How important are beliefs? (Walking Through Illusions, Thompson)

     "The awful people around him [Paul, from the Bible] were the miracles waiting to happen."  We all have many hurdles to overcome throughout life including people who do things that are not good (steal, lie, cheat...)  Thompson, in Walking Through Illusion, clearly shows that these people are the catalyst to a miracle happening.  Instead of seeing someone as a robber or a cheater look at how they can be transformed, through a miracle, into a good person.
     Paul had a nemesis, Nero.  Paul was convinced in his attempt to condemn Nero.  He reasoned that God was involved in his beliefs because he followed God and that God is judging the good and the bad.  Therefore, he was justified in also judging Nero, explains Thompson.
     I know I have judged many times  because I think my beliefs are right and therefore I am justified in my judgment.  Every time I have found that I have no right to judge because my beliefs are my beliefs.  My actions are based upon my beliefs.  Beliefs are different from person to person.  I also don't know exactly what their going through and why they are behaving the way they are.  I have no right to judge.  Judgment is between God and you, not God, me and you.  Judging only hurts your relationships as it creates an uncommon ground between two people.  Betsy asks Jesus, in the dialogue of the book, why Paul wanted to share his beliefs so badly.  Jesus replies with a question, "More to the point, if he was happy in his beliefs, why did it matter who else had them?"  Good point!