Blinded

I've never been one to beat around the bush.  Something has been eating at me for about a week and I have been debating on whether to address it or not.  Then a couple days ago I heard the same thing indirectly.  So my Stone genes have kicked in and I've decided to address it.  I thought about e-mailing the person directly but I feel like everybody should know where I stand -- so I have decided to address it on my blog.

I will not use any names, to protect the innocent, but I'm not doing that to be anonymous.  I'm confident that the person to whom this blog is directed will have no doubts as to who it is directed towards.  That is if they read it.  But even if they don't, it will still be cathartic for me to post it on my blog.

This is what has been eating at me for a week.  It is a direct quote from an e-mail I received.  "But for me it isn't as simple as just believing everything I hear."  And then I heard through the grapevine that the same person who sent me that e-mail remarked that I am blinded by my religion.  That's an indirect quote.

First of all, I spent the first 31 years of my life receiving formal education.  I have a doctorate degree.  Not only that, but I trained in medicine/science which emphasizes questioning everything until/unless it can be proven scientifically.  Not to mention the fact that I am left brained and think scientifically anyway.  Anyone who knows me very well knows that.  In fact it drives my mom up the wall sometimes -- she always tells me I'm too scientific.  :-) That is how I have been trained.  And that is how I think.  That's who I am.

Secondly, I am a natural born leader.  I have never been a follower.  I have never fallen to peer pressure. I know that's a very bold statement but I honestly cannot think of any time in my life when I have done something stupid because someone else pressured me to.  Peer pressure has never been an issue with me. Partly because I am very selective and choose my friends wisely. that's not to say that I haven't had plenty of opportunity to fall to peer pressure -- because I have.  I guess I just care less about what other people think of me and more about what God thinks of me. But, when I do sin, it is by my own bad choice, not because of anyone else's influence.  And I take full responsibility for it.  My personality is such that I don't need friends or others' approval.

So for someone to tell me that I simply believe everything I hear -- is ridiculous!  I certainly do not believe everything I hear.  Quite the contrary.  I am very skeptical by nature. And I most definitely am not blinded by my religion.

I have something called faith.  Which is actually more powerful than any scientific hypotheses or theories.

Scientific truths are constantly being disproven.  Replaced by new hypotheses and theories.  Some of the things I learned in medical school 15 years ago are now not being taught --replaced with newer ideas.  For instance, there was a new drug called Bextra.  Bextra is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) that was supposed to be better than your average Advil (ibuprofen) or Naprosyn or Aleve (naproxen sodium) because it was gastro-protective meaning that it didn't upset the stomach like ibuprofen or other NSAIDs.  So, we were encouraged to prescribe that instead of some of the other more well known NSAIDs.  Well, a few years later in 2005 Bextra was taken off the market because of severe side effects that weren't known back when I was in medical school/residency.  This happens all the time in science/medicine.

Worldly truths are not confined to science or medicine.  That's just what I'm familiar with so that is the example I used. History books are constantly being rewritten.  The English language is evolving. Some grammatical rules have changed since I was in school, new words and phrases are constantly being added.  Any secular knowledge/truth is subject to change at any time.

 My point is that the things that the world considers truths are constantly changing but God's truth does not change.  Whether you believe it or not.  Makes no difference.  Truth is truth.

This is why I say that faith is more powerful than whatever truths the world teaches.  Because those are always changing.  Faith is something that once you acquire it -- it must be constantly nourished until -- like a seedling growing into a mighty tree -- the roots are deep enough and the tree is big enough to withstand forces that may attack it such as wind, drought, extreme weather, etc.  A seedling will easily die at the smallest attack such as drought, or extreme heat.  But an old tree with deep roots can withstand much more extreme stresses than a seedling and still thrive.  Such is faith.

I have been nourishing my faith for many years.  I consider it to be very strong.  Like a mighty oak tree or giant Sequoia. It doesn't matter to me what worldly truths, or lies masquerading as truths, get thrown at me -- they will not shake my faith.  Because I have received witness from the Holy Ghost of the truthfulness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

The Lord deliberately does not give us all the answers to every question that may arise.  This is, in part, to test our faith.  Which is precisely why we are here on Earth at this time. Everything will be ironed out eventually. This is where faith and trust in the Lord come in.

I am far from being blinded by my religion and do not simply believe everything I hear. I am a highly educated, intelligent woman.  It is against my nature and training to blindly follow anything or anyone. I have worked hard to develop my faith -- by choice.  Believe me, if the church were not true, I certainly would not be putting forth the effort required to be a member. But it is true.  I don't just believe that it is true, I know it.

Ironically, the person who thinks I am blinded by my religion is, sadly, blinded by the craftiness of men.

That's my two cents.