#1 Threat to America: Science Denying Evangelicals
I was shocked when my Pastor questioned commonly held scientific information
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During the sermon he stated dinosaurs were fake. He claimed they were hoax of scientific community to cause the faithful to doubt.
Wait. What?
This was my first red flag, one I dismissed initially.
Slippery Slopes
Gradually, as weeks and months pass, and nearly unperceived, the preacher started sliding in comments similar to this.
In addition to discrediting any science relating to dinosaurs, next the medical profession was targeted. Childhood cancers could be cured by prayer alone. Endorsements to parishioners to cease medical care or life-saving drugs.
Predictably, the next target was women’s reproductive health. Again, pseudo-scientific sources as well as very selective passages from the Bible were cited to support the extremist pro-life position. The fact Jesus never, ever, mentioned abortion nor is this addressed in the Bible at any point. However, if the Evangelicals are one thing, its creative. There is no hestitation in citing passages and manipulating their meaning to meet their needs.
Finally, we come to the COVID-19 virus.
As I am confident you expect, suddenly the preacher became an infectious disease expert. Apparently, we are to trust the ability of prayer to protect us from contracting the virus.
Critical Thinking: Your Opinion is not Fact
Sadly, Evangelicals are ripe for being grifted.
Given the very nature of who their are, and how they are taught makes them targets. Evangelicals receive emotional affirmation for displaying the ability to believe and support those things which are impossible, all in the name of faith. A virgin became pregnant. A man died and after three days rose again. A man created an ark, a flood came and only he and his family survived. In the beginning of time, one man and one woman birth all of civilization as we know it today.
