Facts Versus Opinion

 

As Jesus was setting out on a journey, a man ran up, knelt down before him, and asked him, "Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" Jesus answered him, "Why do you call me good?  No one is good but God alone. You know the commandments: You shall not kill; you shall not commit adultery; you shall not steal; you shall not bear false witness; you shall not defraud; honor your father and your mother"  (my emphasis).

He replied and said to him, "Teacher, all of these I have observed from my youth." Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said to him, "You are lacking in one thing. Go, sell what you have, and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me." At that statement his face fell, and he went away sad, for he had many possessions. 

Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, "How hard it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!"  The disciples were amazed at his words. So Jesus again said to them in reply, "Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God!  It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for one who is rich to enter the kingdom of God."  They were exceedingly astonished and said among themselves, "Then who can be saved?" Jesus looked at them and said, "For human beings it is impossible, but not for God.  All things are possible for God." 

Peter began to say to him, "We have given up everything and followed you."  Jesus said, "Amen, I say to you, there is no one who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands for my sake and for the sake of the gospel who will not receive a hundred times more now in this present age: houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and eternal life in the age to come." (Mark 10:17-30)

Today's reading begins with commandments given to Moses.  However, many of us have never seen his primer.  Social media is very useful but is corrupted when we treat opinions as facts.  Purveyors of lies know how to bamboozle us.  

Most of aren't capable of critical thinking. Critical thinking is the ability to analyze information, form judgments, and make decisions. It involves being able to: 

Question: Ask questions and test assumptions 

Recognize ambiguity: Identify when something is unclear 

Evaluate: Use reasoning to decide if conclusions are supported 

Make judgments: Decide if something is right or wrong 

Advocate: Present ideas in a logical way 

Be open-minded: Consider different points of view 

Be skeptical: Don't be easily misled 

Be objective: Evaluate ideas without bias 

Be creative: Come up with new solutions 

Be observant: Notice and process details 

Critical thinking takes time and careful thought.  Most of us prefer short cuts.  Those cuts can lead us off cliffs and into pits of despair.  

To thread the needles in our lives, we need clear vision and steady hands.  Following Jesus is the best way to pass through the narrow gaps and gates of our lives when important decisions must be made, such as who to select as our next president of the United States. Let's think critically.

Deacon David Pierce