When you learn something that contradicts what you already "know"

Published: Thu, 01/12/17

Renew Weekly

​​​​​​​5 Point Thursday  01.12.17


Notes, quotes, and links from Mark Brouwer. I help spiritually minded people who want to make a difference with their lives but struggle with overwhelm, addiction, stress, and discouragement. This might help ...

1. This is my month of transitioning:  Starting in February, I will end my work with Jacob's Well, and will be pastoring full time at Loop Church. Charlene and I will also move from our current home (a church parsonage) to an apartment in the Wicker Park neighborhood of Chicago. I've written previously about this decision here and here. One reason for this change was to create a more simple and focused life (pastoring one church instead of two, and living in a smaller home with fewer possessions). I'm confident that this will happen, but of course the time of transition and moving has a busyness of its own. By the way ... do you want to buy some stuff? We are selling a lot!


2. We can't "make" spiritual transformation happen -- we can only create the conditions for it:  
​​​​​​​"In the end, this is the most hopeful thing any of us can say about spiritual transformation: I cannot transform myself, or anyone else for the matter. What I can do is create the conditions in which spiritual transformation can take place, by developing and maintaining a rhythm of spiritual practices that keep me open and available to God." - Ruth Haley Barton


3. Political and social change comes best from non-violent protest:  Here's an interesting article from the Scientific American about political change. It's a profile of author and political theorist Gene Sharp. Sharp is a long-time political scientist who's written extensively about the value of -- and strategies for -- non-violent protest. He's no Ghandi, and he's no idealist. His focus is purely pragmatic. 
 

4. Feature article -- What to do when you learn something that contradicts what you already "know":  

Does it make you uncomfortable to deal with information that contradicts what you previously thought was true? There are two kinds of people: (a) people who plug their ears to contradictory information, and refuse to change (b) people who are willing to accept the new information -- after verifying its accuracy of course -- and rethink their position. This is wisdom. 

A principle I've gleaned from Chinese philosophers like Lao Tzu and Chuang Zhu is that it's healthy for living things to remain flexible and soft ... like a green branch that is able to flex in the blowing wind. When things become old and hard, they become brittle ... like a hardened tree branch that is liable to crack and break in the wind. That which is alive is soft and flexible, and that which is dead is rigid and brittle. Of course it's not a perfect analogy, and it's not the Gospel truth for all occasions, but there's an important truth there.

There is a fine line between having firm convictions (good), and being rigid and closed to truth (bad). For people in recovery, this mental flexibility is essential. It's really important to come to grips with the things you need to UN-learn about yourself, your beliefs, your ways of relating. For people in leadership, this mental flexibility is also essential. You have to be willing to learn, to see things in new ways, to challenge your assumptions. Otherwise, you will lose touch with the people around you, and the environment your organization exists in.

John Maynard Keynes once was challenged for altering his position on some economic issue. “When my information changes,” he said, “I change my mind. What do you do?” 


5. Quote of the week ... the other side of this issue: 

“Hurry is the great enemy of spiritual life in our day. You must ruthlessly eliminate hurry from your life."
- Dallas Willard
Let's keep in touch ...
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I currently serve as the pastor of two churches in the Chicago area: Loop Church, and Jacob's Well Church. If you're ever in the area, come join us on a Sunday morning! Places to find my writing:


The Recovery Journey
Check out my 90 Day program for starting (or renewing) your recovery from sexual addiction / compulsion called "The Recovery Journey". There's also a special program for the partners of addicts.