Law enforcement officers largely deal with suspects. These are people thought to have committed a crime. They can even be caught committing a crime but they are not, at that point, found guilty. They will remain suspects until a court of law proves that they committed the crime.

That is the way our justice system works and it is a fair way to convict someone of what they are suspected of doing. Facts are presented and judgment is made through examining those facts. I think everyone reading this column knows and accepts the validity of that process. So the suspect is condemned, or exonerated, by the findings.The facts determine guilt or innocence.

The definition of a scientific fact is: “an observation that has been confirmed repeatedly and is accepted as true although its truth is never final.” Finding scientific facts are far more involved than finding facts in a court of law. Finding a scientific fact would be like trying the same suspect, in a court of law, over and over and over and over again before their guilt or innocence could be determined..

We are hearing many things today that have not been proven and are only suspect. We have taken these things as scientific facts and altered our lives because of them. There are many detrimental things that are happening to us because of what we have chosen to believe. Even in the extreme observation of science the truth is never final. As a collective body of citizens we have become fearful of what is only suspected.

The bible teaches us that fear is not of God! If we choose to constantly look at the negative side of any issue, we will fall into a dark place. We must turn to and be thankful for things that will encourage us. One of the things that I thank God for daily, is that Fayette County has been spared from anyone dying because of the coronavirus. I am thankful for our school board that is going to reopen our schools and have “in person” classes. I’m thankful for the CDC that is encouraging schools across most of the nation to fully open so our children and grandchildren can have the advantage that we have had through a proper education.

There are always bad things we can focus on but on the other hand there are many things we can be thankful for!

What will you choose?

These are the everyday issues we address from a biblical perspective at the Gathering Place Church every Wednesday evening at 7 and Sunday morning at 10:30.

John Pfeifer

Pastor