Cognitive Dissonance:
Uncomfortable feelings caused by holding two contradictory ideas simultaneously.
I feel more and more like the phenomena expressed by the term “cognitive dissonance” perfectly describes my existence – my upbringing, my education, my personal thought life – all of it. However, I find a lot of satisfaction in wrestling with life’s tough questions, and, consequently, am annoyed by people who refuse to do so.
“The test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposing ideas in mind at the same time and still retain the ability to function. One should, for example, be able to see that things are hopeless yet be determined to make them otherwise.”
- F. Scott Fitzgerald
I was born and raised in Albuquerque, NM. After a childhood wrought with poverty, conflict, and many choices I rather regret, I left New Mexico to attend college in the mid-west. After several years away from Albuquerque, I came running back home. I have earned some college credit (see my CV), I have spent a lot of time teaching and enjoying the academic settings of schools and universities, and I consider myself quite the nerd. I have been married to a darling woman, who is so much better than I deserve, for thirteen years. We have three children: a seven year old, a four year old, and an 18 month old. I suppose it may also be of some interest to know that both my wife and I are currently working on applications for PhD programs around the country – first to get a fellowship gets to go!
If you’d like to read more about my personal faith journey, you can here. If you’d like to read about my general theological disposition, you can do that here.
