Cognitive Dissonance Theory: Beliefs Vs Actions

At some point in life, we will encounter a situation where our mentality will be challenged. That situation will require us to make important choices, often involving sacrifices and hard decisions. This exact situation happened to me years ago, when some elders I knew and respected deeply because of childhood memories lost my respect due to a series of incomprehensible actions. 

When I was a kid, every May, there was always an event called ‘Flores de Mayo’ or ‘Flowers of May’ in English. It’s a Catholic event to celebrate the Blessed Virgin Mary. Together with my childhood friends, we would eagerly anticipate this occasion every summer because it was always so much fun. This tradition continued for many summers until I became one of the teachers for the kids. Throughout these events, there were two elders who guided us on what to do. They were also the direct connection to the Catholic Church for our community whenever we needed a service from the priest. 

Then the pandemic arrived, lasting for two years, which prohibited us from attending gatherings. This meant that the summer Flores de Mayo events were postponed. During this time, I became an adult, a freshman in college, and went through positive changes. Whenever I passed these elders on the road, I would still kiss the back of their hands to show my respect for them as servants of God and to express my gratitude. 

But then came the month of October 2022, the Month of the Rosary. Every October, a group led by the female elder would visit houses in our community to offer prayers. At that time, our house had not yet been renovated, and it was still small. Whenever it rained, water would seep through the cracks in the cement floor. When it was our turn for the prayer offering, my mother asked them if they are okay with the situation, given the rain and the state of our house. Another group member said it was fine as long as they didn’t get wet. However, the female elder disagreed and said they would skip our house because she didn’t want to crouch due to the low ceiling or get wet from the water on the floor. 

My mother was disappointed by this because she really wanted to have that prayer session, as she couldn’t attend church on weekends due to work. It was also a sign of disrespect to me because they were serving God and yet made an exception for us for such a trivial reason. 

The final straw for me was during the Sangguniang Kabataan election in 2023. Vote buying is common in our area, and these elders were leaders for a certain political candidate. They were tasked with gathering voters and distributing money to ensure votes for their candidate. However, they didn’t distribute the money as intended. I can verify this because I am part of the SK organization in my community. 

All these events made me question my belief in these so-called servants of God. It’s possible that they experienced cognitive dissonance, yet they chose actions that benefited them the most. This series of incidents challenged my faith in their integrity and the principles they claimed to uphold.

Jovelyn Mondano

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