Curiosity killed the cat ... or not?

Why does one seek feedback?

There is an innate desire in us to receive feedback, whether we fear what people will say, or not. It's like a compulsion, an addiction. "What do you think of this?" is a question frequently asked, or "Have you been reading this lately?"

This is, in fact, a question that I just asked a friend of my blog. She and I have been discussing this creativity insecurity identity link for a few weeks now, and I was curious to know her thoughts. My immediate thought once I had asked the question was, oddly, "curiosity killed the cat?" But is this in fact a suicide bid, or a chance for security and building up of character and identity?

I'll be the first to admit that I feel unsure of my identity. And I think that this is where the insecurity arises from, leading me to check "Am I doing ok?" .... Ultimately, I think that one needs to take care WHO one approaches for feedback, and if one approaches those who are supportive and understand the fear behind the question, then curiosity need not kill the cat.

What do we worship?

Just over a year ago I came across a book called The Astronomy of the Bible, by E. Walter Maunder. It has had a profound impression of the way I view the Bible. One of the things I learnt from this book is that we can inquire into the stars, the moon, the sun, animals, plants and all of nature because we do not worship them.  Worship of them leads to non-inquiry into them, as one then holds them sacred and unquestionable, but, being created in the image of God and not subject to the created things, we can inquire into those things. As the following quote from Maunder's book says:

But the Hebrew , if he was faithful to the Law that had been given to him, was free in mind as well as in spirit. He could fearlessly inquire into any and all the objects of nature, for these were but things--the work of God's Hands, whereas he, made in the image of God, having the right of intercourse with God, was the superior, the ruler of everything he could see.

If he was faithful to the Law which had been given him, the Hebrew was free in character as well as in mind. His spirit was not that of a bondman, and Nebuchadnezzar certainly never met anything more noble, anything more free, than the spirit of the men who answered him in the very view of the burning fiery furnace:--

"O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. BUT IF NOT, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up."