Preferential Belief
By John Gavazzoni

We are all naturally inclined to believe what we hope, or like to think, is true. Our mental disposition or temperament enters as a strong factor as to WHO it is we choose to believe regarding WHAT we ought to believe. We can end up believing before even becoming conscious that we have. If our mental disposition, for instance, is of the kind inclined to accept the claims of those who are generally perceived to be authorities, our first instinct will be toward compliance. Whenever voices of dissent toward authority break into our mindset, we become emotionally disturbed and angry, because our mental temperament inclines us toward wanting others to do the serious thinking for us.

Such are powerfully swayed by the well-practiced mannerisms of those who represent authority, who are practiced in the art of SOUNDING, and APPEARING to be, worthy of unquestioning trust. The susceptible range all the way from being impressed by an aggressively commanding style of presentation, all the way to the well-modulated, assuring voice that lulls one into unthinking acceptance. (The formally educated type are not immune to this process, in fact they are especially vulnerable by thinking that, of course, their education has made them immune. Don't forget, it was by far, the intelligentsia who swallowed hook, line, and sinker, the mad-ravings of Marx and Lenin.)

The system that victimizes those of that inclination has shifted into high gear in the day that is upon us. A massive change has occurred among the majority of the populace. Not long ago, the problem was what psychologists call the normalcy bias. "Ahh, come on, a twenty three plus trillion dollar national debt? No problem. My favorite newscaster isn't talking about it. We don't really need to be a materially productive nation, we can just take out a line of credit based upon the value of our homes which, of course, will continue to appreciate, and we can buy an even bigger SUV. Don't bother me with that doom and gloom stuff. The Fed knows what it's doing. Financialization of the economy is the way forward. Stimulate, stimulate, stimulate" Transition:

Good grief, what's this? You say a plague has been let loose? Millions upon millions will die, even if we all wear masks and stay well away from each other? We'll have to shut down the whole country, and give up on anything like normal living for probably eighteen months? OK, authority has spoken. They SOUND like they know what they're talking about. They SEEM to know what to do. Who am I to question? Honey, turn on the tv, see if there's something else they're telling us we should be doing. They say we're all in this together, so we need to be getting with the program all the way."

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ. Have I, in some measure, described your mindset? Have the powers that be so confused you as to where the focus of your concern (not fear or anxiety, but proper concern) ought to be? Are you lining up with the rest of the world, believing that the official "experts" have your well-being in mind above all things? While I trust in the sovereignty of God in all things, it grieves me that I see so many fellow believers victimized by "expert" medical opinion and insistence, for instance. They tell you, "You need this or that drug.....definitely you don't need to look into any nutrition factor in what you're suffering. Be a good patient now, and take your meds. Oh, you're having bad side effects from the medication, well, we'll just have to give you another one to relieve you of the SYMPTOMS of that first drug. More complications of side effects? Not to worry, we have plenty of meds. Take this prescription to the druggist and he'll fix you up."

Now don't forget, stay out of the sun. Slather your body with sunscreen (even though it has carcinogenic ingredients). You've heard that sun exposure is good for you, and fights against a whole range of cancers? Don't believe that nonsense. I'm the doctor. You've heard that if you can't get enough exposure to sunlight, you should take vitamin D3? More nonsense. It's a waste, you'll just pee it away. Look at me. See my white coat and the stethoscope hanging around my neck? They prove I know what I'm talking about. Now either do what I say, or I can't be your doctor anymore."

Time and time again, I've watched dear brethren harmed by their doctors.....yes harmed! Unnecessary surgery that put them at great risk but buys the surgeon a new Lexus. My former boss, his brother, and a co-worker, all killed by bad medical advice. A sister who's a registered nurse, doing all that's wrong about her diabetes because she believes her doctor. A brother who was a heart surgeon, with whom I tried to strike up a conversation about the importance of nutrition and supplementing, waved me aside, saying, "I don't deal with that sort of thing." Two years later he died of a heart attack at a young age. Supplements that would have cooled the inflammation in his cardio system probably would have saved his life.

I think it's fitting to wonder why such a situation exists within even the believing community. How about pausing, shutting out the noisome voices of "authority," and ask the Lord, if maybe you just might be lacking in wisdom in strategic areas of your life. Ask of Him "Who giveth liberally and upbraideth not" just who and what we ought to believe.