Who is Your Ultimate Authority?

In the 1960s, ordinary people were willing to electrocute a stranger — simply because someone in a lab coat told them to.

The question isn’t whether authority influences you. The question is: who do you ultimately submit to?

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The Importance of Scientific Interpretation.

Scientific Interpretation is simply the use of logic and philosophy to make an educated guess on a scientific discovery.

Every single scientist that makes a new discovery uses logic and philosophy to explain their discovery and applications. This may not sit well with many people, because they believe the data explains itself. Unfortunately, that is never the case.

For example, the structure of the atom and its electrons has changed at least twice since 2011 when I was introduced to the field of atomic physics in college.

To put it lightly, nearly every scientific theory is biased and based on a worldview (i.e. atheists prefer evolution, whilst Christians prefer creationism).

So What? What Does Any Of This Have To Do With Me?

See, our inability to realize that many people who have laid the foundation of modern knowledge were simply interpreting data keeps us from interpreting the data ourselves. We are so inept in knowing truth, only because we trust that the “smarter” people must interpret the data through unbiased, wholly truthful ways.

Look, people are people. One of the things we learn in psychology is that people are easily manipulated by other people in authority.

For example, a study called, the Milgram obedience experiment, performed in the 1960s, shows us how easily we are swayed by people in authority.

Be Warry of Human Ultimate Authority

A person posing as a scientist sat behind a participant in a closed off room.

There was another “participant” in another room who could be heard.

A third person in a lab coat told the first participant to ask the second a series of questions.

If they answered incorrectly, the first participant was to “administer a shock” to the second person.

The catch was that there was no shock. The second participant was part of the research team, faking the pain.

The study found 65% of the participants were willing to shock the second individual, regardless of the intensity of the shock. They did this simply because the person in authority told them to continue.

The Lesson

Essentially, you cannot trust someone just because they are in a position of authority. You must have a moral compass independent of worldly authority.

If all human authority interprets reality through bias, then we must ask: is there an authority not limited by bias? Is there a wholly reliable authority that only has our best interests in mind? Is there an authority that already owns so much that they have no need to take advantage of anyone?

I’m here to say, “There is!”

God is not a corrupt authority. He is a good authority. He forgave freely! He is the only authority who has full power to change any and everything He desires. He already owns the universe, you can’t give Him anything He doesn’t already have. That is, except love.

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Why Should You Submit?

If you want to rebel, you can.

If you want to submit, you can.

If you want to live in sin, you can.

If you want to go to Heaven, you can.

The ultimate goal of Christianity is to become adopted into God’s family (Romans 8:15). God will care for us better than any earthly father ever could. Not only do we get to become heirs of Heaven (Romans 8:17), but we are blessed while here on earth.

Yes, God is an authority figure. But He is also all knowing, all good, and all loving. As one who knows Him, I attest that He is trustworthy.

Why submit to God and give up your sin? Why should He be our Ultimate Authority?

I’d respond, “Since when has your sin improved the world? God will make the world a better place!”