Many unbelievers turn a
deaf ear to the Gospel and Bible truths because of the influence of “experts,”
and many Christians have been persuaded to reject and oppose Bible teachings,
often while insisting and believing that they are Bible-lovers, by the
influence of “experts.” (Isaiah 29:13-14; Jeremiah 6:16, 19; 8:8-9; Hosea 4:6;
Colossians 2:8) Journals and books often leave the impression that creationism
and other Bible truths and Christian values are unscientific or flawed because
writings, even secular writings, that present Bible truths and Christian values
(even without mentioning Scripture or Christianity) are usually rejected by
editors or the peer review because of bias toward the theory of evolution and
secular humanism. It is amazing that so many are quick to assume that an expert
opinion, documentary, or media presentation is an honest, unbiased, and
objective viewpoint and above scrutiny. It has become common for Christians to
assume that something they read in a book or magazine, heard from a
schoolteacher or professor, hear on the radio, or see on television or in a
movie is the last word and makes them an instant expert on a topic or subject
and that this expertise or enlightenment eliminates the need to personally
study to examine whether those assumptions or theories line up with facts and
Scripture, especially religious broadcasting, pop psychology, and the latest
junk on TV talk shows.
All too often there is a
tendency to place the opinions of experts (e.g., scientists, psychologists,
historians, theologians, etc.) in the status of inerrancy. Experts are often
idolized as it is easy to forget that they are still mere humans. This is
dangerous because experts often assume an intellectual arrogance and claim an
inerrancy or accuracy which they do not have. Experts possess intellectual
power to deceive and manipulate and are often revered as intellectual gods.
Experts (especially evolution-scientists) often put forth their opinions with
the zeal of false prophets, and ordinary people are often deceived by
dogmatizing experts like the dedicated worshipers of a pagan god. (Jeremiah
5:30-31) Experts in subjects with an extremely high rate of mistakes (e.g.,
psychology) often try to appear more accurate by associating themselves with a
subject that has a very low rate of mistakes (e.g., mathematics), such as when
they point out the use of a large computer to reach their conclusions. (A
computer does not increase accuracy. A computer is merely a large calculator
that files information electronically and enables the user to reach his equally
dubious conclusions much faster.) Because experts are usually correct on their
facts, often too much trust is put in their opinions. At any time and on any subject,
there are disagreements among qualified experts in the same fields, and they
cannot all be right. A majority opinion is still an opinion, and all too often
the majority opinion of experts in a particular field is considered proof or
verification of assertions or theories even though what is the majority opinion
of experts in certain fields changes often enough to make the majority opinion dubious.
For example, the main reason a teacher or professor normally does not use a
thirty- or forty-year-old textbook on evolution to teach evolution is that so
much of what was the majority opinion of evolutionists in previous years and decades
has been disproved or discarded by evolutionists. Experts often come to wrong
conclusions due to unknown factors. Experts are fallible humans and are just as
vulnerable to emotional pressure and the influence of preconceived ideas as
anyone else. Experts are just as capable of dishonesty and distorting facts to
support their pet theories as other humans, and many experts have been caught
deliberately deceiving the public.
We should also keep in
mind that “experts” have often been instrumental in creating or helping to
create a police state. There is a simple method to creating a police state that
has been used throughout history (e.g., Nimrod, Napoleon, Lenin, Mussolini, and
Hitler used this, to name just a few.). First, a crisis-type situation is
utilized or created. (Terrorism, crime rate, child abuse, counterfeiting, sex
trafficking, drug money laundering, contagious disease, etc.) The
"crisis" (which can be real or imagined) is emphasized and
propagandized till it becomes a great concern to a significant percentage of
the population. Then the would-be tyrant or oppressive government (and its
accomplices and followers) appear to come up with the best or most effective
solution to the crisis so many are concerned about. Of course, the
"solution" just happens to increase government intrusion and police
power or eliminate safeguards against governmental abuse, but at this point the
average citizen is so concerned with dealing with the crisis and finding or
effecting a solution that he is willing to go along with what appears to be a
good solution without considering and analyzing the potential effects and
repercussions. Here are just a few important points to keep in mind:
·
Be wary of “solutions” offered by
“experts” that sound more like a Marxist or Fascist wish list than facts,
logic, or actual science. (Look for facts and hard evidence, and remember that the
truth can withstand questions, criticism, and analysis.)
·
Be wary of so-called solutions to crises
and social maladies offered by “experts” that depend on an assumed natural
goodness of man, or an assumed goodness or benevolence of human government, for
the solutions to work. (How many parents ever had to teach a child how to be
bad? Humans can choose to do right but sin comes natural because of natural
depravity. History demonstrates that any human government, even good
government, is dangerous, which is why government must be limited and
restricted.)
·
We do not live in a perfect world; because
humans are flawed from the start there are no perfect solutions, only
trade-offs.
When presented with the facts ordinary people can and often do come to better conclusions than experts, which is one reason that a trial verdict is decided by a jury of ordinary citizens and not a panel of legal experts. Since I do not read ancient Hebrew or ancient Greek I read and study a translation of the Holy Bible (KJV) which was translated into my language by scholars of Hebrew and Greek, and in my study of the Bible I sometimes read the writings of experts in history, science, archaeology, anthropology, linguistics, and other fields where my knowledge is limited to aid my understanding of the Bible. At times when I have been sick or injured I have trusted a physician, a medical expert; it does not make sense to hire an automobile mechanic to perform surgery. While we need experts and we must rely on experts at times, we must remember that they are human. (Psalm 146:3-6)
Much damage has been a result of too much trust in experts, especially experts in psychology and evolution-science. Of course, psychologists are not always wrong, but some teachings are damaging as well as counter to Scripture. The Genesis account of creation is supported by genuine science, but many are deceived because they think the experts are agreed on evolution. Personal study and research in these and other subjects is needful.
Critical thinking is
essential. Propaganda is merely information in favour of a cause and can be
good or evil, reliable or misleading, and informative or deceptive; the danger
is that propaganda serves the function of self-delusion when logic is not used.
For example, when you come across the argument or assertion that the findings
or conclusions of certain scientists are inaccurate or wrong merely because
they differ from the findings or conclusions of other scientists, or even most
scientists, or merely because an essay or thesis did not pass a peer review, it
is important to keep in mind that most scientific findings or conclusions are
educated opinions and reviewers are often biased.
Beware of efforts to
persuade you to park your mind. While we do not always understand everything,
God’s Word is not counter to reason and the Bible encourages you to use your
mind. (Proverbs 2:3-11; consider Romans 12:2; Colossians 2:8; I Thessalonians
5:21; Hebrews 5:14)
The Tyranny of Consensus Thinking, BY RANDY J. GULIUZZA, P.E., M.D.
The End of Science, By Jeremy Egerer
Top 20 Questions to Ask an Evolutionist...
Columbus and the Flat Earth Myth, by Gary Demar
Peer review as a way of validating research is bunk, by Apostolos Koutropoulos
Marxism: the Bug Wearing an Edgar Suit
Top 10 Signs Americans are Living in a Police State, by Ryan Cristián
You Can Trust the Communists (to be Communists), by Dr. Fred C. Schwarz
Why Christians can't trust psychology by Ed Bulkley
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.