"...critical thinking skills are like a muscle; either use it or lose it."
I think there's a lot of truth in this; in my own experience, at least...and that was what finally got me out of TWI: awakening that faculty of my mind. The memoir I wrote, An Affinity for Windows, which is now posted here at GSC (front page link), is meant to show how that happened for me. Maybe it'll make sense for others...guess I'm tooting my own horn, but why not? It fits this topic, right?
Okay, I probably shouldn't be posting in this thread because a) I was never in TWI and b) my critical thinking skills have never been impaired in any way but...
When my girlfiend left me 25 years ago to join some religious organization, I assumed that one of the reasons she was leaving was that her critical thinking skills had gone kaput -- and who needed someone like that? (It was a useful strategy that I used to help to soften the blow of losing her.)
Nowadays when I talk to her I realize that her critical thinking skills are not lacking at all -- she's bright, articulate and teaches at a major university. She still clings to certain TWI dogma but realizes that a lot of what she learned is faulty. That realization is a huge first step. The rest is a matter of re-educating yourself, talking to people that do not necessarily share your beliefs and perhaps trying to figure out why you believe certain things.
Personally, my critical thinking hampers my ability to accept much of the Bible as the "word of God." I especially have trouble reconciling the God of the OT with the God of the NT. My critical thinking tells me that the "idiom of permission" does not work in explaining God's actions in the OT. Why? Because to me, "doing something" and "allowing something to happen" are virtually the same thing. So, if God is light (and if God didn't change) then why was the OT God so snarky?
P.S. I don't beleive that faith requires critical thinking. Either you believe something, or you don't. For example, was Jesus the messiah? It seems to me that no amount of critical thinking will answer that question for non-Christians. If you are a Christian, then presumably you believe that he was.
P.S. I don't beleive that faith requires critical thinking. Either you believe something, or you don't. For example, was Jesus the messiah? It seems to me that no amount of critical thinking will answer that question for non-Christians. If you are a Christian, then presumably you believe that he was.
A "rational" belief is a relatively new entry into the arena of belief. All TWI (and splinters) are doing is trying to put their logical spin on something that utterly defies logic - only they seem to be unaware of the futility of the exercise.
The idea that you can use scripture to learn the essence of God is crazy - if you think about it. And if you haven't noticed - people got a little crazy trying to do it.
The idea that you can use scripture to learn the essence of God is crazy - if you think about it. And if you haven't noticed - people got a little crazy trying to do it.
Oh yeah, I've noticed....
I guess I'm reading the Bible to "get another aspect" on God. I've always had my own ideas of what God is and it had little to do with the stuff I was taught in Sunday school. Also, when I talk to other Christians about God I want to be on the same page. If I'm going to debate a point I want to be familiar with the entire text. I also want to learn what it is that God, via the Bible, represents to many Christians, though I realize that most peoples' beliefs about God are mostly unrelated to what is written in the Bible.
Also, I want to make my own interpretations -- yes, even my own private interpretations (with all due respect to Bullinger, TWI and its offshoots). Because I may not know every word of the Bible as well as a theologian or minister but I can read just as well as they can and, after all, I do have critical thinking skills. :-)
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Twinky
Loss or dulling of critical thinking skills is a recurrent theme in a number of threads. And in reading post-cult self-help type of material, it’s apparently widespread among cult survivors. The cul
Bishop
I don't think God being good and him prohibiting us from fully utilizing the mind that he gave us is compatible.
leafytwiglet
Hmm good question Twinky. well for me it took a long time and it was a step by step process... I guess if I had actually known I needed to wowrk on it it would have been faster.. but a couple things
T-Bone
As long as the music-offender websites don't alert the authorities and shut me down!
"We have ways of making you play in tune, Oak Ears."
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penworks
"...critical thinking skills are like a muscle; either use it or lose it."
I think there's a lot of truth in this; in my own experience, at least...and that was what finally got me out of TWI: awakening that faculty of my mind. The memoir I wrote, An Affinity for Windows, which is now posted here at GSC (front page link), is meant to show how that happened for me. Maybe it'll make sense for others...guess I'm tooting my own horn, but why not? It fits this topic, right?
Peace,
Charlene
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soul searcher
Okay, I probably shouldn't be posting in this thread because a) I was never in TWI and b) my critical thinking skills have never been impaired in any way but...
When my girlfiend left me 25 years ago to join some religious organization, I assumed that one of the reasons she was leaving was that her critical thinking skills had gone kaput -- and who needed someone like that? (It was a useful strategy that I used to help to soften the blow of losing her.)
Nowadays when I talk to her I realize that her critical thinking skills are not lacking at all -- she's bright, articulate and teaches at a major university. She still clings to certain TWI dogma but realizes that a lot of what she learned is faulty. That realization is a huge first step. The rest is a matter of re-educating yourself, talking to people that do not necessarily share your beliefs and perhaps trying to figure out why you believe certain things.
Personally, my critical thinking hampers my ability to accept much of the Bible as the "word of God." I especially have trouble reconciling the God of the OT with the God of the NT. My critical thinking tells me that the "idiom of permission" does not work in explaining God's actions in the OT. Why? Because to me, "doing something" and "allowing something to happen" are virtually the same thing. So, if God is light (and if God didn't change) then why was the OT God so snarky?
P.S. I don't beleive that faith requires critical thinking. Either you believe something, or you don't. For example, was Jesus the messiah? It seems to me that no amount of critical thinking will answer that question for non-Christians. If you are a Christian, then presumably you believe that he was.
Anyway, sorry to interrupt. Carry on.
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Tzaia
A "rational" belief is a relatively new entry into the arena of belief. All TWI (and splinters) are doing is trying to put their logical spin on something that utterly defies logic - only they seem to be unaware of the futility of the exercise.
The idea that you can use scripture to learn the essence of God is crazy - if you think about it. And if you haven't noticed - people got a little crazy trying to do it.
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soul searcher
Oh yeah, I've noticed....
I guess I'm reading the Bible to "get another aspect" on God. I've always had my own ideas of what God is and it had little to do with the stuff I was taught in Sunday school. Also, when I talk to other Christians about God I want to be on the same page. If I'm going to debate a point I want to be familiar with the entire text. I also want to learn what it is that God, via the Bible, represents to many Christians, though I realize that most peoples' beliefs about God are mostly unrelated to what is written in the Bible.
Also, I want to make my own interpretations -- yes, even my own private interpretations (with all due respect to Bullinger, TWI and its offshoots). Because I may not know every word of the Bible as well as a theologian or minister but I can read just as well as they can and, after all, I do have critical thinking skills. :-)
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Tzaia
I'm reading "A History of God" and rather enjoying it.
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