In my last post, I tried to give a brief intro into this topic to help you understand where I'm coming from as we begin this discussion.
It is really important to have an open mind when researching this topic. There is a ton of information, and most of what you read on one side of the debate will directly contradict what you read on the other. You must engage your ability to discern in order to decide what you will and will not believe. I found myself following these 5 simple rules when I was deciding what I would take to heart and what I would disregard in my research.
It is really important to have an open mind when researching this topic. There is a ton of information, and most of what you read on one side of the debate will directly contradict what you read on the other. You must engage your ability to discern in order to decide what you will and will not believe. I found myself following these 5 simple rules when I was deciding what I would take to heart and what I would disregard in my research.
1.) Consider
the source. What is their background? What do they have to gain or
what do they have to lose for taking the position they are taking on
the issue?
2.) Would I have any reason to believe this person or institution has the best interest of my children in mind?
3.) Would I normally disregard this information because it sounds crazy,
makes me uncomfortable, or challenges me in ways I don't like?
Those are NOT valid reasons to automatically discredit a source. If I am uncomfortable with the information for any of the above reasons, I should research it further and try to root out the truth.
Those are NOT valid reasons to automatically discredit a source. If I am uncomfortable with the information for any of the above reasons, I should research it further and try to root out the truth.
4.) Just
because
I consider the information I find, it does not mean that I have to BELIVE
it.
Believe me, as you start reading, you are going to come across stuff that screams crazy. There is a wild range of opinions and stories and "facts" (especially on the internet). We all know if its on the internet, its true right? NOT.
ANYWAY, what I'm trying to say it that its OKAY to read these things, as long as your brain is engaged and on guard. Don't forget that sometimes things that sound crazy end up actually being true (i.e. Noah when he preached there would be a world wide flood, Columbus when he said the world was round, the Wright Brothers when said they could fly. They were all "crazies" in their time. You get the idea.....) Use your God given sense don't believe or discredit anything right away. THINK! Then decide.
I discovered throughout this process that I have a tendency to shy away from things that I think I might not agree with. Its almost like I had a fear of changing my own mind. I guess we get comfortable with what we know, and change can be uncomfortable and require work. I think for those reasons, when I began to peel back the layers on this issue of vaccines, I would stop and be tempted to just quit. It would have been so much easier to just decide that my pediatrician knew best and I was silly to question her. I had to continue to remind myself that it was important to know the truth, and that considering information does not equate accepting it as truth. Once I have information, I have the right to do whatever I see fit with it. It is appropriate to consider it, chew on it for awhile, and then decide where it fits in the opinion I'm formulating. If it does happen to challenge me in ways that require change, then I have to be willing to “go there”. I am discovering that researching a point of view with which I may not necessarily agree is actually really beneficial. It will either open my eyes to another perspective, or it will make me stronger in my own stance because I will better understand why I believe what I believe.
Believe me, as you start reading, you are going to come across stuff that screams crazy. There is a wild range of opinions and stories and "facts" (especially on the internet). We all know if its on the internet, its true right? NOT.
ANYWAY, what I'm trying to say it that its OKAY to read these things, as long as your brain is engaged and on guard. Don't forget that sometimes things that sound crazy end up actually being true (i.e. Noah when he preached there would be a world wide flood, Columbus when he said the world was round, the Wright Brothers when said they could fly. They were all "crazies" in their time. You get the idea.....) Use your God given sense don't believe or discredit anything right away. THINK! Then decide.
I discovered throughout this process that I have a tendency to shy away from things that I think I might not agree with. Its almost like I had a fear of changing my own mind. I guess we get comfortable with what we know, and change can be uncomfortable and require work. I think for those reasons, when I began to peel back the layers on this issue of vaccines, I would stop and be tempted to just quit. It would have been so much easier to just decide that my pediatrician knew best and I was silly to question her. I had to continue to remind myself that it was important to know the truth, and that considering information does not equate accepting it as truth. Once I have information, I have the right to do whatever I see fit with it. It is appropriate to consider it, chew on it for awhile, and then decide where it fits in the opinion I'm formulating. If it does happen to challenge me in ways that require change, then I have to be willing to “go there”. I am discovering that researching a point of view with which I may not necessarily agree is actually really beneficial. It will either open my eyes to another perspective, or it will make me stronger in my own stance because I will better understand why I believe what I believe.
5.) Become
a skeptic. Ask the hard questions. Question EVERYTHING. Don't be
afraid to question "authority" or the “norm”.
I know. I sound like such a rebel right?? Lol.... Anyone who knows me can attest to how far that is from who I actually am! This is probably the hardest one for me. I am a people-pleaser. I don't like confrontation, AND I am a natural-born optimist, not a skeptic. Finding a balance between skepticism and optimism has been tough for me, but I do believe they can co-exsist. I'm getting there. :)
This one is so important though, because asking questions helps us to think critically about things and helps give us the information we need to make good decisions. When doctors get defensive about being asked the tough questions about vaccines, that is an automatic red flag to me. Either they aren't confident in their ability to defend their position or they don't believe they should be questioned, neither of which are good in my mind.
I know. I sound like such a rebel right?? Lol.... Anyone who knows me can attest to how far that is from who I actually am! This is probably the hardest one for me. I am a people-pleaser. I don't like confrontation, AND I am a natural-born optimist, not a skeptic. Finding a balance between skepticism and optimism has been tough for me, but I do believe they can co-exsist. I'm getting there. :)
This one is so important though, because asking questions helps us to think critically about things and helps give us the information we need to make good decisions. When doctors get defensive about being asked the tough questions about vaccines, that is an automatic red flag to me. Either they aren't confident in their ability to defend their position or they don't believe they should be questioned, neither of which are good in my mind.
Putting each of these things into practice as I do my research
really helps me to develop an opinion and discover, what I believe to
be, the truth. I hope it helps you as well!
Thank
you so much for reading. I have so much more I want to share. Stay
tuned for Part 2. I would also love to hear
your vaccine-related stories, if you have any!
I will leave you with the words of Pastor Bob Burney, a local pastor and radio talk show host whom I really admire.
"Listen. Think. Discern."
And remember...Seek the Truth. Speak the Truth. You won't be sorry.
( I think I'll make that my moto) :)
~Carli~
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