Is the notion of the power of positive thinking antagonistic to Christ

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  1. Ericdierker profile image47
    Ericdierkerposted 10 years ago

    There seems to be a fine line between "I can do this" and "let go and let God".
    It would appear we can and must do both. But perhaps there is another way to look at it.

    1. Kathryn L Hill profile image81
      Kathryn L Hillposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Jesus said, "Knock and the door will be answered." Positive thinking depends on faith in the force, (Omnipresent Spirit,) behind the "door." (single eye of intuition.) This faith leads to the positive action of knocking, (within the mind). When we wait for the answer, or are open to the answer, (through intuition:) Presto: Positive Solutions in the realm of thought!  Positive Solutions will then manifest as positive occurrences according to the science and laws of creativity, (which we must cooperate with.)
      TATWIHE ( True According To What I Have Experienced)

    2. Paul K Francis profile image85
      Paul K Francisposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      I think that they work well together. Positive thinking works best when, as stated in a previous post, faith is present. I "let go and let God" when I need to take a break from thinking or when I fall into a rut of habitual not too positive thinking. I know that God is smarter than me, so I defer to the limitless 'non thinking' intelligence of spirit and the resurrected Christ.

      1. Ericdierker profile image47
        Ericdierkerposted 10 years agoin reply to this

        I am with you, when I remember ;-)  Man some times I just take the reigns and try to force issues. I suppose we take the positive thinking sometimes and run it straight into a brick wall. If I get up and charge again the pain gets bad. If then I remember to let go -- right on!

    3. kess profile image61
      kessposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      That is because there is a separation differentiation between yourself and God...

      Without this there would be no difference between the two.....
      God's will is my will and my will is God's will.

      1. Ericdierker profile image47
        Ericdierkerposted 10 years agoin reply to this

        Kess that is a wonderful sentiment. Except when you are wrong. Are you suggesting that you also are infallible?

        1. kess profile image61
          kessposted 10 years agoin reply to this

          The only wrong thought a man can think is to think that he can be wrong....then he is.


          If you think that I am fallible then to you I am fallible...

          but to me, I am what I am.

    4. Disappearinghead profile image59
      Disappearingheadposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      I've seen the result of 'let go and let God',  it tends to lead people to sit back and do nothing. Those who are self reliant tend to just get things done.

    5. EncephaloiDead profile image55
      EncephaloiDeadposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      The power of positive thinking?

      How about tackling just thinking, first? Baby steps. wink

      1. Ericdierker profile image47
        Ericdierkerposted 10 years agoin reply to this

        That is an interesting comment coming from you. It would seem that just perhaps you are a great thinker, but you lend yourself ever so much to the negative. "The power of Negative Thinking" --- hmmm there may be something there.

        1. EncephaloiDead profile image55
          EncephaloiDeadposted 10 years agoin reply to this

          I can understand how thinking, facts, evidence and reality would be considered negative for the believer, they do everything they can to reject, deny and escape them.

          1. Ericdierker profile image47
            Ericdierkerposted 10 years agoin reply to this

            There you have it -- all negative!

            1. EncephaloiDead profile image55
              EncephaloiDeadposted 10 years agoin reply to this

              I would advise against thinking, then, if negative is all you see with it.

  2. Perspycacious profile image65
    Perspycaciousposted 10 years ago

    Faith is an act of positive thinking and hardly antagonistic to Christ and his teachings.

    1. Ericdierker profile image47
      Ericdierkerposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      True that unless the thought is not pure.

  3. bdn9385 profile image58
    bdn9385posted 10 years ago

    I think it is not the thinking but the character and heart of the thinker. Every positive or negative thinking of a just man is probably backed up by a just cause and therefore honorable before Christ. But the thinking of a hypocrite, be it positive or negative is hardly for the welfare of others. Now as for the majority of people who are caught in between and groping in wilderness! this question is indeed a major issue! The question really is "Does even your positive or negative thinking matter before God or Christ given your confused, unsettled state?" Lol. Just kidding! smile

  4. lone77star profile image74
    lone77starposted 10 years ago

    Eric, the critical point here is one of ego. Christ talked about this when he said that the first (egoist) shall be last and the last (humble) shall be first.

    Faith is the perfection of confidence. This is more at "feeling" than thinking. So, one must have humble confidence. When I first realized this, I immediately questioned it, thinking it to be an oxymoron. It isn't.

    Confidence without humility is arrogance and thus full of ego.

    Positive thinking can be a good place to start, but then you must feel the confidence, otherwise the prayer (power) is empty.

    This is what I experienced during the Miracle on Wilshire Boulevard. This is beyond all thought.

    When you have Faith (the "I can do it" attitude), you really get rid of "I" and give it to God. This is a crude, human language approximation for what actually happens.

    If someone prays in fear, they will get more fear. If they have fearless confidence (Faith), then they will given the thing they originally thought about. The first person (fearful) had faith in fear and faith in physical continuity. So, their prayer seems to be "not answered." But it really is, because they know not what they really asked for. Feeling is the asking; not thought or words. Feeling is the pointing. You can be looking at a red balloon (desire) and be pointing at the green one (faith). When you say, "I want that one," you will get the green one -- not the one you were looking at.

    My "Anatomy of a Miracle" describes this in more detail.

    But I've learned some new distinctions since I wrote that. With Kabbalah (from the people who wrote the Bible in code), I have learned that we ultimately need to come together (in love) sharing viewpoints, merging into one. If you take 100% responsibility for the actions of others, as I did during the Miracle on Wilshire Blvd., then you take a divine viewpoint close to that of God. Miracles and forgiveness become effortless and instantaneous. With 100% responsibility, you can no longer be a victim. And this responsibility for the actions of others puts you in the loving position of giving them what they want, which is the viewpoint Christ wanted us to achieve.

    When he died on the cross, he was taking responsibility for all the sins of the world, including the crimes against his person for placing him on that cross. When we do likewise, we are following him.

    I see so many so-called Christians complaining about others, making them seem "outsiders," instead of loving them. By their egoistic "us versus them," they are adding to the problem (separation), rather than following Christ's instructions.

  5. profile image57
    ahmedzahirposted 10 years ago
 
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