"No convincing evidence..."

We often hear it said: there's no convincing evidence for this thing or that thing, but I would suggest there is no convincing evidence for anything we don't wish to believe (except for the most obvious things that can't be denied, like gravity).

So for the happy atheist there is no convincing evidence for God, for the contented creationist there is no convincing evidence for evolution, for the preferred "climate sceptic" there is no convincing evidence for man-made global warming, etc.

This reflects the common approach among people of cherry-picking data and studies that reflect and support our own biases or preferences, while either ignoring or dismissing the value of one's that don't.

Many see this tendency as a flaw in the human make-up, but what it actually is is the individual asserting their right to believe as they wish, and this is part and parcel of the gift of free will we each have.

I know this tendency annoys many because they think they "know" the truth of a matter (and perhaps they do) and they think anyone who disagrees with them is either stupid, mad or intentionally perverse!

But there's nothing unique about feeling this way. It doesn't just belong to one group or another, it's a shared human trait.

That's why so many great teachers of man advise tolerance. For without it there is no mutual respect and we are continually at war with each other, whether in thought, word or deed!


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