Isaiah 13:10 English Standard Version (ESV) For the stars of the heavens and their constellations will not give their light; the sun will be dark at its rising, and the moon will not shed its light.

God’sWord acknowledges that mankind has attached mythology to His galactic design. He went as far as to even name a few. The issue of mythology is ancient. 

Amos 5:8 English Standard Version (ESV) He who made the Pleiades and Orion, and turns deep darkness into the morning and darkens the day into night, who calls for the waters of the sea and pours them out on the surface of the earth, the Lord is his name;

Mythology while ancient is not as ancient as the Ancient of Days.

“As I looked, thrones were placed, and the Ancient of Days took his seat; his clothing was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool; his throne was fiery flames; its wheels were burning fire. “I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. until the Ancient of Days came, and judgment was given for the saints of the Most High, and the time came when the saints possessed the kingdom. From Daniel chapter 7

Mankind readily acknowledges myths as if the stars align to control their lives yet refuse to acknowledge the Creator. There is no logical explanation for the acceptance of myths but yet they do.

Micah 5:2 English Standard Version (ESV) But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah,  who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.

These people can believe that three Magi followed a star but not why they followed the star?

Science observes that the earth rotates on an axis that points to the star Polaris, and fixes on it during a journey around the universe but does not connect that with intelligent design.

Faith tells me we are not a happy accident.

String theory is perhaps the most high-profile candidate for what physicists call a theory of everything – a single mathematical framework capable of describing the entirety of the known universe.

Math cannot prove what faith has already proven, that God is the designer.

Ephesians 4:29 English Standard Version (ESV) Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.

Placing the word critical into my favorite bible search engine rendered this verse. The word critical does not appear in the ESV but the code writers did an excellent job of rendering a valuable piece of advice about critical thinking.

In the world critical thinking is defined as the objective analysis and evaluation of an issue in order to form a judgment.

I object.

When it comes to issues of faith it is not wise to be critical. It is unkind to object to every point being made because intellect tells you a complete analysis of the issue has not been made.

Rather than saying “I object” how about saying, “Can we talk about this?”

Seldom, if ever, do we have the opportunity to have a Doctor of Theology in a study group.

A good study group should have the opportunity to ask questions without being criticized. There should be someone who has studied the Word with some level of diligence to help move discussions along without corrupting the conversation.

Rarely is the term “you are wrong” uttered and should be avoided unless a blatantly false theology is going to endanger a participant’s salvation. Those occasions are rare but they can happen and we must be on guard against false theology.

There were times when I wished I had used the words, “wait a minute.”

Critical thinking should not foster criticism. 

One good approach could be, “Let’s see what the Word has to say about that.”