Critical Evaluation of Religious Lessons

Independent thought during study is important; the information you learn is really only the beginning of the lesson, and is more accurately only the springboard for continued learning and development. But this further development can only take place later, when we reflect on what it was we were even taught to begin with. This reflection often combines with an innate questioning of aspects of those lessons, which further drives the learning process.

Though should also be combined with feeling; we’ve been taught to distrust our intuition- the unexplained sense of ‘knowing’ that makes itself known in our minds. But it is a sense of the utmost importance for guiding us; it’s the filter by which we can first evaluate questionable information. But our reaction to other information may also profoundly influence our decisions. We must therefore learn to trust our intuition and allow it to guide us.

Thinking through and intuiting new materials in this way allows you to weed out unsatisfactory information and propels us along the path of synthesis. Thus, it is an important part of the total process of elimination- and, by proxy, of finding your ideal practice or religion. Such a practice, then, is especially necessary for Solitary practitioners who lack access to teachers, learning circles, and the greater Covened experience.

The entire process can generally be summed up in the following Steps:

1. Collect and Study Your Resources;
2. Determine Your Questions about the content;
3. Determine Your Personal Outlook and Feelings About The Content, Relying On Your Intuition To Guide And Inform You;
4. Determine, then, Whether This New Information Is Applicable To Your Practice or Not;
5. If Not: Discard The Information and Start Over Again.