Gullibility is the opposite of CriticalThinking.

"You don't say!?" is an indication that some level of CriticalThinking is happening.

It is wonderful to be able to listen with wide-eyed belief. That's the way I succeeded in school and that is how I developed my faith.

Fortunately, the materials and teachers that I experienced were largely true.

However, over the years I have come to understand that all information is passed through filters.

Sometimes the filters are intentionally biased, and sometimes they are inmocently biased.

But whether intentionally or innocently there is some level of deception when bias is communicated.

We need to know the truth in order to make good decisions with good results.

We should want to know the truth for that reason.

However, it appears that there is a heavy weight in favor of comfort, conceit and trust that precludes us from pursuing truth, from pursuing CriticalThinking.

A lazy brain will just take things in without CriticalThinking.

A 'committed to a position' brain will just take things in without CriticalThinking when they support its position.

A trusting brain will just take things in without CriticalThinking.

And so, 'facts' and ideas get accepted as truth, when, in reality, they may be totally wrong.

Now, to be honest, CriticalThinking does not guarantee that you will always be correct about what is true and what is not.

You may not have all the facts or you may interpret the facts incorrectly. In either case you may come to a conclusion that is wrong.

However, the CriticalThinking attitude is a deterrent to most falsity. In the least, it will temper the confidence that you place on that truth.

If you believe and receive facts or ideas based on who said it, you are vulnerable to Deception.

If you believe and receive facts or ideas based on how it strokes your ego, you are vulnerable to Deception.

If you believe and receive facts or ideas based on what everyone else does, you are vulnerable to Deception.

Am I recommending total distrust? Not at all. But...
-- You must consider the source.
-- You must consider how new 'truth' meshes with what you already know.
-- You must be willing to question.
-- You must be willing to counter a claim that conflicts with what you know.

In this age where Lying is now an art form and accepted in virtually all areas of life we have to make a choice.

Do we relax, open wide and just swallow what is proposed or do we slow down, push back, and maybe spit out what is proposed?

It never occurred to me to ask this question in the past. I assumed everyone to a lesser or greater degree was a CriticalThinker.

That assumption is not true today if it ever was. As already said, the increase in Lying has made CriticalThinking imperative.

Every belief system - WorldView, Ideology, Philosophy - is based on assumptions.

Your belief system must have these assumptions underpinning it:

-- God exists
-- God is the Creator
-- God is Love
-- Satan is the Enemy of God
-- The Bible is God's Word
-- Jesus is God in the Flesh
-- Jesus is the only source of Salvation
-- There is Eternal Life in Christ Jesus
-- There is Eternal Death without Christ Jesus

If your belief system does not include the above assumptions you are Lost, you have been Deceived. You will not be able to apply the principle of CriticalThinking to the important things in life to any gain.

You must Repent - change your way of Thinking - and allow the Truth (Christ Jesus) to set you Free from the Lies that have put you in Bondage.

If the above assumptions do underpin your belief system you are on a solid foundation and you are in position to move forward with CriticalThinking to much gain.