help me understand this

I recently made this statement in a lecture I was giving and it cause quite an uproar , and I really don’t know why, so my fellow very smart people, my question to you is this: why do you think it struck some kind of nerve ?

Christian prophet Paul described as “For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions. Unfortunately, for most people today they seek teachers and/or knowledge that fits into what they believe is true, instead of letting the truth found by Critical thinking uncover and create the world that surrounds them.

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Permalink Reply by Michael Haifleigh on January 23, 2011 at 11:34am

Tony,

If what you have written above is what you actually said there are a few aspects of it that could provoke. I'll assume that was not your intent.

Who you were speaking to and what you were trying to communicate is more than half the "mystery".

Quoting a religious prophet/apostle, tying what he said to the "unfortunate" condition of today, and then claiming that critical thinking (and not belief) is a possible way to create an opportunity for the subconscious minds of the audience members to get a bit riled.

Does that make any sense ; )

Michael

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Permalink Reply by John Cleesattel on January 23, 2011 at 12:37pm

I feel it might be the "truth found by Critical thinking" uncover and create the world that surrounds them.

One might ask..."Whose" critical thinking? and what makes it the truth?

I have encountered followers of various religious doctrines that feel that "they" are the most adept at critical thinking, if not "the only ones" capable of critical thinking.

How great the con of man

John

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Permalink Reply by tony cott on January 23, 2011 at 1:35pm

I was speaking to a collage psychology class on the topic of how hypnotics have been used by cults to get their followers to set aside their Critical thinking and accept the Leaders point of view as the only one. The up roar was to the comment about how we have begun to step aside using our Critical thinking whereas the common accepted thought is that we have grown into Critical thinking.

And just as a side note to disregard an observation of human nature due to it having a religious or biblical context is to limit a wealth of knowledge. The conditions of today are not all that different from the conditions of the past. Often these observations were expressed in these terms due to it being the accepted mythology of the times. I could have used examples from Greek mythology or any other time frame and have found the same expression.

Critical thinking is considered important in the academic fields because it enables one to analyze, evaluate, explain, and restructure their thinking this is not accomplished by anyone method, thereby decreasing the risk of adopting, acting on, or thinking with, a false belief. Critical thinking is about being both willing and able to evaluate one's thinking within the grand scope and not dependent on “whose” doctrines is being addressed.

A good Con man or Cult leader (not really that much difference in the two) uses hypnotics in order to divert ones attention from Critical thinking.

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Permalink Reply by Kelley Woods on January 23, 2011 at 1:56pm

Hi Tony,

Perhaps by stating that "Unfortunately, for most people today they seek teachers and/or knowledge that fits into what they believe is true, instead of letting the truth found by Critical thinking uncover and create the world that surrounds them.", your audience, who in fact invested both time and money to sit en masse and listen to teachers impart their own "truth", was feeling a bit defensive.

Did you ask them where/how else they went in discovering truths about their psyches?

Kelley

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Permalink Reply by tony cott on January 23, 2011 at 2:08pm

you know Kelly I didnt think of that , and I would bet you hit it right on !! thanks thats what i was looking for.

Kelley Woods said:

Hi Tony,

Perhaps by stating that "Unfortunately, for most people today they seek teachers and/or knowledge that fits into what they believe is true, instead of letting the truth found by Critical thinking uncover and create the world that surrounds them.", your audience, who in fact invested both time and money to sit en masse and listen to teachers impart their own "truth", was feeling a bit defensive.

Did you ask them where/how else they went in discovering truths about their psyches?

Kelley

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Permalink Reply by John Cleesattel on January 23, 2011 at 9:31pm

Good Job Kelley, you said it much better than I did.

John

Kelley Woods said:

Hi Tony,

Perhaps by stating that "Unfortunately, for most people today they seek teachers and/or knowledge that fits into what they believe is true, instead of letting the truth found by Critical thinking uncover and create the world that surrounds them.", your audience, who in fact invested both time and money to sit en masse and listen to teachers impart their own "truth", was feeling a bit defensive.

Did you ask them where/how else they went in discovering truths about their psyches?

Kelley