Bright Spot: Be careful when drinking from a 'shaky' source
When I was in elementary school, my friends and I loved to explore the woods behind those hallowed halls. We went sledding and camping, and indulged in all sorts of revelry befitting little lads. There was a creek running through it. I’m fairly certain we were the inspiration for the movie “A River Runs Through It.” But I digress.
In a moment of back to nature naivete several of us took some long drafts out of the creek to satiate our summer thirst. On observation some older, and occasionally wiser, boys gently chided: “Do you (expletive) heads know where that creek comes from? It drains off that farmer’s field where he just dumped a whole manure spreader full of (same expletive).”
Do we sometimes drink from shaky sources?
Fast forward to my first visit for a complete physical with my new general physician. I was asking health-related questions to take my mind off what was to come. We talked supplements and vitamins, which have mixed reviews in the medical community, depending on what they are. The topic went to baby aspirin. She asked: “Why do you take that?” She then informed me that a number of her patients take scads of supplements but have no clue why. She informed me the most common answer these lemmings give is: “A friend said they are good for me.”
My doctor admitted that baby aspirin has research backing it that shows it helps with heart issues and colon health. But, if you have any bleeding problems, it’s a no-no. Many “drink” from a shaky sources for their healthcare info.
Shift to the climate of distrust we live in. We hear from one news source that masks prevent COVID, but another berates them. One “expert” shouts the election was stolen. But then another claims it was the most reliable, scrutinized election in our nation’s history. This immunologist swears the vaccination is not safe and shares two or three horror stories about reactions. Another boasts it will keep 90% from being hospitalized or dying; and it’s also been tested on hundreds of thousands worldwide.
One set of scientists has “proven” climate change is not man-made; another cluster claims it is. Coffee is good for you, until it’s not. Fats are in. Fats are out. I personally enjoy the fat substitutes they put in snacks. If anybody points out that it looks like I’m gaining a few pounds, I just say: “Naw! This is all fake fat!”
So, who do we trust? We always need to avoiding believing what we want to believe, especially if our source for the supplement we’re popping like candy is our pal with a couple of testimonies to back him up instead of our physician who has studied this subject for 12 post grad years and cites studies on thousands, if not millions, of folks. It seems like more and more people are going with their gut and their friends, not their physician.
When I want to talk hard truth with someone with whom I disagree, I find arguing often pointless. Debating with “facts” is futile for the above reasons. I find asking questions most profitable, like: “What are the long term consequences of acting on your beliefs? What if you are right? What if you’re wrong?"
Example: what if the anti-maskers are right?
A little inconvenience for mask wearers. If they’re wrong, a lot of people die, like one million-plus just in the US. That’s way more than the number of Americans who died in WWII.
How have your beliefs worked out for you as you followed them? What process led you to your conclusions? Are you open to following the evidence wherever it takes you? Or are you pretty set on staying where you are? What are your motivations for believing the way you do? Your desires, experiences and feelings? I find those are often the key reasons we choose the sources we do. And ... what are your sources?
“Above all else guard your heart (especially your motivations) for it is the wellspring (source) of life.” (Proverbs 4:23) The Bible warns about drinking from the cesspool instead of the spring. (Jeremiah 2:13; 17:13) Even as wild ‘n crazy kids we should have seen our creek was full of crud. So check your sources, because they are the source of life.
This article originally appeared on The Alliance Review: Bright Spot: Be careful when drinking from a 'shaky' source
