In every era and every culture throughout history the citizens have believed myths, only later to discover that these beliefs they held so firmly and with such great conviction were totally false. In every major myth so-called experts with titles like medical doctors and scientists were the source of these destructive and often dangerous myths. Tuck this thought deep in the recesses of your long term memory–that false science or what we call pseudoscience has been the source of great evil throughout history. With that awareness we ought to be asking ourselves what false beliefs do we cling to today with absolute certainty that we know the truth when we may actually be clinging to another myth with dangerous consequences for us and our children. Every single generation has made this tragic mistake with one or multiple myths.

Medical Doctors Insisted That Bloodletting Was Good

For thousands of years, medical practitioners clung to the belief that sickness was merely the result of a little “bad blood.” Bloodletting probably began with the ancient Sumerians and Egyptians, but it didn’t become common practice until the time of classical Greece and Rome. Patients with a fever or other ailment were often diagnosed with an overabundance of blood. To restore bodily harmony, their doctor would simply cut open a vein and drain some of their vital fluids into a receptacle. While it could easily result in accidental death from blood loss, phlebotomy endured as a common medical practice well into the 19th century. Medieval doctors prescribed blood draining as a treatment for everything from a sore throat to the plague, and some barbers listed it as a service along with haircuts and shaves. [Source: Ancient Medical Treatments]

Medical Doctors Insisted That Trepanation Was A Cure

Humanity’s oldest form of surgery is also one of its most gruesome. As far back as 7,000 years ago, civilizations around the world engaged in trepanation—the practice of boring holes in the skull as a means of curing illnesses. Researchers can only speculate on how or why this grisly form of brain surgery first developed. A common theory holds that it may have been some form of tribal ritual or even a method for releasing evil spirits believed to possess the sick and mentally ill. [Source: Ancient Medical Treatments]

The Lobotomy as A Cure

Walter Freeman thought he’d found a way to alleviate the pain and distress of the mentally and emotionally ill. Instead, he created one of history’s most horrific medical treatments. Freeman developed his procedure, which became known as a prefrontal lobotomy, based on earlier research by a Portuguese neurologist. Early versions of Freeman’s “cure” involved drilling holes in the top of his patients’ skulls, and later evolved into hammering an ice pick-like instrument through their eye sockets, to sever the connections between the frontal lobes and the thalamus, which he believed to be the part of the brain that dealt with human emotion. [Source: Outrageous Medical Treatments]

Heroine Prescribed for Children

In the late 1880s, heroin was introduced as a safe and non-addictive substitute for morphine. Known as diamorphine, it was created by an English chemical researcher named C.R. Alder Wright in the 1870s, but it wasn’t until a chemist working for Bayer pharmaceuticals discovered Wright’s paper in 1895 that the drug came to market. Finding it to be five times more effective—and supposedly less addictive—than morphine, Bayer began advertising a heroin-laced aspirin in 1898, which they marketed towards children suffering from sore throats, coughs, and cold. [Source: Outrageous Medical Treatments]

This is just the tip of the iceberg of medical and scientific myths that were propagated by so-called experts and believed by millions of citizens . . . to their detriment and for many, their disability and even death.

Pride and Arrogance and Narcissism To The Extreme

Every generation throughout history has thought of itself as the generation that is finally enlightened. All previous generations were ignorant and lacked knowledge, especially “scientific knowledge.” Why would our generation be any different?

It’s not. Today the narcissism of those with advanced degrees and post-graduate educations must be an amazing display of ignorance to God and the Angels of Heaven. They claim to have finally arrived, and finally they know all things. They even know the exact date of the Universe, how it was formed, and they can date everything, even galaxies billions of light years away.

Of course they can. Science has advanced. We have the James Webb telescope and technologies that the ancients could not have dreamed of thousands of years ago. We are so smart! Right?

Narcissism is an ugly and destructive mindset. Exactly what is a narcissist? Glad you asked. Here is the profile of a narcissist from DSM-5, the “Bible” of the Psychiatric profession:

The 9 Traits of a Narcissist

1. Feels grandiose and self-important (exaggerates achievements and talents to the point of lying, demands to be recognized as superior without commensurate achievements)

2. Is obsessed with fantasies of unlimited success, fame, fearsome power or omnipotence, unequalled brilliance (the cerebral narcissist), bodily beauty or sexual performance (the somatic narcissist), or ideal, everlasting, all-conquering love or passion

3. Firmly convinced that he or she is unique and, being special, can only be understood by, should only be treated by, or associate with, other special or unique, or high-status people (or institutions)

4. Requires excessive admiration, adulation, attention and affirmation – or, failing that, wishes to be feared and to be notorious (narcissistic supply)

5. Feels entitled. Expects unreasonable or special and favorable priority treatment. Demands automatic and full compliance with his or her expectations

6. Is “interpersonally exploitative” (uses others to achieve his or her own ends)

7. Devoid of empathy. Is unable or unwilling to identify with or acknowledge the feelings and needs of others

8. Constantly envious of others or believes that they feel the same about him or her

9. Arrogant, haughty behaviors or attitudes coupled with rage when frustrated, contradicted, or confronted

A person does not have to have all 9 to be classified as a narcissist. 5 will do, although it is surprising how many narcissist have all 9.

Forgive me for being a little sarcastic, but doesn’t this list describe the vast majority of today’s politicians, university professors, medical professionals, and scientists?

What Then is The Remedy For Us?

The best remedy, at least as a starting point to get off this merry-go-round of self-imposed insanity is an old remedy from the Bible. It’s called humility. Humility sheds the narcissism and all the characteristics of a proud and arrogant person. Humility seeks to learn the truth in all areas of life, and bows down to the One and Only True God in Heaven, not scientists who play god on earth.

Humility says, “I think I know what is true in this area, but I’m not going to assume I know it all, and I acknowledge I could be wrong, so I’ll always be receptive to the idea that even I could be deceived, that I need to be learning all the time.”

Humility listens when someone shares an opposing view, and especially listens when someone shares a dramatically opposed view to our own convictions and beliefs. We must live as though we do not know it all. We must constantly seek truth and understanding and discernment and wisdom.

To live any other way is to be prideful, and pride will stop all advancement in knowledge of the truth. Wisdom cannot reside with pride. Pride leads only to folly and a long list of other false beliefs over time.

This site is about education–education in difficult but very important topics. We promote books for that very purpose. You don’t have to believe the title of a book to learn from it. Don’t just read books with titles or themes that you agree with. Read books that take a contrary position to your own deeply held beliefs, not necessarily so you will be persuaded to flip your own position or beliefs, but so you can continue your education and training in righteousness, in truth, and to discern what is false and deceptive.

The best book for this is the Bible. No other book compares to the Bible. But read other books, too. Read books that will give you a greater and deeper understanding of God, your purpose in this life, and how to better understand the times we live in. Books are wonderful. We hope you enjoy the books we offer on this site, and we hope they are a rich blessing for you for the rest of your life!