Original Thoughts?
Posted by Tim on January 10, 2009
Wow! Has it really been almost a month and a half since I last blogged? I apologize to the three or four people who really look forward to reading what I write. I guess I haven’t written lately because I have been working so much that I haven’t had time to have an original thought. Most of my thoughts aren’t original anyway but, as NBC used to say about their re-runs, “It’s new to you.”
Speaking of original thoughts, I want to write a little bit about something going around that proves the lack thereof. It seems an age old lie is making the rounds again stronger than ever. People are buying into it thinking that it is an original thought but it is as old as sin (literally). It is the lie that says “if it feels good, do it.” It also goes around in wiser sounding wrapping like, “I can only do what I feel is right” or “I have to be me…” All of it is an excuse for doing what we feel like doing and praying there are no consequences. It is driving me crazy to watch another generation buy into these lies. But it seems they are not just buying into it, the are enthralled by it. They act as if this is the deepest, newest wisdom ever.
The problem is that it is not new or original. It goes back to the book of Genesis. Sin is defined as doing what we think is right instead of what God says is right. I am particularly frustrated to see the ’60s version of this lie re-circulating. What they do not realize is that the philosophers of the ’60s who taught this stuff either overdosed or became responsible, people who do not just follow their feelings or “who they are.” They realized that who they are needed to change because it doesn’t work to go through life completely self absorbed. The hippies became the yuppies and now their kids are saying, “you don’t understand…” We understand. We ALREADY tried and rejected it. We know it does not work.
At the core that is exactly what this philosophy is, selfishness. The world is all about what I feel like, or who I am… Here is a good way to measure your philosophy, does it work for everyone? If your philosophy only works for you, it can’t be true. Here is what I mean: what if EVERYONE did what they felt like or what they thought was right? Suddenly they would be trampling your right to do what you feel like. Then who decides who is right? If it feels good to me to steal your money, who are you to tell me not to steal it. If it seems like hitting you is the right thing to do, who are you to tell me not to hit you? If “who I am” is a selfish jerk who treats you like garbage, who are you to tell me not to do so? What if I want to take the rent money and gamble it away? What if I want to abandon my wife and children? Society would fall apart and the world would be even worse than it is today. This philosophy cannot work for everyone at the same time and therefore is illogical, false, and must be rejected.
Another really funny thing about this kind of thinking is that it only “works” when you are surrounded by people who reject the philosophy who will support you. Who FEELS like going to work everyday to support their family? Those who FEEL like doing nothing, resist that feeling and go to work to support those who do what they feel like… Those who just follow their feelings are extremely grateful for the police, who do their duty instead of what they FEEL like, when someone else feels like ripping them off! The world would fall apart if everyone just accepted who they were instead of working to improve themselves.
Ok, I am not just ranting out of frustration. Anyone can criticize. You must have a better idea if you want to criticize. I do have a better idea and it isn’t original either, just not as popular. As a matter of fact, it is as old as the other philosophy… Submit yourself and your feelings to God and let HIM tell you what is right. He knows how we were made and what fulfills us. We must trust HIM. Usually the right thing to do is the opposite of what we feel like doing. Jesus also gave us a pretty good philosophy that works for everyone at the same time. He said DO to others what you would have them do to you. Imagine if we all did that. All the problems on this planet would be solved. I guess that makes it a true philosophy.
Casi said
I really needed to hear this..(ok well read it ha ha)I have been having all sorts of mixed emotions and FEELINGS about things in my life… but no matter what happens I keep hearing God say, be faithful…this just reminds me that it’s not about how I FEEL about the situation at all.. it also reminds me of a sermon you gave at Lakeview about actions… you used the example.. if you don’t “feel” like you love your spouse anymore… ACT like you do.. and the feelings will follow… Thanks for sharing…
E-diggity said
“I can only do what I feel is right” “I have to be me” These are statements one makes on the path to finding oneself. Are you saying your religion keeps you from finding yourself? Do you rely on God to tell you who you are, and not do any investigations or experiences on your own? I understand that we all can’t run around being savages and taking/doing as we please at the expense of others, however, do you not acknowledge that rites-of-passage must be utilized to become well-rounded, productive-to-society adults? Yes, not every being will be a productive part of society, but should these rites be taken away because of those failures. Futhermore, is society not responsible, in any part, for these failures?
You cite adventures of the 60s generation and stake claim that they “realized” they needed to lay off the hallucinogens and become responsible. Do you not think that free-willed individuals of today’s culture are capable of making their own realizations about themselves and their responsibilities in today’s society. Must the youth of today be ingrained with certain responsibility, faith, and morals that are chosen for them? Are adults not allowed to change their responsibilities, faith, morals etc. Is it truly wrong to be true to oneself? Is it safe to say you do not place faith in your fellow man to be true to himself-society-or his higher power, and that you rely on your higher power to keep the peace? Would not a higher-power want you to love, honor, cherish your fellow man for who he is, despite his faults? (Faults that he probably stumbled across on his journey of self-discovering–wherein he probably discovered many qualities and characteristics that made him who his is today, still being true to himself.)
pastortimb said
Hey, thanks for sharing your thoughts on this. Sorry it has taken me a while to respond. As for my religion keeping me from finding myself, I have two responses. Firstly, I hate religion and do not care what religion has to say. Secondly, I would say that Jesus is the only one who can help me find out who I am. He created me. He know who I am. He know what makes me tick. He does not try to force me into some little box. I don’t have to be a robot. I just believe that He knows the things that will kill my soul and tells me to avoid those things. I can find myself faster within His boundaries than I can running around making the same mistakes that have proven destructive to others. In my observation, the things Jesus tells me to avoid have already been proven to be destructive in other people’s lives. Maybe, He knows what He is talking about…
Running around making the same mistakes that other people have already made and expecting different results is not finding ourselves. There are a million new and creative mistakes I can make and learn from but to refuse to learn from the mistakes of others and avoid them is the opposite of wisdom. This idea that even though I see thousands and thousands of people who have tried these things and rejected them as painful and dangerous, I have to try it for myself, is pride. I can’t find one adult who wishes they started smoking earlier. Instead I see thousands dying because they had to learn for themselves and no one was going to tell them what to do… No one wishes they had taken more drugs, they wish they never started.
As for the second question, about whether I have faith in humanity that they can eventually learn what is right by trying everything else, nothing in this blog implied that they can’t What I am asking is why do it the hard way. I believe that people will eventually realize that Jesus is right. What I am talking about is avoiding the pain and scars of finding out by ignoring the wisdom of the ages. I am truly concerned about your statement about whether God would want me to love those who are doing these things to themselves. Why do you equate a different opinion with a lack of love? I don’t feel like you hate me because you disagree with me. Love is not agreeing. Love is doing what you can to help someone. By asking young people to evaluate a philosophy that cannot work, I am asking them to avoid throwing away years of their live and having to live with years of regret. If I see a truck coming, should I just stand by and say, “they will learn”? I am expressing an opinion. You are free to accept it or reject it. I will love and care about you which ever road you take. I just want to spare you and others the pain.
Maribeth Ladage said
Nice to hear from you again. Yes, the “die to self” thing can really be a challenge at times, but it is the only way to live. Forever learning this…
mad4mba said
Interesting read. I personally do not agree with your views, but i like the way you have articulated your thoughts.
I am not particularly religious but in god i do trust. So, just one question. If I was supposed to only do all things that are prescribed as right according to scripture, acting merely as an automaton, why did he who made me give me the gift of mind, an ability to reason and a right to disagree?
pastortimb said
That is a great question! I think the answer is found within the question itself. Jesus does not expect us or want us to be thoughtless automotons. He gave us the ability to reason and to disagree and then asked us to listen to Him and trust Him. He does not want us to be “religious,” He wants us to enter into a trust relationship with Him. What kind of relationship is it if the other party has no choice? We have the choice. What I am saying in this post is that we should choose to trust that the creator knows what is best for us. I do so because I have reasoned out that other ways do not work. The philosophies I mentioned cannot be followed to their logical conclusions. I am talking about thinking not being a robot.