Have you ever thought about how people think? How our thought process typically works? Let’s take politics for example. Those on the left and right have certain beliefs. It always revolves around the same thought though.
The thought changes over time, but everyone typically says, “I think this” or “I think that”.
In reality, they really don’t think that much. They already heard the thought somewhere else. Maybe it was from the mainstream media, alternative media, social media, a pastor, you take your pick.
In nearly all cases, the person did not think of the idea or thought. All they really did was repeat what they heard someone else say. Something that sort of made sense to their general belief system, so now this thought not only became a part of their belief system, but they echo it for others to absorb.
Others who will absorb the thought, all without taking a thought, and then repeat it.
This happens to more of us than we may like to admit. It does not matter if the topic is religion, politics, or something else. The result is nearly always the same. There is not much original thought these days.
Not many who can think outside of the box.
Those on the left have thinkers who tell them what to think. The same goes for the right. Our thinkers are the mainstream media, alternative media, social media, radio talk show hosts, pastors, and so on.
Each side leads their adherents in one direction, and not many of them really challenge their adherents to think. Only telling them what to think and believe.
When we want to learn about politics, we turn on the TV (or phone).
When we want to learn about the Bible, we turn on the TV (or phone).
You get the idea, rarely do we go to the source of the subject to find the real answers.
The ones that provoke…
Thought.
Moreover, once someone accepts what they heard, that they thought they thought, they are locked in. Once people swallow a hook, rarely if ever are they able to look objectively at a subject ever again to see if maybe their belief system is wrong.
In my interactions with people over the years, I can see this becomes harder to change as individuals become older. Many spend their entire lives believing something, how likely are they to challenge and change their entire belief system that far along in life?
Information
One of the biggest challenges we all face is the amount of information we are presented with. There are so many voices and media platforms out there all telling us what to think and believe.
Some people probably feel the more information they consume, the smarter they will become. Not in today’s world my friends. There are so many rabbit holes it will make your head spin!
In some places, you will find some truth, but it’s typically mixed in with lots of nonsense, lies, and just bad information. These are the most dangerous places. They are the most dangerous as very few are able to discern the untruths from the truths. You see, once we find something that rings in our ear, we are likely to stay with it, trust it, accept it, including the one telling us the information.
That is how we can become manipulated, and led to believe many untrue things. Or how we are led to compromise on things when compromises should not be made, all without even realizing it.
Now think about social media’s censorship and control over the masses. The only information not banned is the information they want you to believe. So if you are subjecting yourself to that propaganda, how do you expect to see through the lies?
Limiting Media Exposure
I feel we are far better off limiting our exposure to media altogether. All of it. Mainstream, alternative, social media, podcasts, video, you name it. The more we read and consume, the more likely we are to be conditioned to someone else’s beliefs and thoughts. The more we consume, the less we think.
Some of the wisest people I know are those who do not tune in to the news or other hubs of information. They get a little information here and there, and then go enjoy life. Then they can process the information themselves without being told what to believe.
That is what we call, “objective thinking”.
Being able to think using your own mind, and not someone else’s. If all we are doing is scouring the web or newspaper for the latest detail, that is not thinking. That is discovering what you want to belief, but certainly not thinking.
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A Challenge For You
So this article is my call for you to challenge any thoughts that come your way. This is my call for you to challenge any thoughts you hold. I don’t care where the thoughts come from, even those presented here. After all, that is why I am writing this.
Before we attach something to our belief system, we should challenge the thought.
We should ask ourselves,
Why am I being told this information?
What purpose does this information serve?
Who benefits from this information?
Does the person presenting this information benefit?
I am sure you can add another question or two to that list.
When we question what we are told and really think about the information we are presented with, it will make us that much wiser. It will help us question before we absorb a thought.
This will lead to wiser people, a people who are less manipulated by media, mainstream or not. Religious or not.
Another thought…
As Christians, how can we expect to understand world events through a Biblical lens if non-believers are presenting us with information?
A non-believer is obviously not allowing the Bible to lead their thoughts, they are allowing something else. Without the Bible, no one will be able to make sense of world events. Further, not all who come in Christ’s name are Christians, never forget that.
By their fruits ye shall know them.
Matthew 7:20
Lack Of Knowledge
Remember, it was God Himself who said,
My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge…
Hosea 4:6
The very word “knowledge” means,
Facts, information, and skills acquired by a person through experience or education; the theoretical or practical understanding of a subject.
Think about that, maybe read it again.
God said we are destroyed because we lack knowledge.
Now think about today, the “information age” they call it. You would think since information is all around us that our knowledge should abound.
We should have plenty of knowledge today right?
Wrong.
Information is all around us, but that does not make all information, good information. Think about Satan, how many times in Scripture did he take good information and twist it?
Think about his encounter with Jesus Christ, Satan continually twisted the Word to mean what he wanted it to mean, and that right there. That is the point I want to draw for you.
Far too many will present you with good information and then they twist it to mean what they want it to mean. Pastors do this, media personalities, and so on. Some mean well, but they still present bad information.
It’s a never-ending cycle.
In a world filled with information, only a tiny fraction of that information is good information. So the more we expose ourselves to, the more likely we are to absorb bad information, all without, ever giving it a thought.
Think, Think, Think.
Have you ever thought about how people think? How our thought process typically works? Let’s take politics for example. Those on the left and right have certain beliefs. It always revolves around the same thought though.
The thought changes over time, but everyone typically says, “I think this” or “I think that”.
In reality, they really don’t think that much. They already heard the thought somewhere else. Maybe it was from the mainstream media, alternative media, social media, a pastor, you take your pick.
In nearly all cases, the person did not think of the idea or thought. All they really did was repeat what they heard someone else say. Something that sort of made sense to their general belief system, so now this thought not only became a part of their belief system, but they echo it for others to absorb.
Others who will absorb the thought, all without taking a thought, and then repeat it.
This happens to more of us than we may like to admit. It does not matter if the topic is religion, politics, or something else. The result is nearly always the same. There is not much original thought these days.
Not many who can think outside of the box.
Those on the left have thinkers who tell them what to think. The same goes for the right. Our thinkers are the mainstream media, alternative media, social media, radio talk show hosts, pastors, and so on.
Each side leads their adherents in one direction, and not many of them really challenge their adherents to think. Only telling them what to think and believe.
You get the idea, rarely do we go to the source of the subject to find the real answers.
The ones that provoke…
Thought.
Moreover, once someone accepts what they heard, that they thought they thought, they are locked in. Once people swallow a hook, rarely if ever are they able to look objectively at a subject ever again to see if maybe their belief system is wrong.
In my interactions with people over the years, I can see this becomes harder to change as individuals become older. Many spend their entire lives believing something, how likely are they to challenge and change their entire belief system that far along in life?
Information
One of the biggest challenges we all face is the amount of information we are presented with. There are so many voices and media platforms out there all telling us what to think and believe.
Some people probably feel the more information they consume, the smarter they will become. Not in today’s world my friends. There are so many rabbit holes it will make your head spin!
In some places, you will find some truth, but it’s typically mixed in with lots of nonsense, lies, and just bad information. These are the most dangerous places. They are the most dangerous as very few are able to discern the untruths from the truths. You see, once we find something that rings in our ear, we are likely to stay with it, trust it, accept it, including the one telling us the information.
That is how we can become manipulated, and led to believe many untrue things. Or how we are led to compromise on things when compromises should not be made, all without even realizing it.
Now think about social media’s censorship and control over the masses. The only information not banned is the information they want you to believe. So if you are subjecting yourself to that propaganda, how do you expect to see through the lies?
Limiting Media Exposure
I feel we are far better off limiting our exposure to media altogether. All of it. Mainstream, alternative, social media, podcasts, video, you name it. The more we read and consume, the more likely we are to be conditioned to someone else’s beliefs and thoughts. The more we consume, the less we think.
Some of the wisest people I know are those who do not tune in to the news or other hubs of information. They get a little information here and there, and then go enjoy life. Then they can process the information themselves without being told what to believe.
That is what we call, “objective thinking”.
Being able to think using your own mind, and not someone else’s. If all we are doing is scouring the web or newspaper for the latest detail, that is not thinking. That is discovering what you want to belief, but certainly not thinking.
Study and news with a fresh Christian perspective in your inbox.
A Challenge For You
So this article is my call for you to challenge any thoughts that come your way. This is my call for you to challenge any thoughts you hold. I don’t care where the thoughts come from, even those presented here. After all, that is why I am writing this.
Before we attach something to our belief system, we should challenge the thought.
We should ask ourselves,
I am sure you can add another question or two to that list.
When we question what we are told and really think about the information we are presented with, it will make us that much wiser. It will help us question before we absorb a thought.
This will lead to wiser people, a people who are less manipulated by media, mainstream or not. Religious or not.
Another thought…
As Christians, how can we expect to understand world events through a Biblical lens if non-believers are presenting us with information?
A non-believer is obviously not allowing the Bible to lead their thoughts, they are allowing something else. Without the Bible, no one will be able to make sense of world events. Further, not all who come in Christ’s name are Christians, never forget that.
Lack Of Knowledge
Remember, it was God Himself who said,
The very word “knowledge” means,
Think about that, maybe read it again.
God said we are destroyed because we lack knowledge.
Now think about today, the “information age” they call it. You would think since information is all around us that our knowledge should abound.
We should have plenty of knowledge today right?
Wrong.
Information is all around us, but that does not make all information, good information. Think about Satan, how many times in Scripture did he take good information and twist it?
Think about his encounter with Jesus Christ, Satan continually twisted the Word to mean what he wanted it to mean, and that right there. That is the point I want to draw for you.
Far too many will present you with good information and then they twist it to mean what they want it to mean. Pastors do this, media personalities, and so on. Some mean well, but they still present bad information.
It’s a never-ending cycle.
In a world filled with information, only a tiny fraction of that information is good information. So the more we expose ourselves to, the more likely we are to absorb bad information, all without, ever giving it a thought.