Feedback: Being Brainwashed
Bodie
Hodge, M.Sc., B.Sc., PEI
Biblical Authority Ministries June 12, 2025 (Donate)
Letter,
unedited:
All I want to
say is that you people should open your mind from ancient archaic beliefs and
see the real world. God can exist hear today, and the things I have read seem
so misinformed that I could almost feel as if I were being brain washed. I
think everyone should be entitled to hold faith in what they choose as long as
it is moral, but I do not think that misinforming people of true hard facts
that have been proven is moral! Furthermore, as a student of religion and
archeology I think it is time to bridge the gap between science and religion
and come to an understanding that they do infact work together most of the
time.
A.
US
Response:
It is nice to hear from you. Please see my comments below and note that they are said with respect, though they are meant to challenge you.
All I want to
say is that you people should open your mind from ancient archaic beliefs and
see the real world.
If this was
all you wanted to say then why continue? Our beliefs are just as relevant today
as they were thousands of years ago.
God can exist
hear today,
Which
God? Are you referring to the God of the Bible? The God of the Bible created
time, so God is not limited to existing yesterday, today, or tomorrow. I agree
that God exists (the God of the Bible). The question should be, do you trust
what God says in His Word (e.g.
Exodus 20:11, Mark 10:6)?
and the
things I have read seem so misinformed that I could almost feel as if I were
being brain washed.
Did
you consider the possibility that you are already brainwashed to believe
something else?
I think
everyone should be entitled to hold faith in what they choose
They why tell
us “you people should open your mind from
ancient archaic beliefs?” This is a contradiction with in the worldview
being espoused.
as long as it
is moral,
What
do you mean by moral? Do you mean the morals in the Bible where God, who is the
ultimate authority on morality, sets them? I thought you rejected that by your
comment “ancient archaic beliefs?”
but I do not
think that misinforming people of true hard facts that have been proven is
moral!
We love
facts! Did you know we all have the same facts, same science, and same
evidences? It is the interpretation
of those facts that are different. Furthermore, what makes you think truth
exists? That comes from the Bible where God is the truth (John 14:6). This same
Bible refutes the position you are trying profess.
Furthermore,
as a student of religion and archeology I think it is time to bridge the gap
between science and religion and come to an understanding that they do infact
work together most of the time.
I do believe
they work together. I think you have confused operational and historical
science. Let me explain in more detail. See operational science is the
highly reliable repeatable science that has a tremendous reputation. This is
the type of science that put men on the moon, builds computers and automobiles,
genetic mapping, etc. Most of these fields of science are well respected. As
Christians, we fully believe in operational science. In fact, most of these
fields of science were developed by Christians.[1]
The other
science is called historical science. It isn’t repeatable because it
deals with events in the past. Evolution, radiometric dating, etc. deal with
reconstructing the past. So there requires quite a few assumptions to fill in
the gaps. These assumptions are called ‘interpretations’ and they are not
repeatable science.
Many times,
these assumptions change and are shown wrong and the whole concept of what was
believed changes. This happens frequently in historical science. This science
is not very reliable and changes quite often. Sometimes, I wonder why it is
even called ‘science’ with such a bad reputation and non-repeatability. It
makes people lose hope in good operational science just because it uses the
name science.
But in the
same respect, some people get confused and think the reputation of operational
science can be applied to historical science. This is a fallacy of transfer.
Please take a look at the following picture:
|
Operational/experimental science |
Historical science |
This helps
visualize the differences. In historical science, there is quite a bit of
imagination. In historical science what is said to be ‘correct and true’ today
will probably be wrong tomorrow. In operational science, what is ‘correct and
true’ today will likely be ‘correct and true’ tomorrow.
When using
the Bible as the basis for interpreting the evidence, then how can anyone go
wrong? God is perfect and His Word is also perfect. The entire creation is
cursed (Genesis
3 and Romans 8) so why trust something that is cursed over
God and His Word, which aren’t cursed? The issue is about trusting God’s Word.
I pray this helps and God bless.
