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I do not belive that I have a thinking problem as much as a feeling problem. What I mean is, I know the Christian answer to most quesitons but I do not always live accordingly. I am not pagan. But my 'goodness' is the product of moral upbringing, not of a coherent biblical worldview. I tend do to and thing as I feel like doing and thinking. There is rarely and exception. I am guided by Pavlovian instincts. Church culture has a vocabulary, and I have learned it well. There is a dress code too, and my clothes are well within the acceptable parameters, I wear Dockers and plaid shirts, as is silently required of twenty-something Christians. I only vote Republican, which is also silently required.

Don Miller#24

BeliefCultureIdentityBehaviorHypocrisyInstinctMorality

About this quote

What does it mean?
The author admits to living by instinct and cultural scripts rather than a deep, coherent worldview, despite knowing religious answers.
In plain terms
I act on feelings and habits, not deep belief.
What can you take from it?
Awareness of belief doesn't guarantee living by it.

Where it applies

  • religious self-examination
  • moral conflict
  • cultural pressure

Putting it to work

  • align actions with values
  • critique cultural scripts

Questions to consider

  • Where do your actions diverge from beliefs?
  • How do you overcome instinct?

Another view

Instinctive morality can still produce good outcomes.

More from Don Miller

  1. How does a person seperate true, personal religion from a religion of conformity? Christianity is not really as white and wealthy and judgmental as we might wa…

    Permalink to quote #23
  2. It is the process that is godliness, not so much the end result. A godly man will involve himself in the process of being godly. For godliness is not so much a…

    Permalink to quote #25
  3. But I do all of this, not because I want to life scripturally, but because church culture has a certain rhythm. And when you have marched to this beat since in…

    Permalink to quote #22

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