I've seen that term thrown around before, mostly in debates where it was asserted that groups I affiliated with had a lack of it. I didn't really grasp it... until now. Not just logical thinking, but approaching things from the perspective of being wrong and proving something right with verifiable evidence.
I had an exchange with a friend. I respect the guy and politically, we're polar opposite. I support Obama and he supports Romney. Interestingly we both admitted to not trusting the other side. I'm sure we both have plenty of ammunition provided by the smear campaigns from both sides, but we carried on a conversation in a civil manner and didn't offend each other. He let me know he'd had enough, by asking what was for dinner? Of course I had to spout off a few more points then respond, "Pork Chops," then I could give it a rest and go cut the grass. ;o)
While cutting the grass, of course my mind would not slow down about the exchange. It's when that mower engine is roaring and the music in my headphones is blasting, that I can think the best. Clarity comes to me... I GOT IT!
While my friend, who is Catholic, is abhorred at the idea of contributing to a government that pays for stuff like abortions and condoms and admires the church for it's charitable work and Romney for his charitable donations, he also abhors the government for being too charitable towards the poor.
The government even gives you a tax deduction for giving to the charity/ place of worship of your choice AND makes those (businesses) places tax exempt! (we won't go into how they violate that by stumping for right wing conservative ideals and try to enact legislation with their religious beliefs while denying others similar rights, thereby nullifying the constitutional equality of all humans. And lets not mention aiding and abetting priests who molest children either....shhh, it'd be bad publicity - isn't that right, Boy Scouts of America?)
Providing abortions and condoms to those you just hate to help should be something you jump at the chance to do. Since the use of critical thinking shows us that it's a statistical fact that the poor reproduce more than the middle class and upper crust weathy-ites. But then that would be a moral dilemma, due to religious beliefs. (there's that ideal that they just gotta rule the rest of the world with again... grrr.)
I have my religious/spiritual beliefs and I am realizing (critically thinking - this is healthy stuff, try it sometime!) that it wasn't until I got saved and bought into the atonement theology, (that'd be where you accept the idea that you were born a filthy nasty sinful mess and bound for Hell to burn for eternity, unless and until you accepted Jesus as your Savior who Atoned for your sinfulness, then everything is okay. Kinda like in the south where so long as you say "bless his/her/their heart," everything said afterwards about the person is okay and forgiven.) that I became homophobic, condemning and well, feeling mighty righteous about myself. Prior to that I was just another guy working to make ends meet and willing to help some along the way
Things are changing and too rapidly for many folks on the conservative side of things. One of the things I like about Obama is during his first campaign he said the old way of thinking isn't working any more. And as far as I'm concerned he was and is right!
We got into a mess with the "old way." It's time to think a new way. It's time to stop oppressing women. This is a major portion of society that can contribute far more than it's been able to. It's time to make health care affordable for everyone. It is an atrocity for anyone to go bankrupt because of health related bills in this modern day. (Medical problems caused 62% of all personal bankruptcies filed in the U.S. in 2007, according to a study by Harvard researchers. And in a finding that surprised even the researchers, 78% of those filers had medical insurance at the start of their illness, including 60.3% who had private coverage, not Medicare or Medicaid. http://www.businessweek.com/bwdaily/dnflash/content/jun2009/db2009064_666715.htm)
It is a known fact that incarceration doesn't work to the end it is supposed to. It does not rehabilitate or improve society. And again, in this modern age...
I had an exchange with a friend. I respect the guy and politically, we're polar opposite. I support Obama and he supports Romney. Interestingly we both admitted to not trusting the other side. I'm sure we both have plenty of ammunition provided by the smear campaigns from both sides, but we carried on a conversation in a civil manner and didn't offend each other. He let me know he'd had enough, by asking what was for dinner? Of course I had to spout off a few more points then respond, "Pork Chops," then I could give it a rest and go cut the grass. ;o)
While cutting the grass, of course my mind would not slow down about the exchange. It's when that mower engine is roaring and the music in my headphones is blasting, that I can think the best. Clarity comes to me... I GOT IT!
While my friend, who is Catholic, is abhorred at the idea of contributing to a government that pays for stuff like abortions and condoms and admires the church for it's charitable work and Romney for his charitable donations, he also abhors the government for being too charitable towards the poor.
Well, this is where critical thinking jumps out and grabs you and says "HEY, that makes no sense." AND it showed me that leaders of churches and Federally elected folks both take your money, pay their salary and give it to others. What a great job to have!! You pay, I play and take credit for helping others while you go home and feel good about giving. What a racket (a systematised element of organized crime
The government even gives you a tax deduction for giving to the charity/ place of worship of your choice AND makes those (businesses) places tax exempt! (we won't go into how they violate that by stumping for right wing conservative ideals and try to enact legislation with their religious beliefs while denying others similar rights, thereby nullifying the constitutional equality of all humans. And lets not mention aiding and abetting priests who molest children either....shhh, it'd be bad publicity - isn't that right, Boy Scouts of America?)
Providing abortions and condoms to those you just hate to help should be something you jump at the chance to do. Since the use of critical thinking shows us that it's a statistical fact that the poor reproduce more than the middle class and upper crust weathy-ites. But then that would be a moral dilemma, due to religious beliefs. (there's that ideal that they just gotta rule the rest of the world with again... grrr.)
I have my religious/spiritual beliefs and I am realizing (critically thinking - this is healthy stuff, try it sometime!) that it wasn't until I got saved and bought into the atonement theology, (that'd be where you accept the idea that you were born a filthy nasty sinful mess and bound for Hell to burn for eternity, unless and until you accepted Jesus as your Savior who Atoned for your sinfulness, then everything is okay. Kinda like in the south where so long as you say "bless his/her/their heart," everything said afterwards about the person is okay and forgiven.) that I became homophobic, condemning and well, feeling mighty righteous about myself. Prior to that I was just another guy working to make ends meet and willing to help some along the way
Things are changing and too rapidly for many folks on the conservative side of things. One of the things I like about Obama is during his first campaign he said the old way of thinking isn't working any more. And as far as I'm concerned he was and is right!
We got into a mess with the "old way." It's time to think a new way. It's time to stop oppressing women. This is a major portion of society that can contribute far more than it's been able to. It's time to make health care affordable for everyone. It is an atrocity for anyone to go bankrupt because of health related bills in this modern day. (Medical problems caused 62% of all personal bankruptcies filed in the U.S. in 2007, according to a study by Harvard researchers. And in a finding that surprised even the researchers, 78% of those filers had medical insurance at the start of their illness, including 60.3% who had private coverage, not Medicare or Medicaid. http://www.businessweek.com/bwdaily/dnflash/content/jun2009/db2009064_666715.htm)
It is a known fact that incarceration doesn't work to the end it is supposed to. It does not rehabilitate or improve society. And again, in this modern age...
- The US incarcerates the largest number of people in the world.
- The incarceration rate in the US is four times the world average.
- Some individual US states imprison up to six times as many people as do
- nations of comparable population.
- The US imprisons the most women in the world.
- Crime rates do not account for incarceration rates.
- http://www.nccdglobal.org/sites/default/files/publication_pdf/factsheet-us-incarceration.pdf
This old way of thinking is NOT WORKING! It's time to embrace the idea that you're WRONG!
That was the healthiest thing I ever did and the blinders fell from my eyes.
This happened to Paul on the road to Damascus. He was against "The Way" as they called the movement of those who followed Jesus and his socialistic thinking. Then he saw the light (hah - literally according to the scriptures) and changed his ways. He was "transformed by the renewing of his mind." The rest of his story is certainly a struggle with his love for the Jews and his calling to the Gentiles (non-Jews). I'm sad to say that much of what we know as the Christian Church today subscribes to Paul and misses the ideals of Jesus who only had harsh words for the system and those who oppress and hung out with those we find despicable like the LGBT community, the drug users and the people with AIDS.
I got rid of the old way of thinking... Paul said it, "when I was a child I thought as a child." I was a war mongering right wing conservative who felt completely sold down the drain and deceived by the Bush administration. (which I'd say was the Cheney administration.. see the movie "wag the dog".) Everything has moved so far right that Obama is more like Reagan that the GOP is currently.
It is blatantly wrong to increase military spending and cut education spending. my friend even said educating the poor was futile. This grieves me. I hope he doesn't really believe this in his heart of hearts. I hope that the contributions by minorities in this country are brought forward and presented in educational settings so that future generations stop with this superior mentality and continue to oppress the minorities. One day it's going to flip flop and as the good book tells them, the first will be last and the last will be first! (Selah)
Do people have a sense of entitlement in this country? You betcha. Is it going to get worse before it gets better? You betcha. Is there a god who gives a damn? Maybe. But there is a mind within you with all the answers and ability and compassion that people like Jesus along the way have tried to wake us up to our nature and point us in a better direction.
I don't believe President Obama has all the answers or is the answer, (don't get me started about why we don't have the Independent and Green parties represented in debates and elections) but I believe he is the best choice in consideration of where we are and how we got here. Out thinking must change BEFORE we find a way out of this mess. Since critical thinking shows us that actions follow beliefs.
Peace~
DLWS
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