Flax, Fax or Facts

I have come to notice something that is a strong strand between the Grand Old Party members and the members of the Anglican Church in North America.  This revelation is actually based on those members of both that write, talk, or broadcast.  Big time Bishops or regular folks in the pews and voting booths.  My guess is that most cross lines between each because of the unique approach to "facts" but none the less both observable groups suffer from the same affliction.  The rallying cry for both parties is "Do not confuse me with the facts. I am entitled to my own opinion." 

Once upon a time, in the world of facebook I joined a group and took on a few "friends" from that group.  Shortly thereafter I began receiving some of the most "bizarre" writings from one individual.  I generally ignored the diatribes until one day I could do so no longer.  The posting was so confused and so out of touch with research that I had to post back, and in a nice way, merely asked on what research did he base is post?  I was immediately attacked by about 5 of that persons friends (comments section) criticizing me for being a liberal communist.  Being as obstinate as I am I tried once again and merely asked for the author to clarify his writings by citing the necessary research to support his arguments.  At this point he wrote back and in slightly longer posting said that these were his opinions and he was entitled to his own opinions.  (It was not as mean as this may sound).  At that point I found a way in which to end our facebook friendship.

Drinking from the same bucket we hear the leaders of the ACNA movement (and indeed the leaders of GAFCON) espousing the same sort of thing.  ACNA says "We are the Anglican representative in the United States." ignoring the facts.  "Don't confuse me with the facts, I am entitled to my own opinion."

Why is this problem not self-evident?  Sure, everyone is entitled to their own opinion.  My concern is that these silly people are spewing their opinions as if they were facts and then they and their followers are acting on their own opinions.  Facts be damned.

I will end with this story.  Years ago I was working in a school district that had negotitated a deal with a cellular company to place a cell tower on a campus.  This was creating much needed revenue for a district that was in huge trouble financially.  The parents went crazy over the "rays" that were affecting their children.  We scheduled a meeting and flew in the world's foremost expert (Harvard in this case) on cellular towers and the effects on the human body.  We met, and I introduced the expert.  The expert began his explanation for the effects (i.e., none to speak of) of cell towers on children.  A parent stood up and asked, "Who paid you to come out here?"   Of course he responded with the district paid his way. The parent then went on to explain to the parents that whatever this person said was bogus because he was paid by the district. this was, at that time, the foremost expert and one of the few in the world at that time.  The long and the short of it was this:  After the parents sat back down and negotiated a portion of the revenue to come to the PTA funds of that elementary school suddenly all the magnetic rays and evil things emanating from the tower was no longer pertinent.  They exchanged money for their children's safety.