When was it that we as a people began to distrust scientific or medical opinion? Some say it was with Copernicus and Galileo when we discovered we were not the center of the universe. Others place it more recently, with Darwin, when we had to take our place among other species. Still others place it with the growth of the internet, allowing us to second-guess science.
We humans crave certainty, and the one thing snake oil salesmen offer us is certainty, research and scientific inquiry be damned. Now our snake oil chief-in-charge of our Nation’s health has decided against continuing any mRNA research, cancelling $500 million in funds. These vaccines are faster in fighting flu and Covid.
What a great time to do this as we face the possibility of another pandemic from bird flu. This is, of course, the great leader who opposes MMR vaccines, stating against all scientific research that they cause autism. Let’s hope we don’t end up paying a heavy price for such idiocy.
Prayer for the Day
You created us, O God, as sentient beings,
Enabling us to use our minds to think and question;
You gave us our hands as tools for work and play,
Empowering us to use our hands for good in your world;
Open our minds so we do not fear science,
But use its knowledge for the good of us, your children.
In the name of the One who calls us to question,
Even Christ Jesus our Lord, Amen
Thoughts for the Day
It was the great hope that we would have a much better prepared world for an influenza pandemic, should it occur, because we could quickly ramp up mRNA technology.
Michael Osterholm, infectious disease expert
It’s absolutely perplexing why this is happening. You have to sort of scratch your head to wonder why the secretary is directing these sort of actions against probably one of the most powerful platforms in medicine that has come along in the last 20 years.
Jeff Coller, RNA biology and therapeutics professor, Johns Hopkins University
The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning,
But the hart of fools is in the house of mirth.
It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise than to hear the song of fools.
For like the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of fool
Ecclesiastes 7: 4-6