The Unconscious Mind and Spiritual Heritage

Unconscious Mind

The unconscious mind is a term coined by the 18th century German romantic philosopher Sir Christopher Riegel and later introduced into English by the poet and essayist Samuel Taylor Coleridge.[1] The unconscious mind might be defined as that part of the mind which gives rise to a collection of mental phenomena that manifest in a person’s mind but which the person is not aware of at the time of their occurrence. These phenomena include unconscious feelings, unconscious or automatic skills, unnoticed perceptions, unconscious thoughts, unconscious habits and automatic reactions, complexes, hidden phobias and concealed desires. (Bynum; Browne; Porter (1981). The Macmillan Dictionary of the History of Science. London. p. 292.)

The unconscious mind, of course, has a necessary function. It takes all kinds of data and relegates it to “off the table.” Take, chairs, for example. When is the last time you seriously thought about the ability of a chair to hold you up prior to sitting down? Well, unless you have had a recent experience of a chair breaking apart and leaving you embarrassed on the floor, it has been a long time. Why? Because your brain can only handle so much conscious thought. It needs to take many things and store them in the unconscious. Think of how little you’d get done if you had to stop and question everything. So, we can conclude that in many things unconscious thought is not only good, saves time, and increases efficiency – but it is also necessary.

But are there times when unconscious thought is not good? I propose that there are.

First, let me explain the beginning of why it can be bad with some thoughts. Once a thought moves to the unconscious mind, it ceases to be “on the table.” It isn’t just trusting something…it is that you no longer consider any other data…your mind is settled. It takes a rather large external action to force a thought back “on the table” of your mind. To the degree that a thought is lodged in the unconscious mind…it is to that degree outside of free will. It is a settled conclusion. Right or wrong…it makes no difference. It’s off the table.

So, now let’s apply it to a spiritual heritage. I was born into a pastor’s family. Yes, I’m a PK (Pastor’s Kid). My heritage was founded in a very fundamentalist Baptist church. At an early age I can remember being taught that baptism was an “outward sign of an inward faith.” I was also taught that it was a “public profession.” It was also necessary for me to be considered a “member” of the local body (church). Teaching centered around the Greek word baptidzo and how it meant “immersion” and not “sprinkling.” I was taught that it was believers baptism implying that it was not something a baby could do. It took choice. Someone had to believe and repent prior to being baptized – thus a baby could not and should not be baptized. By inference I was taught that baptism was an act that could be put off until I had a “membership” class or a “baptismal class.” In fact, technically a person could come to our church for 45 years and never even be asked about baptism and their need to be baptized. Most of the time, people were baptized in groups – because they saw someone else do it and then thought they should do it.

In these “classes,” the teacher would work his/her way through a worksheet of proof texts. Proof texts are where a person or group takes a verse or section of Scripture and uses it for teaching. The problem with this method is that it pulls the meaning of that section out of the context to which it was originally within. It is very similar to me reading one line of my daughters text to a friend that says, “my dad is mean,” and then infer from that text that she is writing her friend a bunch of negative things about me. When, had I looked at the previous text entry I would have seen: “my dad is a big guy…he can look intimidating…so I want you to come over and get to know him…so you don’t think…my dad is mean.” Had I read the context, I would have seen that she was actually defending me and how nice I am.

So, what happens when at a young age I hear those teachings over and over again – year after year? Eventually, I come to accept them. Once accepted they slowly become more and more “off the table.” I just think that one thing about baptism. I go through life never really thinking if it was the right way to think about it or not. It is settled. What is more…and here’s the catch…if I hear someone talk or teach about baptism differently than what I’ve come to understand – unconsciously how do I feel about it? I automatically think they are wrong. Most of the time, I just dismiss it immediately and ignore it. Or I might think they were attacking “the faith” not just that one teaching.

But because of that….I never searched out the Bible to see “WHY” I should be baptized. I never searched out “WHAT” baptism was and is. But if you asked me what baptism was and why I was baptized – I’d spit out what I had heard a bazillion times.

Now, this post is not intended to be about baptism and what I’ve come to understand about it in light of Scripture. It is to ask you this:

How many beliefs have entered your unconscious mind and become settled that need to be forced back “on the table” now? For me it has become a daily discipline to force these things to the table. It is not easy. But I want to encourage you to try it. Really consider why you believe what you believe. Dig in and study it for yourself. Leave the commentaries out of the process and just look at the Biblical data. Read some alternate opinions and really give them a chance.

Above all: remember “on the table” means you’re opening yourself to the potential of being wrong. Humility is the gas for study.

Be willing to say “I don’t know.” Maybe you need to be undecided for a period while you really wrestle with the Word of God.