Thursday, May 12, 2005
i think, therefore...
Ever heard the phrase, "I think, therefore I am?" It's a common one. I could agree with it, because certain sources would seem to make some sense of it:
"As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he." This is an aphorism supposedly taken from Proverbs 23:7, which actually reads "For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee." Even though the altered scripture could not be relied upon as a generalizaton from a biblical point of view, obviously, I'm wondering if it holds any value. I think it might.
-but-
"...if a man thinketh himself to be something when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself." - Galations 6:3 (KJV). We shouldn't deceive ourselves by believing we are what we tell ourselves we are. I do believe that what we tell ourselves we are can have a measurable effect on what we become and that thought processes are very significant. This is biblical; Paul teaches that we must "be transformed by the renewing of our mind."
I like what Jim Baumgaertel said at some such Web page:
Well then. This is certainly something to think about (outrageously ingenius pun intended).
I would venture to change imperfect "I think, therefore I am," to another, perhaps more truthful phrase: "I think, therefore I need to think some more."
-and-"Mind is the Master power that moulds and makes,
And Man is Mind, and evermore he takes
The tool of Thought, and, shaping what he wills
Brings forth a thousand joys, a thousand ills.
He thinks in secret, and it comes to pass:
Environment is but his looking-glass." -James Allen
"As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he." This is an aphorism supposedly taken from Proverbs 23:7, which actually reads "For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee." Even though the altered scripture could not be relied upon as a generalizaton from a biblical point of view, obviously, I'm wondering if it holds any value. I think it might.
-but-
"...if a man thinketh himself to be something when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself." - Galations 6:3 (KJV). We shouldn't deceive ourselves by believing we are what we tell ourselves we are. I do believe that what we tell ourselves we are can have a measurable effect on what we become and that thought processes are very significant. This is biblical; Paul teaches that we must "be transformed by the renewing of our mind."
I like what Jim Baumgaertel said at some such Web page:
"The world says we can mold ourselves and create our own destiny by the powers of our own minds. The Bible says we have no hope in and of ourselves. Our only hope for eternal life and abundant life now is to put our trust in the Lord Jesus Christ."But we can easily detract from or destroy our relationship with and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ if we do not take our minds captive.
Well then. This is certainly something to think about (outrageously ingenius pun intended).
I would venture to change imperfect "I think, therefore I am," to another, perhaps more truthful phrase: "I think, therefore I need to think some more."
# posted by jac-atac :
5/12/2005 09:04:00 AM
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Ahh...
Famous qoutes. Perfect for every moment, but utterly meaningless.
Glad you finally started a blog again, you slacker! :-D
Sorry it took me so long to find it...
Chau
Famous qoutes. Perfect for every moment, but utterly meaningless.
Glad you finally started a blog again, you slacker! :-D
Sorry it took me so long to find it...
Chau
The only thing I can get out of it is that there's sometimes more than what you think of yourself as. Or possibly once you start to think of yourself as something or someone, it can turn into a series or mass of identifications--many of times bad.
# posted by
: 9:15 PM
: 9:15 PM
I understand what you are saying and I think it is very true, however, I think you are missing a part of your argument.... 'I think, therefore I am' and other such theological discussions are very intersting to ponder. And the knowledge that Jesus is Lord and using Him as your guiding light is very comforting, but where do the two schools of thought meet? They seem so opposite. Somewhere in the Bible, I don't know where the passage is, it says that God lives in each and every one of us, His love and His guidance are with us always because He lives in us. So, if God lives in you, part of getting in touch with yourself is getting in touch with God. A devout Christian who doesn't know themselves is as easily swayed by the perssures of the world as an athiest who is very self aware. As far as our minds creating our reality, it is true to a point. We can change the way we precieve things, which changes our attitudes, which changes our emotion, which changes our bodies physically, which changes how the people around us react to us, which changes the world we live in. So, 'I think therefore I am' is true to some extent. How the world sees you is a part of you too, and you must keep God close to your mind and your heart in order to both deal with the challenges of life. Sorry for pontificating too long, I will step down from my soap box now.
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# posted by
: 5:16 PM
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