Thoughts on how we do knowledge

A random post:

In the wake of the election, I posted my frank thoughts on the matter as far as Christian compartmentalizing of knowledge: One knowledge set for faith, another for real life, including politics. What worries me is not differences in opinion - never has! I grew up in an epistemologically multifaceted society. But the following is disturbing to me:

Some of the same people who have complimented me on my scholarship and thanked me for all the free content will turn around on a dime when I call out what seem to me very obvious disconnects. The top four accusations hands-down that I received from those corners are:

• You're just parroting ideas
• I thought you were conservative, but you're just another liberal
• Your credibility is dented, and I can't trust you anymore
• If you can't choose the least bad of 2 options, your judgment is way off

In contemporary context, the last of these seems too far out to deserve a response. But the first three are interesting to me. My thoughts are as follows:

"Parroting": In my long term experience as a professor, this is the classic response to unwelcome critical thinking. When unable to confront it on its terms, fundamentalist instincts to downgrade opposing views kick in. Ironically, the parroting accusation itself has been parroted countless times in my various inboxes. - The thought that I would engage in parroting is, of course, insulting. But it's also funny - at least to anyone who actually knows me.

"Conservative/liberal": A reflection of bi-furcated thinking where everything is reduced to merely two options: one welcome, the other to be despised. Everything is black or white, good or evil, right or wrong. Essentially the mother of all knowledge reductionism. As if life or knowledge were as boring as that :) So, to be clear: I'm neither "conservative", nor "liberal". Knowledge shortcuts aren't really my thing. Life's too short, pardon the pun!

"Dented credibility/trust": The unstated assumption here is that agreement is a prequisite for trust. If that were so, the very notion of learning would be dead in the water. No one has ever learned from or been transformed by agreement. Instead, it is craved for its feel good factor. But at what price?! One we should never be willing to pay!

I'm sharing these thoughts here because they illustrate why my social media account(s) and learning offerings are predicated on critical thinking and hermeneutics.

In other news: Happy Thanksgiving!

Thorsten