The desire to be right is the thirst for truth.

The desire to HAVE BEEN right is pride. 

Our PRIDE can easily stand in the way of seeing where we have been wrong; where we might have believed lies.

What the human being is best at doing is interpreting all new information so that the prior conclusions remain in tact. Warren Buffet

These ideas were inspired from a talk given by Amandha Vollmer as part of The End of Covid, a 90 part lecture series covering a wide range of topics. Her talk on Paradigm Shifts resonated and got me thinking. We can always benefit by reflecting on these concepts and asking ourselves probing questions.

We prefer cognitive short cuts. We don’t want to do the hard work.

A simple example, we read the product ingredients and compare products and conclude which is best so that next time we just reach for what we know. Or we trust the front label that says “all natural” and buy it without bothering to check the ingredient list. Or, we assume that if it is sold in the grocery store, it must have been approved and checked by someone.

We give special weight to information that allows us to come to the conclusion we want to reach.

It’s very uncomfortable to think about things we hold dearly. I know of people who have decided there is no hell because they have lost loved ones that were not in a good relationship with God. When we are faced with a challenge to our idea about something, we should ask ourselves, is there a reason I WANT this to be true?

Many highly educated people have such confidence and pride in their own education process – especially those with advanced degrees – that they automatically and unquestioningly accept conclusions by academics in other fields. They assume that the most highly educated and outspoken in a particular field must be right. They’ve been trained to respect the academic process. To challenge the legitimacy of an ‘expert’ in a different field challenges their own level of what they think they know in their own field. They automatically assume the person bringing the challenging idea “has no idea what they are talking about” because they are not ”trained in that field”. This is a logic fallacy. Ideas should be judged on evidence, not upheld because of appeals to authority or “the way it’s always been”. The more strongly held ideas in society are probably the ones that should be examined the most, but are often the hardest to be objective about – for instance, the shape of the earth and the origin of everything.

Studies are manipulated to prove what sponsors want to prove in order to achieve future grant money.

There are two outspoken [former] editors of scientific journals that both reach similar conclusions: up to 50% of all data and results published in ‘science’ can’t be trusted. But they are ‘Peer Reviewed’ everyone shouts. These editors describe how the peer review process has been corrupted. This leaves the average person struggling to know who or what to believe, especially in the area of what drug or procedure will actually bring benefits. There are so many voices, so much conflicting and competing information, what can I trust? Do I trust my dear sweet doctor who receives regular visits from Pharma reps, reads the medical journals, is trained in all the latest wonder meds, and abides by the “standard of Care” practices of their medical system? Do I trust those selling natural products and supplements? 

Of special consideration for Christians…

There are evil people that want to deceive us. The enemy comes to steal, kill and destroy. 

But, God is greater and stronger and delights to give wisdom to His children.

[His servants] will see His face, and His name will be on their foreheads. There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever.

“Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city.Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood. Revelation 22:4-5; 14-15

The question is not “Do I love lies?” The real question is “HOW have I loved lies?” “Where in my life do I cling to lies?” “Can I fully seek and accept TRUTH?” “How can I draw closer to God, seek fully His wisdom and guidance, so that I am protected from lies?”

I just read this morning a wonderful promise from Jesus:

“But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth.” John 16:13

Becky Hastings collects information on health and tries her best to discover and share truth. By God’s grace, through Jesus Christ, I was saved, blessed with a husband of over 40 years, and five precious babies all grown up. I now get to delight as ten grandchildren grow! Together we can help each other discover a healthy path in this crazy upside down world.