The False Nature of Pious Thoughts

Religious thoughts can be helpful up to a certain extent. It is useful to contemplate on the words of scripture or Christian sayings throughout the ages.
But we are also called to "bless the Lord at all times" and "dwell in the house of God forever." We have the high calling of "praying ceaselessly," and "in the Spirit at all times." We are called to "do all to the glory of God" and are told, "in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving" to order ourselves and our lives.
Religious thoughts are inasmuch a distraction as a thought removes focus from what the contemplation should be pointing to, to the contemplation itself. This is normally caused by drifting off into the imagination. We put ourselves in situations of the mind or come up with arguments in which to construct an internal belief based not on experience, but internal argument. We serve a relational God. To be a theologian is not to read books. But as the old Christan saying goes, "the theologian is the one who prays."