10) Religion and Science Can Both Be Twisted to Serve Any Purpose
The Crusades. Witch hunts. Slavery.
Human history is full of horrific practices justified by the prevailing religious texts of the time. It’s easy to look back now and say that these are but cases of ignorant bigots “citing scripture for their purpose”, but what about today? The same exact thing is still happening! Fundamentalist Christians are fighting to block gay marriage because “it’s in the Bible”. Before you use religious dogma to justify your homophobia, why not actually ask yourself that question on your WWJD wrist band. Do you really think Christ, the paragon of love and acceptance, would be against two loving, committed individuals joining in holy matrimony?
“Mark you this, Bassanio,
The devil can cite Scripture for his purpose.
An evil soul producing holy witness
Is like a villain with a smiling cheek,
A goodly apple rotten at the heart:
O, what a goodly outside falsehood hath!”
But just like religion, science too can be manipulated for nefarious ends. Those with the means can fund studies to show that their products are safe, get politicians and agencies to look the other way or pass legislation in their favor, and pay for ad campaigns to sway public opinion.
The distortion of science for the sake of profit can be found in all industries, but it is especially rampant in the world of health and nutrition. So whenever you hear “studies show…”, beware of the funding bias and consider who paid for the studies before deciding, for example, whether a particular drug is safe or whether GMOs are fit for consumption.
Next: 11) “Consensus” is Not the Same Thing as “Truth” Return to the List
