Head-dibs

As my pastor says, "let's go back to the top" and consider how grade one thinking from the highest pinnacle of thought actually informs man's situation. It can be said theologically that “anthropology is the study of man” in terms of a literal definition. Man’s creation, existence and purpose has only one logical explanation in the person of God, the uncreated Creator. The Scriptures clearly and distinctly teach that God created man, that he is the result of an act of immediate divine creation. Asking the question, "how can we trust God’s perspective as recorded in the Bible?" moves us from level two to level one thinking, demonstrating we are pursuant of truth. First, the Bible can be trusted because it introduces and contains certain, verifiable history. Second, quotes itself and is quoted by people throughout history as being true. Third, the facts recorded in the Bible, including the creation and probation of man, lie at the foundation of God’s whole...

William Golding is best known for his novels "The Lord of the Flies," “Free Fall” and the sea trilogy "Rites of Passage," “Close Quarters” and “Fire Down Below.” Golding should have received greater recognition for his essay, "Thinking as a Hobby." Here Golding helps the reader understand how he came to the conclusion that there are three grades, or categories of thinking. Grade three thinking is "feeling, rather than thought," much like animal instinct and as equally reactionary. This is the thinking grade of addictive behavior, hedonists and Jedi Knights. Grade two thinking "destroys without having the power to create;" that is, while grade two thinking may enjoy discovering and pointing out contradiction, it provides no answers, solutions or security. This is the thinking grade of humanistic science, philosophy, anthropology, sociology, and psychology. The danger of grade two thinking can be compared with the undertow, which drags th...

“Early to bed, early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.” Also Sprach Benjamin Franklin . At one point in my life, I saw Franklin as the wisest person who ever lived—his contributions to mankind were so numerous that in my eyes, none but the most wisest could perform so many noble acts. Franklin’s inventions include water-wings, bi-focals, the lightening rod. He made contributions to the fields of medicine, agriculture, banking, printing, heating and air. He was an educator, a politician, founded libraries, published, and was the first to go postal. Ironically, when it came to personal and spiritual development he made many failed attempts at morality and sought to arrive at perfection by his own means, admitting at last that he could not. Regardless, Franklin was a leader. When we look for leaders, two facts come to the surface: first, we should strive to see wise people in leadership positions. I say, “should” because when I think of something grand like the Presidential ...