Monday, July 3, 2017

Goodthink vs. Malthought

We met Ignora Stonewaller the other day. Let me introduce Truly Goodthink. She's one of my closest fictional friends. I hold her in high esteem, and come to her when I have dubious thoughts. You see, I would have no problem behaving if my thinking was better. Ignora "Nora" encourages me to misbehave by evil thoughts but Truly has me think on things before I act.

Her methods are honorable. She is of few opinions, and bases everything on God's word. If she does any wrong at all, it's because she neglects thinking - her very purpose in life. Truly uses logic which requires truth. Her truth comes not from the world, but from Holy Scripture. She feels that it's better to be safe than sorry, and eternity in hell would be an eternal occasion for sorrow. Her logic tells her that what she sees in nature is so magnificent that it could not have just happened by chance. You see, she firmly believes that Chance is powerless, and what is seen took Power to exist.

For enough power to create, Truly believes, that only Almighty God could do that. Her motto is: Why think it more stupid for God to create than for it to just happen? That is logical and rational thought. Others have reason but it's generally irrational. It's based on selfish reason, she thinks, because disobedient people don't want to face punishment. Truly suggests that as the criminal doesn't fear prison if there is no justice system, sinners don't fear God if there is no judge. Prudence, her sister, even adds, "It's not wise to deny what is real because there are consequences." Prudence believes truth as well because she fears destruction.

On the other hand, their other sister, Apatha, just doesn't care. Her nature is to enjoy things while she can, and not worry about divine punishment. It's not really that she doesn't care, but that God can be dismissed as fable if she just fails to think about her eternal destiny. When she is quiet for a spell, and has time to think, it's usually this: God is good and would never send anyone to hell.  Truly always tells her that type of thinking is based on selfish interests, and not the word of God, and Prudence just shakes her head, and tells her that her living for pleasure is a great gamble.

The sisters are a family, but dysfunctional because Apatha creates Chaos. That's her illegitimate child. His full name is Chaotic Malthought because his father was deceived by Apatha. Mr. Malthought, who she met at the bar, had told her that just one time wouldn't matter - the roll in bed was worth the chance, and she would never get pregnant. Malthought rationalized that. He called it justifying his pleasure, but sinful pleasure can only be rationalized.

Whenever Truly and Prudence admonish Apatha, she tunes them out. An ill-tuned woman can only have poor fidelity. While Truly and Prudence are good Christians, Apatha is an infidel. Not caring dooms most people, and Apatha just doesn't care!

Malthought's given name is Decepto. Decepto Malthought is naïve. He believes in God, but wants to enjoy life to its fullest. He intends to be born-again, perhaps as Accepto Goodfellow, but he will wait until he's old before he changes. Even the word "change" scares Decepto. He likes who he is, and believes God accepts him as he is. You see, he understands part of the truth but not all of it. That part is true. He can come to Jesus just as he is, but to become Accepto, he must change. He delivers his Decepto to God and God remakes him Accepto. That work takes power, but it's Jesus who makes the change. It takes willingness to change. Decepto, thinks: When I decide to change, unwilling Decepto will become willing Accepto. Right this moment though, he is unwilling. That makes him worse than his mistress Apatha!

Truly Goodthink is happy and content. She takes pleasure in communion with God, and doing His will. She has hope - that she will live eternally. She often says: "I'll take hope over fun any and every day!" Prudence doesn't even seek fun because she's happy with life, and lives it to it's fullest. She never wastes time on self-indulgence because her god is not her self!

Apatha laughs at them. She doesn't care what they think. Her thoughts, when she thinks at all, is that life is all about her. Prudence thinks that Apatha is her own god, and Truly knows that she is. Apatha just won't topple her own god for this invisible God in whom her sisters have faith.

Ironically, Apatha has more faith than her sisters. Her faith is that God does not exist. Risking one's eternal life on that notion takes great faith, and that faith in no God is a hidden attribute of Apatha. Prudence knows that Apatha will change even though Apatha scorns at her. Prudence knows that on judgment day, every knee shall bow to God. Apatha will care then, but it will be too late! What will it take for Apatha to care? She must be enlightened if she will listen. She must come to realize that she is no god, and doesn't deserve anything. However, when she considers, if she ever will, that God loves her, and sacrifices Apatha to God, then she will be a new person who cares. God will name her Carefulla. The angels will sing with joy as Apatha is transfigured into Carefulla as the Holy Spirit makes her content!

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