Learning to think for yourself

One of the things I remember my Daddy telling me over and over was "Don't believe anything you hear and only half of what you see."  As I progressed through my college education...yes, I know I've gone for years; I can't help it, I enjoy learning...I recognized the importance of searching for information from more than one source.  In my years of teaching, I tried to challenge my students to make up their own minds about the subjects we were studying.  And I know that many times in class I quoted my Daddy on knowing the truth.

Sometimes when I stop to contemplate things, thoughts come into my head unbidden.  So when I have them I feel compelled to examine them a little more closely and let them run around in my head.  That is what led to the title. I am afraid too many people have forgotten how to think for themselves.  And it really doesn't matter what the subject is---movies, politics, religion or anything else.  I am afraid that we are teaching our children from early ages to just follow the crowd (yes, I know its nothing new but I think it is worse now) and to all look alike, act alike, but more frightening, to THINK alike.

The Bible tells us in 1 John 4:1 "Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world."  

We need to keep this in mind more often.  Just because someone appears to be an expert on something or hold a position of authority or prestige, don't just take them at their word.  Search for yourself.  Read for yourself.  Study for yourself. THINK for yourself.  

Maybe it is all the arguing on the news over the upcoming election.  Maybe it is just seeing people who accept whatever they hear.  Maybe it is because I just reminded myself that I need to base my beliefs or preferences on information where I have tried the spirits myself. Whatever the reason, I want to encourage each of us not to be led blindly but to examine and learn to think for ourselves.

"If you don't control your mind, someone else will." John Allston