The Avoidance of Thought

2003-4-29 06:22:00

My Friends,

Thank you for your response on the use of facts. I do not have time to comment fully at present but will add a few words.

The Question:
Religion is another area where the facts are distorted. Suppose you open the Bible and read the following scriptures to both an emotionally polarized person and a mentally polarized one. What will be the difference in the way they interpret?
You shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free. John 8:32

Emotional Person:
The truth is as he sees it and he believes he is free. His quest for freedom is thus at a standstill because he does not see the illusion that holds him bound.

Mental Person:
I may think I am free, but am I really? Perhaps there is a deeper meaning. I will think about it.

For by grace ye are saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God. Not of works, lest any man boast. Ephesians 2:8-9

Emotional Person:
Joel spoke well when he said: "If you only have faith that you don't have do good deeds, or that the deeds don't count because enlightenment is measured by faith."

Mental Person:
I wonder exactly what Paul meant here. Perhaps I can get a clue by reading a few more verses. Ahh... the next verse sheds some light:

"For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus UNTO GOOD WORKS, which God hath before ordained THAT WE SHOULD WALK IN THEM." Verse 10

So, God created us "unto good words" and desires that we "should walk in them." Obviously more than faith is expected of me - or perhaps true faith requires works.

Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. John 3:3

Emotional Person:
Joel again gives a common belief. "The ep interpretation of this would be that if you are a born again Christian that only you and others who are born again Christians can truly see the kingdom of God."

Mental Person:
It appears to me that those who claim to be born again do not see the kingdom of God any more than I do. Perhaps there is more to this scripture than the mere proclaiming of a belief in Jesus. I think I'll look further into it.

Now let us move on to the next attribute:

Emotional Person:
He is lazy mentally and always seeks for an excuse to avoid thought.

Mental Person:
Just as the Emotional Person is enthused about delving into the emotional side of life even so the mental is industrious on the mental plane and does not avoid thought, but embraces it.

To illustrate we can examine an emotional response to the current discussion. Because it takes thought and effort to see the difference between the emotional and mental polarization what we need to ask is - what can the emotional person say to avoid thinking about it?

(1) Declare that such thinking is divisive and should be avoided
(2) Declare that there is no such thing as polarization, especially for the enlightened, and thus is any further thinking terminated.
(3) Declare that looking on the emotional mental side is being caught in the world of duality and he is in a consciousness beyond duality. This declaration releases his from any responsibility of further thought.

These are just a few samples of excuses to avoid thinking. One thing we can say about the emotional people though is that some of them are quite creative and there is no end to the excuses they can conjure up.

Assignment: Tell us of a time that you desired to use thought and explore reason only to have the other person use an excuse to avoid thinking.