​Who doesn’t love a good conspiracy theory? Seriously. They can be a lot of fun and are often very creative and intriguing. Upon hearing one, your response might be, “Hmmm, that makes a lot of sense. I wonder if it’s true.” You may even think twice about what you have been perceiving as reality. There’s something within our (fallen) nature that makes us drawn to be on “the inside” of a secret and to possess special knowledge and insight that very few others know.

Many of you are wondering what in the world is up with this month’s question. I don’t blame you, but if you are patient, I think everything will make sense.

We hear a lot about science these days, especially related to the COVID pandemic and climate change. It is often accompanied by something like, “We’ve done the research and science says such-and-such, therefore, you must take the following action….”

Let me address something right off the bat. When I say “fool,” I am not using this word in a condescending manner or as childish name-calling. I think in our culture, when someone calls someone else a fool, it usually is in an unkind way, and nothing good comes of it. However, I am using this term as a direct quote from Scripture. And when we see this term used in the Bible, it is simply a description of an individual’s thought process.

When the leaves move on the trees, that’s what causes the wind! I bet you never knew that. Think about it, every time it’s windy out, you see the leaves moving, right? This reasoning is backward.

Let’s start by briefly defining three words in our Question of the Month. System: The society in which we live and function. Overwhelming: Something very intense and difficult to deal with.

Though it’s not something new, the use of the phrase “settled science” is becoming more and more mainstream and widespread.

When I was in my early teens, I remember visiting Lake Michigan, 30 minutes from where I grew up in Wisconsin (and still live). As I stood on the shore watching the waves crashing in, I saw a large rock, picked it up and held it high over my head. I then slammed it down on top of another flat rock lying on the sand, breaking it in two.

I was very tempted to answer this question by simply saying, “I don’t know,” and then welcoming you to contact us if you have any further questions. That would be kind of funny, but not very instructive!

“Christmas is a feeling in your heart!” That is the title of a song first released by Andy Williams in 1955. Doesn’t that sound warm and wonderful? It might, but it’s also far from the truth! For those who don’t know (and there actually are some), Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, who was prophesied as being the Messiah, the Son of God, the Savior of the world, who came to die on a cross to pay for the sins of all mankind and rose again three days later and ascended back to heaven. That’s what Christmas is truly all about!

Alright… I’m already in trouble. Why? Just for daring to offer a comment about social justice and other related issues. If I completely support and celebrate the politically correct stance on these issues, I’d be fine, but if I veer even in the slightest, I am automatically wrong, insensitive, intolerant, bigoted, homophobic, ignorant and not deserving of holding or voicing an opinion.

Most of you have a general idea of what critical thinking is, but for those who don’t, I want to make sure you know what it is not. It has nothing to do with the aspects of being critical in a mean-spirited manner. The Oxford Dictionary states that it is, “the objective analysis and evaluation of an issue in order to form a judgement.”