Sunday, May 07, 2006

Are There Better Ways to Uplift People?

Just watched a lecture by Derek Bok, author of Our Underachieving Colleges , on CSPAN2. He observed that there is a gap between best practices and common practices in higher education. There are advances in cognitive psychology and education, yet, most Ph.D. students are not required to take any education courses. Most professors emulate consciously or unconsciously the professors they admired the most for their teaching abilities. I wonder if the same can be said about Theology and Religion. The best ministers, priests and such, are charismatic individuals with excellent public speaking skills, although I have met ministers who weren't the best orators or most charismatic people, yet, were excellent, humble men of faith. Is there a better way to instill critical thinking and curiosity in religion or spirituality? Are there better ways to uplift oneself and others? This line of reasoning is more in line with George's blog
Comments:
Critical thinking more often than not fosters separation and division. Because the one who criticises usually thinks himself superior than the one he criticizes. For example, if one thinks he is humble, he might start seeing the lack of humility of others, and might judge them as less humble or even arrogant. One must criticise the society in general instead of one or a few individuals, and must not separate himself from society.
 
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