Critical Thinking

Lizzie Freear explains why we should

Photo: pro.corbis.com

It is all too easy to become comfortable, to take your beliefs for granted; to go to Church or read the Bible without actually thinking about it. I would argue that unless you have considered the alternatives to what you believe, you can’t claim to hold that belief.

Why is this? I’ll explain. If you believe something, but have never considered the arguments against it, how do you know that you would not be persuaded by them? If you believe that abortion is immoral but refuse to listen to anyone who says otherwise, how do you know they’re not right? You don’t. If you listen to someone who agrees with abortion, and think about what they say, you will have to defend your beliefs not only to them, but to yourself as well. You will have to come up with reasons why your belief can withstand their arguments. Your belief will be strengthened. How can you believe that God is perfectly good if you can’t explain the evil in the world?

Friends can be very useful for this. I have found discussing religion with non-Christian friends not only helps their understanding, but mine as well. I have found that defending my beliefs when debating with those who don’t share them has helped me to work out exactly what I do believe. It is so easy to not think carefully about moral and theological issues and to take a particular viewpoint without applying your own intellect. Of course many things cannot be explained completely — they are matters of faith — but through thinking about them and questioning them we can gain a greater understanding of them.

In my experience, Christians can often come across as being very arrogant, making it clear that they think they’re right and everyone else is wrong. In my opinion, this does no-one any good. As Christians we may believe that we know the truth about things, but that doesn’t mean that we understand it as well as we think we do. I am not trying to encourage you to doubt your faith, but debate and discussion, whether with a friend or on your own, should increase your understanding of what it is that you do believe.

In Philosophy, when someone comes up with a major criticism of a predominant idea, this is the cue for a supporter of the idea to come to its defence, or to come up with an improved idea. Without the criticism, the original idea would never have improved. In Christianity, questioning and criticising is an important way of strengthening your faith and deepening your understanding; not only of God, but also of yourself and the world around you.

The same can be said for the whole of life. I have a friend who is very good at removing people from their comfort zone by asking awkward or unexpected questions, and making you think. Thinking is something we should all do a lot more of. If I have inspired you to do some thinking and questioning of your own, try reading Why I am not a Christian by Bertrand Russell.

Lizzie Freear