Barnabas File

I am grateful for my heritage as a Southern Baptist.  I was exposed to the Bible and worship from a very young age.  I grew up in a church in south Alabama that supported the Cooperative Program of missions giving.  This meant that our church had the benefit of being part of a supportive group of local churches and the educational opportunities that afforded. Our state convention provided varied and effective ministries with groups like orphans, ethnic groups, and college students.  We supported missionaries at home and abroad.  We had good Bible study and training literature (which we paid for, of course).  I went to an accredited seminary and paid a remarkably low tuition.  Wherever you went on a Sunday morning (in the Southeast and Southwest, at least), you could find a church that sang the familiar hymns and studied the same Bible lesson. In hindsight, I realize that this Southern Baptist utopia was imperfect.  There were significant...

While driving last week, I was listening to a public radio broadcast on debunking conspiracy theories related to 9/11.   The guests pointed out several theories that had been put forward and proceeded to present the information they had uncovered to disprove these ideas.   During the broadcast, listeners repeatedly called in, saying in effect, “I don’t care what your facts are.   There were sinister forces behind the destruction of the World Trade Center and the attack on the Pentagon.”   At the end of the broadcast, the guests had to admit that no matter how much research they did, some would still believe what they wanted to believe. In recent blogs I have commented on the way we perceive both reality and past events.   Due to our experiences, influences, and training, we have developed certain ways to look at the world.   These filters determine how we observe, process information, see patterns, and draw conclusions.   What are some of these ...