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As I reached the end of 5th grade, and was about to leave elementary school to attend junior high, I was told I’d be put into “accelerated classes.” My teacher sent me home with a note to my parents that said I was “gifted” in addition and subtraction, grammar, and learning skills in general.That addition and subtraction part was ironic, though.
Because if you go back one year, to my time in the 4th grade, there was a couple of days when “gifted” would not be the right word. Drifted or shifted, maybe. But definitely not gifted.
Well, to be a little more clear, the addition and subtraction parts weren’t my downfall. It was long division. For anyone who hasn’t lived enough decades to know, long division is something you do without the use of your smartphone or some other calculator.
And I remember my 4th grade teacher, Mrs. Dunaway, taking extra time with me. Because she could see there was something I missed. Or overlooked. And she was pretty sure I visually created a mental block. So, she figured maybe I needed to see the problem from a different perspective. And she let another student show me how to work a long division problem.
So, I watched the other student go through a long division problem. And after a couple of times, something clicked and I “saw” the answer to my mental block. I had just looked at it with a flawed preconception.
But once I let that go, it all made sense.
That’s how it is with preconceived notions, ideas, and theories. They’re not necessarily all wrong. But they can slow down or even shut down the facts and the truth.
For example, after the theory of evolution was suggested, back in the 1800’s, geologists thought layers of fossils indicated the age of the fossils. In other words, they figured fossils in the lower layers of sedimentary rock must be older than fossils in the upper layers.
So, they came up with their fictional version of history they called the “geologic ages.”
And their timelines and timeframes got longer and longer. Because even then, plants and animals were complex enough they couldn’t have evolved in just a few hundred or even several thousand years.
No, the numbers would have to be closer to 70-400 million years. And because of their preconceived assumptions, they (so-called “scientists” and “geologists”) end up chasing their own tail. (aka circular reasoning…aka tautology)
Those geologists from way back then, and even many (if not most) of them nowadays, didn’t and don’t factor in liquefaction.
Sounds like something out of Marvel comics movie. Right?
But liquefaction is just a hydrodynamic mechanism that sorts stuff during a flood. Hmm…a flood? Now, where have I heard about a flood and fossils before? Oh yeah, in the Bible. The most unscientific book in the history of the world. Unless you consider the mountain of evidence to the contrary.
So, addition and subtraction
Show the truth of liquefaction
When your preconceived refraction
Turns to well-designed attraction.
Stay tuned,
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