iamacommonmanwithcommonthoughtsand
I'veledacommonlife.Therearenomonumentsdedicatedtomeandmynamewillsoon
beforgotten,butI'velovedanotherwithallmyheartandsoul,andtome,thishasalways
beenenough.-NicholasSparks,TheNotebook(Sparks,2011).
LastlyNicholasSparksnovelsteachofromanceandloveanddisplayacorrelationwith
Gabism.Throughthesenovelspeopleareabletobetterunderstandthemeaningoflove
andcompassion,andhowtotreatothers,whichisthesolebasisofGabism.Gabismis
havingequallovefortheself,family,others,andtheworldaroundyou.
AdventureisoutthereUP,DisneyMovie(Rivera,Jetal,2009).

GABISM

UPteachespeopleofallagesthatlifeisanadventureandifyoudoitrightby
lovingothersandachievingyourgoalsanddreamsyouwillbehappy.Thisfilmdisplays
anewperspectiveofbiggerpictureofthemeaningoflifethroughGabism.Gabismtries
toteachthatlifeisassimpleasloveandhappiness;thereisnocomplicatedmeaningor
destiny.
Authoritativeteachingsaregleanedfromauthoritativewritingsthattrytoexplain
therealityweexperience. Eachworldviewtypeandsubtypehasitsownsetofteachings,
whicharearticulatedinwrittenformingreaterorlesserdegreesofclarity,specificity,
andconciseness.Theyareintendedforteaching.Ifyouwanttoknowthemeaningand
purposeoflife,howtodiscernrightfromwrong,whatareourresponsibilitiesand
obligations,consulttheteachingsorwritings,whichgiveexplanations(Valk,2013).
Sciencewithoutreligionislame,religionwithoutscienceisblindAlbertEinstein
(Einstein,2007).
SeparatedGabismfollowsbeliefsinscience,religion,superstitionandlove.
GabismendorsesEnvironmentalism,whichistheadvocacyfor,orworktoward
protectingthenaturalenvironmentfromdestructionorpollution.Gabistssimilarto
indigenouspeoplesbelievethathumanitymusttakegreatcareofourenvironmentasto
protectitforthefuturegenerationstocome.Withregardstoreligion,Gabismfollowsthe
BookofGabi;whichisamodifiedversionoftheChristianBibleandothermixturesof
variousbeliefs.ThemainaspectsoftheBookofGabiincludethefollowing
adaptations:thereisnohellonlyheavenandreincarnation.Gabistsbelievethatthere
mustbesomeexternalforceoroutsidepresencethatweareunawareoffromEarth.

GABISM

ThereforethereisaGod,whowatchesovertheworld,andheisawatchfulprotector.
Angelsexistsintheformofpeoplewhoarebroughtdowntoearthtohelphumanity
whentheyareofflifestrack.InGabismallbaddeedscanbeforgivenifapersonistruly
aresorrythereforetheirspiritcannotdieitcantraveltoheavenoritcanremainonearth
reincarnatedintoananimal.HoweverifaGabistdoesnotaskforforgivenessforbad
deeds,theirspiritlifewillnotbeasgoodasanotherpersons.Baddeedsincludeanything
thatinvolvesnotlovingwithyourentireheart.Everyonehasaspiritanimalandtheycan
relatetoinlifeandafterlife/spiritlife.Onceaspiritisreleasedfromhumanformitcan
travelfromheaventoearthtobewiththosetheylovethatarelivingordeadatthesame
time.ThisisimportantinGabismbecauseapersonnevertrulyleavesanythingtheylove.
SomepassagesandstoriesfromtheBibleweretransferredintotheBookof
Gabitoteachothershowweshouldlivecompassionately,suchasthispassagebelow:
ThenPetercametoJesusandasked,Lord,howmanytimesshallIforgivemy
brotherorsisterwhosinsagainstme?Uptoseventimes?Jesusanswered,I
tellyou,notseventimes,butseventyseventimes.(Matthew,18:21)
ThispassagefromtheBibleisimportantinGabismbecauseitteachestheimportanceof
forgivenessofothersinordertoleadahappylife.
LastlytaughtinGabismaresuperstitiousbeliefssuchasKarma,similarto
BuddhistKarma.KarmainGabismisthelawthateverycausehasaneffectandour
actionshaveresults.Thismeansthatbaddeedsresultinbadeffectsonapersonandgood
deedsbringgoodthingstoaperson.AnotherbeliefinGabismisthatofwishing.Gabists

GABISM

believethatyoucanwishonmanythingssuchasstars,whenyoucrossabridgeandby
blowingoutadandelionetc.Howeverwishesaretakenintogreatconsiderationsopeople
mustbecarefulforwhattheywishforbecauseitmaycometrue.Lastlythemainbelief
ofGabismisthatlovebringshappinessthegoalofaGabististofindloveinallcreation
andasaresultcareforallthatyoulove.
Ethics involveprinciples,questionsofrightness,fairness,equitythatguideand
directourthoughts/actionsinrespecttoagroupofpeople.Moralsimplyconformityto
standards of right, wrong, good, bad. They have to do with human conduct and are
accordancetoindividualsidealsandprincipals(Valk,2013). GabismfollowstheGolden
rule Dountoothersasyouwouldhavethemdountoyou.Thisstemsfromthebasis
ofmanyreligionsaslovingyourneighborasyourself,howeverthisisemphasizedmuch
moreinGabism.Gabismisloveorientedsobelieversmustdowhattheyfeelisrightin
theirheart.Gabistsbelievethateveryoneintheworldshouldhaveequality:noracism,no
homophobia,andnonontoleranceofothers;onemustbeabletofindloveineverything.
Itisalsonotedthatmoneyoranythingofvalueinsocietyisnotasvaluableaslove.
Gabisminvolves:thecareforothers,selfcare,andcarefortheworldinequal
amountsandthereforeequalityforalllivingthings.Thatiswhycarefortheenvironment
alsoplaysabigfactorinGabism. Ethicprincipalsdetermineduties,obligations,and
responsibilities with regards to the earth, plants and animals. Moral acts of
environmentalismcanbefromconsciousenvironmentalthinking,composting,recycling,
reducingyourcarbonfootprint,andutilizinglessenergy.Westernsocietyhasethical
principalsforenvironmentalism,whichcorrelatetoGabism.

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Ritualsareactsofdevotionwhichoneregardsasultimatelyimportant.Rituals
occurinvariousplaces,andwithvaryingfrequencies:daily,weekly,monthly,annually,
orevenatparticularstagesoroccasionsinourlives(Valk,2013).GabistspraytoGod
forguidance,strength,andmostimportantlyoutofgratefulness.HowoftenaGabist
praysisdependentonlifecircumstances,howevergratefulnessforwhatlifehasoffered
anindividualmustbedisplayedeveryday.Itisimportantnotonlytoprayforsuch
things,butinitiateactionsandwordstothosearoundyouaswell.Thereforeappreciation
andgratefulnessdisplayedtoothersisvitalinGabism.
SymbolsinGabismincludethecolorpink,nature,andthesun.Thecolorpink
signifieseverlastingloveforyourselfandothers.Naturesymbolssuchasrecycling
symbols,greenery,trees,leavesetc.representrespectandcarefortheenvironment.
Lastlythesunrepresentsthesourceoflifeonthisearthandinturnthesourceofall
happiness.Thesunprovidingtheenergytocreateallthatislivingandthosethatare
livingareabletoliveinhappinessinturn.Gabistsareespeciallygratefulinthedaytime
andsummermonthsforthelastingpresenceofthesunattributingtohappinessinlife.
Traditionsneedsocialorganizationinordertostrengthenandperpetuate
themselvestocreateasenseofbelonging,careandsupport(Valk,2013). Gabismallows
roomfortheindividualtocelebrateholidayscreatedfromsocietyhowevertherearetwo
importantdaystobenoted;theyareValentinesDayandGabisBirthday.ValentinesDay
onFebruary14thofeachyearisaholidaythatcelebrateslove.Loveisofupmost
importantforhappinessandfindingaplaceintheworldsoitisamajorholidayfor
Gabists.AlsoGabi,thewriteroftheBookofGabi,BirthdayiscelebratedMarch7thof

GABISM

everyyearingratefulnessofcreatingthisworldview.Onthisdaychangesaremadeto
theBookofGabifollowingthesuggestionsoffollowersagreeduponbyamajorityand
democraticbasis,withapprovalfromGabi.
Experiencingsomethingforoneselfismuchmorepowerfulthanreadingabout
someoneelsesexperience.Theexperientialgeneratesfeelingsofaweandwonderfrom
mysticalexperience,ritualobservation,orsocialparticipation(Valk,2013).Gabists
attendmanyceremoniesofvaryingreligionsastobroadentheirknowledge;itisuptothe
individual.Gabistspartakeinprayeronfrequentbasistoacknowledgegratefulnessorto
askforhelpandguidance.Gabiststhinkdeeplyeverydayandpartakeinactivitiesthat
obtainknowledgeandchallengescurrentthought.Thiscanbedoneanywaythe
individualseesfit.Similarlyemotionsarenotsomethingtoshyawayfrom,apersonis
supposedtofeelandcaredeeplyandwhichshouldevokedeepemotions.Gabistsare
requiredtotravelintheirlifetimewhetheritisnearorfarandwhentime,moneyand
healtharesufficient.Travellingisanimportantaspectbecauseitisafoolproofwayto
gainnewknowledgeandunderstanding.LastlyGabistsmustlovethemselves,othersand
naturetothefullestextent.
Gabismisanexpressionofhumanitysneedtofindlove,happinessandapurpose
inlife.Throughthesixcategoriesofculturaldimensions:stories,teachings,ethical/moral
principals, rituals/symbols, socialization, and experiential, Gabism is explained as a
Worldview.Gabismisasourceofloveandhappinessthatmanypeoplemaylackin
todayssociety.Gabismprovidesameaningoflifetoachievehappinessinyourselfand

GABISM

thosearoundyou.Basically,a fulfillinglifeisnotmetunlesstheindividualisdoing
somethingthatmakesthemhappyandbringshappinesstoothersthroughcompassion.

WorksCited
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dotoomuch.HarperCollins.
Sparks,N.(2011).Thenotebook.HachetteUK.