Blog 819 – 11.19.2017

Creative Thinking

When our philosophy or our theology paints us into the proverbial corner or worse puts us in a box, it is time for some new or creative thinking. Someone has said since beliefs are so hard to change we should stick with ideas for they are easier to modify or just quit altogether and adopt new ones. But I say that is just semantics (or wrestling with the meanings of words.) In my several attempts to become proficient in the Spanish language, I am still far from it, I learned that “Creo que” means, “I think that, or I believe that”, thinking and believing being synonyms. So creative thinking is really creative believing and it is as easy to change our beliefs as it is to change our thoughts. There are thousands of thoughts, millions, to choose from why do we persist on dwelling on the limiting or painful ones. If love, as I think or believe, is the answer to all our problems then by my slightly skewed view the lack of it is the root cause of all our problems and trouble. Thinking that we are unloved or unlovable for some reason not only makes us miserable but often causes us to act out in ways hurtful to ourselves and others.

Creation is the act of bringing new things to light. All creation begins first with a new thought, a new vision, of things not as we thought they were, or as they might have appeared, but the highest and best they can be. All great discoveries, inventions, creations, steps forward (progress) begin with a change of thinking. Conservatism is all about maintaining some kind of status quo or returning to some time or dogma of the past that one considers the pinnacle of progress not to be outdone or improved upon. That place, that time, that document no longer exists, if it ever did. Life goes on, the pinnacle, the ideal, is to move ever forward, upward. Stop or slow down and we will soon be left behind. Attempt to go back and the gulf between us and the ideal will grow greater and greater. The ultra examples of this today are the Amish, the Muslims, and the Orthodox Jews. Actually the orthodox Roman Catholics or any of a number of Mormon and Christian sects can fall into this same trap as can any religion, creed, or club. Rules must adapt as situations change or they become inflexible, intolerant and the people who try in vain to force and enforce them on others end up in the same small tiny box they would in prison others in.

Think one new thought today, try to see things differently, and watch the world around you change and often for the better.

Your friend and fellow traveler,

David White