Friday, June 4, 2010

denialism and the Gospel

http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20627606.100-living-in-denial-why-sensible-people-reject-the-truth.html?full=true#bx276061B1

so, what can I do about this??? how can I act? By denouncing false beliefs, and proclaiming the truth.
I wonder how this sort of thing relates to the gospel. I believe that all knowledge comes from Christ, that truth does not deny Christ but testifies that he lives. Truth adds to the gospel, and that God is pleased when we learn and grow and discover things.
I believe that part of our eternal progression is to learn how to learn, to achieve and study and expand our thinking. We cannot be saved in our ignorance as to spiritual or temporal matters. Though we do not all need to get PHd's to live good lives, we ought to be engaged in good causes and learning and study. The issue is to learn how to discipline our minds and enjoy learning.

The antithesis to livelong learning is willful ignorance, Cherry picking information to support a self-serving and self congratulating belief system that consists of false beliefs and has at its center a jealous prideful rage against anything that contradicts. This is where I see the creationist movement. It is false, and it cherry picks information. It is not scientific. When presented with new contradictory information, it does not change. That is why I believe that any such belief is of the devil. If we believe information that is not true, and think that it is part of the gospel, we are wrong, and any testimony we lend to such beliefs is misplaced. We are worshipping a false god of our own making.

I just need to be able to say this is a nice way so I don' get kicked out of playgroup everytime vaccinations are discussed. Here is an excerpt from a potential future conversation;

random Mom" I read on Facebook that autism and the MMR vaccine are linked. So we are opting out. its our right."
ME "actually the anti-vaccination movement is of the devil. You are worshipping a false god, a coddling beguiling self serving false god that will lead you to hell with a flaxen cord of anti-science propaganda. The Old Testament has a lot to say about people like you....Whoring after other gods..... pretty much just like Jezebel; you might as well perform some fertility rites in that grove of trees over there. You better repent quickly."

I guess my approach need some work.