When I was growing up, my mom would often tell me not to be so critical. This was often followed by the refrain “you’re so negative sometimes.” During my childhood, the idea that being critical is being negative was a powerful influence on my thinking, but it didn’t stick. As I grew older and beganContinue reading “What does it mean to be a critical thinker?”
Author Archives: Harold W. Anderson, Ph.D.
The Wisdom of Learning from Our Mistakes
By Harold W. Anderson, M.A., M.Div., Ph.D., LMFT When you have lived 70 years, you would think you would have learned something. Life experiences are great teachers, but you must be strong enough and willing to listen to them as teachers. This is not easy. The problem is, we all want to be right. WeContinue reading “The Wisdom of Learning from Our Mistakes”
Goodness, not Self-Interest, Is Our Truth
Sermon based on I Peter 1:17-22, written by Harold W. Anderson, Ph.D. on April 18, 1999 Let me begin this morning by telling you several different scenarios. I want you to think about each one and answer to yourself what you think you would do in these different circumstances. Here’s the first scenario: You areContinue reading “Goodness, not Self-Interest, Is Our Truth”
Facing the End of Life
By Rev. Harold W. Anderson, Ph.D., LMFT Last March we were bringing our vacation in Maui to a close. While packing our bags, Becky received a call from Becky’s youngest sister. Since we were busy packing, Becky let the call go to voicemail and thought she would call her sister back on the way toContinue reading “Facing the End of Life”
From Global Village to Spiritual Village: The Tongues of the Spirit
A sermon on Acts 2:1-21 delivered May 23, 1999 by Harold W. Anderson, Ph.D. Have you heard of the newest gadget? It’s really cool. It’s called Robo-Pup, and it was created in Japan by Sony’s research and development labs. This thing is amazing! Here’s what PC Magazine had to say about it: Aibo can performContinue reading “From Global Village to Spiritual Village: The Tongues of the Spirit”
The Sermon: A Dialogue of Faith
With the encouragement of my wife, some of my future posts will be edited versions of sermons that I have preached over the years. Before doing so, I wish to take a moment to briefly express what I believe a sermon to be and what it needs to do. There is…awesome power in a sermonContinue reading “The Sermon: A Dialogue of Faith”
Living with Depression: A Challenge No Matter How You Cut It
“Every man has his secret sorrows which the world knows not; and often times we call a man cold when he is only sad.” Henry Wadsworth Longfellow While some people might feel “down” occasionally, such feelings do not describe the intensity of negative emotions and debilitating effects of depression. Clinical depression (major depressive disorder) isContinue reading “Living with Depression: A Challenge No Matter How You Cut It”
Plucking Chickens: Democracy or Fascism?
If you pluck a chicken one feather at a time, people are less likely to notice. “We do not argue with those who disagree with us; we destroy them.” Benito Mussolini As I think about recent decisions of the United States Supreme Court, and ponder the future, I must register alarm. And when I thinkContinue reading “Plucking Chickens: Democracy or Fascism?”
Walking through Grainfields
4th of July sermon preached by the Rev. Harold W. Anderson, Ph.D., July, 2005 Before I became a marriage and family therapist, I was a minister. The last church I pastored before retirement was a church in Brush, Colorado, a community that politically and theologically was my opposite. I embraced a liberal mindset; most inContinue reading “Walking through Grainfields”
Becky and Harold’s Great Adventure of the West: The Oregon Coast
If you haven’t taken a tip along the Oregon coast, I would encourage you to do so. It is well worth it. We were supposed to drive to drive to Coos Bay, but we discovered that Becky’s cousin, Joellen, was in Grants Pass, so we changed our itinerary to spend the evening with her andContinue reading “Becky and Harold’s Great Adventure of the West: The Oregon Coast”