Article January 9, 1937 Issue

Independent Thinking

[Written Especially for Young People]

E. OLIVE DAVIS

Most young people like to consider themselves independent thinkers. Indeed, youth is usually judged to be progressive, sometimes even radical, ready to pull away from old, established ways of thinking and acting, eager to find and chart new trails for itself. All this is as it should be, provided we keep clearly before us, as Christian Scientists, what constitutes independent thinking, and provided we make constructive use of this valuable mental tool.

It would sometimes appear that young people confuse independent thinking with argumentativeness. Taking the other side of every issue does not necessarily prove us to be independent thinkers. The noisy, talkative student who is always voicing his radical opinions in our college communities may be simply echoing the radical opinions of other speakers or writers with whom he has become acquainted. Unless the view we hold is one we have thought out for ourselves, we have done no true thinking at all.

Independent spiritual thinking is possible in any situation. It may be given expression in words, or it may be kept quietly to oneself. It means having an opinion which, according to our present understanding, has been measured by the standard of "perfect God and perfect man,—as the basis of thought and demonstration" (Science and Health, p. 259). And it may mean improving this opinion as we come to have more light and increased spiritual understanding. Independent thinking does not have to differ from the thinking of everyone else. Indeed, in an article entitled "Ways that are Vain" our Leader wisely warns us (The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany, p. 213), "Watch your thoughts, and see whether they lead you to God and into harmony with His true followers."

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