One Important Tool In Seeking The Truth

Critical Thinking

I do my best to think outside the box in regards to seeking out the truth to many things that are questionable to me or things that i don't fully understand.
I have found that at times i have let my emotions or gullibility or even trusting in someone older then me,or the worst thing,believing a person that i like versus someone i don't like even though they both have valid and knowledgeable input on whatever truth i might be seeking at the time.
Also i have found that when seeking the truth ,at times i must put aside my present beliefs in order to prevent me from having a biased disposition about the information that i uncover in my truth seeking.

Human Weaknesses As human beings, most of us tend to exhibit five characteristic weaknesses in the formation and retention of our beliefs, namely: Gullibility: uncritical readiness to believe what others (news paper, TV, internet) tell us. Conformity: uncritically believing what others in our group (our family, our community) believe. Trust in authority: uncritical readiness to believe what an ‘authority’ (teacher, textbook, government) tells us. Emotional clouding: uncritical readiness to believe what we wish to believe and what we are told by the
people we like, while disbelieving what we do not wish to believe and what we are told by people we dislike. Resistance to change: uncritical unwillingness to change our beliefs and actions, especially in the case of beliefs and actions that we are used to or are rewarded for. As an antidote to these weaknesses, critical thinking demands that we systematically doubt and question what we believe, what we do, and what we are told to believe and do. It requires us to think for ourselves and subscribe to beliefs and actions only after careful consideration. When faced with choice of accepting a personal responsibility for our beliefs and actions, there are at least three positions that are open to us: It is good to acquire the ability to think critically. There is nothing that can be exempted from doubting and questioning. We should not accept anything without careful consideration. It is good to acquire the ability to think critically, but only in some domains. There are certain things that the elders tell us which should not be doubted or questioned. We should accept them uncritically on unconditional trust. There is no need to think critically. Our heart will tell us what we should believe and what we should do. We should trust our heart. Which of these paths we take is a personal choice that each of us has to make. Should we think for ourselves, or surrender our thinking capacity to those around us, tradition, antiquity, authority, our emotions, and habits? If we choose the former, we take path A.

All off-site content provided bywww.cdtl.nus.edu.sg...

This is the first tread that i have ever posted anywhere on the great world wide web,i have been on the sidelines for years reading and watching and even posting on some forum sites this one included.
I am not infallible and at times have made a total fool of myself and had to ask why.
Through diligent self assessment and input from friends and enemy's i have found critical thinking to further help me in properly uncovering sough after truths.
So in closure i welcome all input on this topic negative or positive,and hope that this information helps others as it has helped me.

I totally agree... I just got kicked off the Catholic Answers forum for having "complete contempt for the church". A lifetime ban I'm guttered, cos now I can't keep telling them how their religion sucks. The thing is they didn't listen to anything I said about my spirituality, and my own closeness to Jesus, they got completely emotional when I said that Mary was a farce. I pointed out all the flaws in their own stories, taken from Catholic sites, and referenced to all those apparitions that they celebrate as part of their rituals. I think I could've said many things and gotten away with it, like the moslems do on this site, but not Mary, she's untouchable. An emotional attachment that I do not understand. All my postings and the replies to my postings were deleted, which leaves me thinking that they are so controlled by the church, that they have no hope of asking questions anyway. The site is filled with the clergy and obviously montitored so closely, people think that moslems are oppressed in so many ways, but so are catholics, religion is the oppressor. The controllers of religion will not allow any other way of thinking to enter their realm.

reply to post by LaborofLove

I have found that when debating religious matters, emotions can become extremely interwoven into such topics and tend to cloud ones better judgment.
Also whenever i involve myself in such debates i must check my motive ,am i there to learn or am i there to change ones view,if it is the latter then all i can expect is emotionally driven responses because people don't take to kindly to change especially when concerning religious or political change,i have found people take it as a personal attack and have a tendency to respond in an undesirable way,i have been guilty of this in the past myself.

After spending a few years on this site, I needed extended breaks to regain my ability to think critically. Its simply a healthier way to live. Looking back a couple years ago, I'm actually a little scared of what I could've become had I let all the heresay and wild theories cloud my brain.

In terms of religion, I do think that sometimes it does need to be forceably removed from one's reality. Personally, I went back to school and got a degree in religious studies before I lost my unfounded faith. But if I am to think critically, given the information I now have, I have to fight religion because of its horrifying influence on the world. Emotional responses are expected, but logic is often fought with emotion, because logic always backs emotion into an inescapable corner.

reply to post by LaborofLove

yes the Catholic Pope sucks... he is not Gods voice on earth and surely not the father...

live and let live brother, go after their women

start with central and south America

Originally posted by LaborofLove
they got completely emotional when I said that Mary was a farce. I pointed out all the flaws in their own stories, taken from Catholic sites, and referenced to all those apparitions that they celebrate as part of their rituals. I think I could've said many things and gotten away with it, like the moslems do on this site, but not Mary, she's untouchable.

Mary is not a farce btw, she is pretty much every woman that is bound by monotheism which is not of the Protestant variety... this includes Muslim, Jewish and Catholic women.

there were 3 Marys... and they need the words and acts of Jesus to give them liberty and independence, this is why the Catholics don't like we Puritan/Protestant flavor of Christianity, we know their game and we separated ourselves (here in America) from the British Church Ruling State for a reason during our founding... We took the best parts with us "Jesus"

be like Jesus, be anti-establishment to anything but him... Jesus is the only way to know the father.

a reply to: Ghostcoolerbump

a reply to: Ghostcooler

Good on you Ghostcaller for making the effort. F&S for that.

I try not to listen to people who say one thing and actions imply another, I.E Charitable works but happy to extort from people.

All I care about Is as many good deeds / kindness etc you can give to others.

bump