Hi Friend,

Benjamin Franklin is widely regarded as one the most enlightened scientists of his era. He is famous for his experiment of attaching a key to a kite string during a lightning storm, which contributed significantly to our understanding of electricity. Franklin also discovered the Gulf Stream by measuring ocean temperatures while sailing from England to America. Additionally, he revolutionized home heating by learning how to separate smoke from heated air. Many of Franklin’s other discoveries have profoundly impacted modern life.

But Franklin never considered himself a scientist—a term that did not exist at the time. The change in terminology reflects a broader shift in how we perceive truth. Franklin thought of himself as a ‘natural philosopher,’ as did other innovative thinkers of past eras. Natural philosophers viewed nature as too vast to be confined by human understanding. A Natural Philosopher engaged in interactive discussions, seeking knowledge that was often at variance from accepted beliefs.

In the late 19th Century, the renowned physicist Samuel Langley attempted to build an airplane, drawing conclusions that were widely accepted by fellow flight enthusiasts. Despite his efforts, every attempt to fly failed. In contrast, two brothers who owned a bicycle shop in Dayton, Ohio—Orville and Wilbur Wright—challenged Langley’s ideas. The Wright brothers became the first humans to successfully fly a heavier-than-air powered aircraft. They were successful in large part because they rejected the conclusions of the expert, Samuel Langley.

Experts are often wrong.

In his essay "What is Science," Professor Richard Feynman wrote, "In a field which is so complicated [as education] true science is not yet able to get anywhere, we have to rely on a kind of old-fashioned wisdom." Feynman advocated for common sense and natural intelligence astutely noting, "The experts who are leading you may be wrong."

It is important to remember that experts often disagree, so skepticism toward statements like "trust the science" or conclusions that claim to be "evidence-based" is justified.

In 1881, President James A. Garfield was shot in the back by a political opponent. According to author Candace Millard, the bullet did not strike any organs, and Garfield would have survived if not for the intervention of his doctors. On the train station floor, "twelve different doctors inserted unsterilized fingers" into the open wounds. "Can you imagine a more germ-filled environment?" Millard asks. She concludes, "President Garfield died because of what his doctors did to him."

Several years ago, American Heritage published an article describing the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln. The article argued that Lincoln would have survived the bullet wound inflicted by John Wilkes Booth; he was shot with a low caliber derringer that is not considered a mortal weapon. The medical doctor made five attempts to retrieve the bullet—effectively the equivalent of five more gunshots. Lincoln would probably have survived if he had simply been left alone.

Our nation’s first president, George Washington, became sick after staying in wet clothes on a cold evening so as not to be late for a dinner. He awoke during the night and called for bloodletting to purge the sickness from his blood. The doctors drained forty percent of his blood, which weakened him so severely that he died 21 hours later. Bloodletting and leeching were accepted medical practices of the day.

In the early 20th century, radium was touted as the cure-all for ailments ranging from eczema to pimples. Medical professionals recommended drinking radium water for health purposes, and some cosmetic companies added it to makeup, claiming it was the "perfect scientific method of keeping the skin of the face and neck in order." Similarly, lead-based face paints had been used by aristocrats for centuries.

More recently, an experimental vaccine was created to prevent Covid. More than 33,000 people died from the vaccination that was touted to prevent death. HHS Secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. called it the "deadliest vaccine ever made."

We face one of life’s most fundamental questions: who can you believe? It is ironic that people are so easily duped by discredited experts yet doubt God who created the earth on which we live. When the Apostle Thomas had doubts—thankfully, God gave us an apostle with doubts—Jesus replied, "I am the way, the truth, and the life." (John 14:6). Jesus understood our dilemma and gave the solution.

Perhaps the most pernicious of all so-called experts are religious authorities. When John Wycliffe translated the Bible into English so the common man could read it, he was risking his life. At that time, religious authorities deemed translating the Bible into the common language a heresy punishable by death. Wycliffe, known as the Morning Star of the Reformation, emphasized the authority of scripture over church tradition and human authority. It is almost impossible to understand why a church would want to keep the word of God from the people. Yet, years later, William Tyndale was burned at the stake for translating the Bible into English.

Throughout history, many individuals have endured great suffering, some even sacrificing their lives, to affirm their conviction that God is the ultimate authority. In a world filled with doubt—where experts—even religious experts, undermine truth, there is ONE we can believe: the One who came to earth and died to save us.

Until next time,