Who do you trust? I’m not thinking of political leaders. I’m referring to people. Whether they go to church is as irrelevant as their political party. What matters is whether they put their beliefs above evidence. Do they put tribe above truth? If they are unwilling to accept evidence, then the answer is beware. We all choose what we believe. But if we are unwilling to put evidence above ourselves, we can’t even trust ourselves.

Need examples? Think of someone you know who will believe allegations from their favorite “fact” source. But not watch testimony sworn under oath if they think it threatens their belief. Telling lies is not against the law. False testimony under oath is. That’s why some people do everything they can to avoid it. Cross-examination makes the veracity even stronger. If it’s the truth you fear, don’t watch.

All propagandists know if you repeat a lie often enough, people will believe it. We witness today the ease of spreading lies. Millions believe the last presidential election was stolen based on allegations without evidence. Joseph Goebbels once said: “The more absurd the lie, the more people will believe it.” Q-Anon conspiracy anyone? Voltaire wrote during the Reign of Terror following the French Revolution over 200 years ago: “If you can get people to believe absurdities, you can get them to commit atrocities.” Remember January 6. Times may have changed. But people haven’t.