Don’t Park Your Mind

Beware of efforts to persuade you to park your mind. While we do not always understand everything, God's Word is not counter to reason and the Bible encourages you to use your mind. (Proverbs 2:3-11; consider Romans 12:2; Colossians 2:8; I Thessalonians 5:21; Hebrews 5:14) It is amazing that so many are quick to assume that a news report, expert opinion, media presentation, documentary, or docudrama is an honest, unbiased, and objective viewpoint and above scrutiny. Too many assume that something they read in a book or magazine, hear on the radio, or see on television or in a movie is the last word and makes them an instant expert on a topic or subject and that this expertise or enlightenment eliminates the need to personally study to examine whether their assumptions or theories line up with facts and Scripture, especially religious broadcasting, pop psychology, and the latest junk on TV talk shows.

Critical thinking is essential. Propaganda is information in favour or support of a cause or viewpoint and can be good or evil, honest or dishonest, and informative or misleading; the danger is that propaganda serves the function of self-delusion in the absence of critical thinking.