Fracking and Our World View

There are a considerable number of earthquakes happening in the neck of the woods just to the south and west of where we live.  Used to be there were none…then the oil drilling started, and so did the quakes.  Some folks are just sure the quakes are caused by fracking…a type of drilling for minerals.  Others say there isn’t any direct evidence.  Still others say that fracking doesn’t cause it…the disposal of waste water (which comes as a result of drilling and fracking) causes it.  Who says what depends on which side of the environmental/oil fence one happens to be on, it seems.

I suspect that all of them are partly right — and partly wrong.  And I suspect that they have nuanced their talking points to just what they want to say, telling the truth but not telling the whole truth.  They aren’t alone in this screwing around of the English language.  Politicians have been doing it for centuries.  Preachers too.  And lawyers…well, you can make up your own mind about them.

What is so fearful about telling the entire truthful story?  Why is it so difficult to admit that one’s preconceived ideas and notions may not be entirely on the level?  What is so hard about making a change in how one perceives things when confronted with evidence to the contrary about one’s perception?

We all are guilty.  We all like to think that the way we perceive things (our world view) is the correct one.  Of course we do.  Because no one has a world view that is contrary to how one perceives the world.  That would be not only illogical, but self-defeating.

No, that’s not the issue.  The issue is how one changes one’s world view when confronted with evidence to the contrary of that view.  Some of us ignore the evidence…we say it isn’t there, or it really isn’t evidence.  Others of us see the evidence, but say that it is incorrect (according to one’s world view).  Still others will twist the evidence to the point that it conforms to their world view.  And a very few will take the time to logically examine the evidence, examine one’s world view, and make any changes to that world view that the evidence calls for.

As Christians, that is our challenge in taking the message of and about Jesus Christ to the world.  That message has to have the power within it to overcome the world view and perceptions of the person it comes to, and provoke a complete change of heart and mind.  It’s a tall order for any message.  No wonder the Bible talks of God’s work in a person to prepare him for the message.  No wonder it talks of the message being the power of God.  No wonder it says that the message is sharper than any sword.  These things have to be in order for the message to penetrate and effect the change that it calls for.

We are fearfully and wonderfully made, the Good Book says.  And so we are.  One of the things which enables us to live and work in this existence is the stubbornness and stamina that we develop as a result of forming and defending our world view.  But when that view is clearly contrary to what we know to be true, we need to be man enough (pardons to the ladies) to admit our error and go in another direction.  That’s harder than it might seem, but it’s possible and is done countless numbers of times each day.

Get your world view out from time to time and dust it off.  Take a good, honest look at it.  Check it against the evidence.  And wise up and make the changes where they need to be made.  You’ll be a better man (or woman) for having done so.