Every New Years day I look forward to watching some of the Twilight Zone Marathon that plays on the Sci Fi channel, and there will inevitably be some shows that I haven’t seen before. This year I was intrigued by one show titled ‘A Penny for your Thoughts.’

A bank clerk named Mr. Poole gains telepathic powers after tossing a coin that miraculously stands on its edge. He discovers that he is able to ‘listen’ to other people’s thoughts. This turns out to be a curse for Mr. Poole… why?

because he discovers the ugliness that is inside humanity.

“it’s like seeing people with their clothes off. I never imagined people were like that” – Mr. Poole

Imagine if you had the ability to hear what people are really thinking as they go about their business during the day. I know that in my own mind, I am constantly needing to correct my thoughts, It’s a struggle to think morally upright. And that’s the problem right? as much as we like to think we are morally good… when we look deep inside, there’s a sickness inside us.

The way out is to rationalize that even if these thoughts do creep in, since we are not acting on them, then we must be morally good. Of course there is a decency to virtues; to developing good character; to not allowing bad intentions to empower us. But what Mr. Poole discovers, and what seems very real to me.. is that we are trying to correct what is inherently natural in us. A conflict that is part of our natural self. Not meant to be there, but nevertheless finds its way like a cancer.

I think that for me, what made most sense of the Christian worldview at first, was this idea of human depravity. Not something that is out there somewhere, but a sickness in our souls.