Sunday, November 22, 2009

Thinking Vs. Knowing

Thinking and knowing are not tweedledum and tweedledee. Thinking is a prospector who might strike gold today, but pyrite tomorrow. Knowing has purchased the pearl of great price. Thinking may be found in the streets of Jerusalem or New Jerusalem. Knowing is a permanent denizen of the latter.


In his tete-a-tete with Eve the serpent wanted her to think about, picture the wonders of, that forbidden tree in the midst of the garden, a tree that was "good for food, and that was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise". Also, a yummy pathway to death. Thinking, important as it is, will not bring us unfailingly into the Kingdom of Heaven any more than it will conjure up a donut with sprinkles on it ("The Fugitive").

It should not be overlooked that one of the three epigraphs to Science and Health, from John, denotes knowing, and another, from Shakespeare, thinking. The two words are certainly not antonyms and may even operate side by side in our consciousness, but thinking does not always yield the treasure of knowing. As has been stated many times before, Christ Jesus' command was to know the truth, not merely think or speak it. Knowing connotes understanding, thinking conceptualizing.

Probably most of us have been frustrated at times, maybe frequently, that our thinking has resulted in such a meager portion of knowing, but Mrs Eddy has made it clear that while the letter usually comes in abundance, the spirit comes in exiguous spritzes.

Note: I appreciate the kind comments on the "poem" a couple of entries ago. The brief critique by LowlyWise, I think, was useful, but I suspect a few more observations may have been mercifully spiked. Some rusty machinery was being set in motion after a long hiatus, and the effort no doubt would have benefitted from a few weeks of aging and emendation. Then, too, desire and noble intentions do not alone make a poet.

19 comments:

Fellow CS said...

A most interesting little essay. Will make me "think" more deeply.
Thanks for posting...

Arizona regular said...

Helpful point you make about Christ Jesus expecting us to "know" the truth--not just think about it.
A good blog post.

Helen said...

Having read your blog posts for many months now, haven't read every one, but most, I want to say a big thank-you at this time of expressing thanks, for all you are doing to further the Truth as given us in Christian Science.
Happy Thanksgiving to you.

Best from New England said...

I do hope your modesty about the poem you posted will not keep you from doing more. Let me say again, I thought it was very well done.

Anonymous said...

I have an idea: why not revise that poem and post the updated one for us? Could be quite helpful to those interested in writing poems themselves.

Anonymous said...

It's me again. Why not have that Lowlywise person give their version of the poem since they obviously write poetry themselves.

L. R. said...

Nicely done, blogger. It certainly takes work to gain spiritual conviction of the words we read in Science, but it's well worth it. And there is no other way to get some understanding of what Christ Jesus knew about God and man.

Dorothy (PA) said...

Dear Blogger.
As I want be back to your website until after Thanksgiving, let me wish you and yours a very peaceful, joyous day.
Thanks for what you are giving out.

Thanks from Canada said...

I enjoyed reading your latest, and of course our Leader does say the time for thinkers has come. Yet, we know what this means! And the work it takes to demonstrate what she has given us in Christian Science. Somewhere in Science and Health she states that unless the supremacy of Spirit comes to our thought, we cannot get results. (my words, of course.) So, what you say about knowing is spot on.

Patrick said...

Very well said. I like the word you used in that sentence with our Master..."command". That says it.

A. W. (Florida) said...

Happy Holiday to you, blogger. Will check back with your website later to see what sparkling blog post/posts you've put on.

Your UK regular said...

Thanks, talented writer. And as to posting more poems for us to read and learn from, do go through with it. Methinks you're too modest about your facililty in this direction.

D. L. said...

Grateful for all you are doing to help your viewers acquire a better grasp of divine metaphysics.
God bless you, blogger.

Practitioner (Northeast) said...

Another good one. How right you are, or rather, our Leader hits the nail on the head. We have plenty of the letter of Science; the spirit of the thing takes much more striving and praying. But think of the eternal rewards!

Still Anonymous said...

Happy Thanksgiving to one who has blessed me over the months. And at the very least, greatly increased my vocabulary!

I'm impressed said...

Thanks for an excellent website. You do seem to post above average essays, and consistently.

Athens, TN said...

Like your blog very much. I'm a fairly new visitor, someone mentioned Broken Net to me, and I definitely will be back again.
Thanks,

Portland, OR said...

Thanks much for your blogging, and have a wonderful day of giving thanks to God.

UK regular viewer and commenter said...

God' increasingly infinite blessings to one who has blessed me greatly through his (or her) website.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours.