Finding True Knowledge 8-28-12

Anderson, South Carolina

One of the most bewildering phenomenons in the universe is the hardheaded stubbornness of ostensibly smart well-educated people who think they know it all; of over-sized ego.

Galileo was convicted of heresy by the Catholic Inquisition in 1633 for supporting Copernicus’s theory suggesting the earth might actually go around the sun. For his ‘crime’ of promoting heliocentrism, he spent the rest of his life under house arrest after being forced to recant. All his books were banned. He’s since been called the father of modern physics for his 17th century Two New Sciences, written while under house arrest. The members of the Inquisition presumably had access to the finest education of the day.

Semmelweiss, a Hungarian physician, in 1847 figured physicians washing their hands with a solution of chlorinated lime would eliminate childbed fever. Semmelweiss’ main finding, that all cases of puerperal fever could be traced back to a single cause: lack of cleanliness, was simply unacceptable. His findings ran afoul of conventional wisdom declaring diseases spread in the form of "bad air." Semmelweiss’ groundbreaking idea was contrary to established medical understanding and soundly rejected by the medical community. More subtle factors may have also played a role. Some doctors were offended at the suggestion they should wash their hands; they felt their social status as gentlemen was inconsistent with the idea their hands could be unclean. The greatest medical minds in one of the most civilized cities in the world refused to accept irrefutable evidence in favor of hand washing.

On July 30 Ferdinand von Hebra lured Semmelweiss under the pretense of visiting one of Hebra's "new Institutes", to a Viennese insane asylum. Semmelweiss surmised what was happening and tried to leave. He was severely beaten by several guards, secured in a straitjacket and confined to a darkened cell. Apart from the straitjacket, treatments at the mental institution included dousing with cold water and administering castor oil. He died after two weeks, on August 13, 1865, aged 47, from a gangrenous wound, possibly caused by the beating. His death was not even mentioned in his medical society.

Despite an over-abundance of scientific evidence, until recently, thousands of individuals were dues paying members of the Flat Earth Society. The society was active until 2001 and after a hiatus of three years, was revived in 2004. Despite photographic evidence from satellites launched in the 1950s showing the earth to be spherical, members clung to their beliefs. The advent of manned space flight had little effect. During the first thirty years of manned space flight membership grew to 3,000; the Apollo manned landings on the moon were considered a hoax. Present incarnations of the Society retain hundreds of paid members.

One of the best-documented events in all human history was the annihilation of millions of Jews at the hands of the Third Reich. In the last days of WW II great pains were taken to document the results of Hitler’s Final Solution. Eisenhower made it a point to walk through the most oppressive concentration camps. ‘The visual evidence and the verbal testimony of starvation, cruelty and bestiality were so overpowering as to leave me a bit sick. In one room, where there were piled up twenty or thirty naked men, killed by starvation, George Patton would not even enter. He said that he would get sick if he did so. I made the visit deliberately, in order to be in a position to give first-hand evidence of these things if ever, in the future, there develops a tendency to charge these allegations merely to "propaganda." He foretold the future.

Incredibly, in the early 1960s a number of well-educated well-traveled individuals began writing extensive books positing the Holocaust as “a myth initially created by the Allies of World War II to demonize Germans. Jews spread this myth as part of a grander plot intended to enable the creation of a Jewish homeland in Palestine, and now to garner continuing support for the state of Israel.” In the face of overwhelming evidence of every conceivable kind, many well-educated individuals continue to propagate their denials of the Holocaust. In 1995 a Turkish writer published his The Holocaust Lie and the following year an Islamic preacher mailed unsolicited copies of it to American and European schools and universities.

A well-educated acquaintance of mine, known to me for some years, displays this same profound hard-headed stubbornness despite physical evidence to the contrary. Recently, she was driving a disabled friend of mine back to her house and a small traffic skirmish had her berating the design of an intersection, one hundred percent positive it was improperly lined and laid out. Despite thirty-three years of travel through the intersection, my friend’s clarification of the proper design was vociferously ignored by this acquaintance. I have driven through this intersection a thousand times and know my friend was correct in her recall of its layout. Driving through it while on the cell-phone a couple days ago, I confirmed it was as we had thought.

Some people desperately need to be right in their own minds despite overwhelming physical evidence to the contrary. The most destructive force in the universe is human ego; desperate needing to have the last word, to be right. Alas, hard-headed stubbornness and resistance to different ideas is perhaps the source of more angst on earth than any other thing. Church leaders put scientific genius to death because they had new ideas threatening ingrown institutions, ideas ultimately proven correct. Medical experts caused the death of one of their greatest clinicians because he had new ideas challenging the status quo, ideas ultimately proven correct. Political leaders have long had millions put to death because they had ideas new to them, ideas threatening to their own power bases.

My friend showed much greater stature than any of these historical figures or her acquaintance. She did not need to have the last word or even be right! The preservation of a friendship was of greater import. Alas, hardheaded stubbornness does have a way of corroding relationships of any kind. This acquaintance is continually claiming the last word, often in error.

Admitting one’s ignorance and lack of knowledge about a matter can be one of the most educated and informed acts possible. A willingness to admit one’s limits can buy enough time to back away from an issue and seek wisdom and guidance before plowing on, potentially setting off scenarios ranging from the loss of a friendship to the ignition of a world-wide conflagration taking out a hundred million souls. Asking God to grant wisdom and knowledge is transformative of our lives and the world around us. It also pleases God immensely.

“Yes, give me wisdom and knowledge as I come and go among this people—for who on his own is capable of leading these, your glorious people?” God answered Solomon, "This is what has come out of your heart: You didn't grasp for money, wealth, fame, and the doom of your enemies; you didn't even ask for a long life. You asked for wisdom and knowledge so you could govern well my people over whom I've made you king. Because of this, you get what you asked for—wisdom and knowledge. And I'm presenting you the rest as a bonus—money, wealth, and fame beyond anything the kings before or after you had or will have." II Chr. 1:10-12 - MSG

Blessings,

Craig C. Johnson