Discernment

Do you believe everything you read?

I write this blog not as a source of scientific data, but to make you think, to make me think, and because I like to write.

A writer connection shared this thought, “Real writers don’t write for recognition. They don’t do it for fame, accolades, or notoriety. They do it because they cannot not write.” Thank you, Jeff Goins. Guilty as charged.

Most of the time I’m writing about theological and faith-based observations … however on the subject of scientific nerdiness …

I have been noticing a plethora of links on the social media to articles that look perfectly innocent and sciency. (That’s a real word, I’m sure of it.) But many of these posts have no basis whatsoever in scientific fact.

Most often I’m looking at nutrition-related articles, since nutrition is my business. I’ve been on the sales side, the engineering side, and the manufacturing side. I know a good clinical trial when I see it. So anything said in a blog-like post on a site with a URL along the lines of www.eatorganicordie.org, www.vegansrus.com, or www.monsantoisthedevil.net is not credible.

No offense to organic and vegan peeps. I eat some organic things. And while not vegan, I’m frequently vegetarian. (I eat a little poultry.) Just a personal choice. If you want to bring a steak over and throw it on my grill, have at it. Everyone should do their best to eat clean and healthy as much as possible. The exact dishes that constitutes is different for different people. And let’s face it, not everyone is going to go vegan. And not everyone has access to all-organic.

So I chuckle at the posts and comments on some of the social media. If I gave up everything people say you should NEVER eat … I think I’d be left with water, nuts, and twigs. I’m sure someone has a reason not to consume any of those, though, along with a sciency-looking blog post stating “facts” with no backup references.

I was in a discussion online the other day where someone was shrieking again about a particular ingredient being bad for you. I googled some stuff but didn’t really come up with sites other than www.youlldieifyoueatthis.org. So I asked for links and explained that I wasn’t finding anything scientific. “I have a food science background, so I like to dig into the details,” I said. The shrieker told me the exact phrase to google. Which was the exact phrase I had googled. J

Okay then.

Data available from credible research changes over time as we learn more. And sometimes data conflicts from study to study. That’s when we have to use the brain God gave us and dig into the assumptions and methods and so forth. And sometimes we have to act like a judge in a court of law and go with the preponderance of the evidence.

And sometimes we just don’t know.

So let’s remember … finding something on a page on the interwebs … does not necessarily make it true. Consider the data. Consider the source.

I’ll get off my soapbox now.

One person’s faith allows them to eat anything, but another, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables. The one who eats everything must not treat with contempt the one who does not, and the one who does not eat everything must not judge the one who does, for God has accepted them.

 ~Romans 14:2-3