Dealing with Doubts and Doubters: Lessons from a Sixth-Grade Nerd
by Jeff Lindsay
When
I was in sixth grade, our teacher taught a science section on the
nature of the atom. In our classroom we had a physical model with
some wooden balls glued together to represent the protons and
neutrons of the atomic nucleus, and some other balls on a metal wire
tracks representing electrons and their orbits.
I
think most of us realized that real atoms weren't made of wood, but
beyond that we had no idea just how technically inaccurate and even
misleading almost everything about this physical model was.
The
horrifically wrong relative dimensions, the portrayal of components
as solid particles, the nice fixed orbits instead of fuzzy orbitals,
and other aspects were already thoroughly "wrong" based on
what was known in that day, and things have only gotten more complex
since then.
Taking
the gross oversimplification of the Bohr
Model of the atom,
we learned about the building blocks of the material world: a neat
kit of protons, neutrons, and electrons in their precisely fixed
orbits gave us the foundation for everything.
My
confidence in this young new teacher was not high (this is the same
teacher who gave me a shocking 0%, an F, on a math test involving
monetary sums even though all my calculations were correct, for I had
not put a needless dollar sign in front of every answer), so I
wondered if he was teaching us correctly.
I
went home that night and dug out an old encyclopedia that we had
picked up at a garage sale a few years before. It was thoroughly out
of date already, yet it had enough information on the atom to make me
realize that what our teacher was passing off as science was just a
tiny piece of the picture.
I
learned that there were more particles and entities to consider than
just the three we had learned about. I didn't understand what I read,
but I learned about particles (actually classes of particles) called
baryons and leptons. I think the article may have mentioned neutrinos
and mesons as well.
Mercifully,
the encyclopedia was too old to mention the existence of quarks,
gluons, and the intricacies of quantum
chromodynamics,
or what happened the next day in class could have been an even bigger
headache for everyone.
In
a few moments of superficial study, I had learned for myself that the
world of physics and the nature of matter were much more complicated
that what our teacher had said. Well! I rubbed my hands together with
glee as I pondered an embarrassing question or two I would ask the
next day as he wrapped up the science unit and asked, "Are there
any questions?"
At
that age, I struggled with the dual affliction of being both a nerd
and a smart aleck. Students, if you are suffering from this as well,
please get therapy before it's too late. As I would gradually learn,
this combination usually does not win much respect from teachers or
from the cute girls I sometimes tried to impress. There are better
ways, so I've heard.
The
next day the magic moment came: "Are there any questions?"
Hah, he has played right into my trap! My hand sprung up.
"Yes, uh, I'm wondering if you could tell us about some of the
other subatomic particles that are important parts of matter. You
know, particles like baryons and leptons."
"Uh,
what?"
"Yes,"
I said knowingly, perhaps even a bit triumphantly, "it turns out
that there are quite a few other particles besides just electrons,
protons, and neutrons, so maybe we should learn about those, too."
"Well,
Jeff, maybe you'd like to tell us a few things about them." Hmm,
he didn't crumble as quickly as I hoped.
"Sure.
Baryons are heavy subatomic particles, and leptons are light
subatomic particles, and there are neutrinos and muons and many other
things. So I just think we should include these, too."
"Uh,
right. Let me look into that and get back to you later. But today,
it's time to move on to our next subject…."
Smelled
like a cover-up. Totally evasive. I had exposed the weak underbelly
of 6th-grade science education.
My
silly and rather ignorant question may have been perceived as hostile
and annoying, and that would be accurate. However, deep down there
was a sincere desire to understand, not just to criticize and show
off. I wanted to know more and not have my questions blown off. He
never got back to me on my questions — I would have respected
him much more if he had even tried.
I
was put off by the grossly oversimplified model that was being
presented, but in my ignorance failed to appreciate why it was useful
for both teaching and even actual scientific calculations. It was far
from complete, but useful. Teaching it was not the result of
dishonesty or a cover-up, though I feel it would have been much
better had the teacher added a disclaimer like this:
In
reality, for those of you who care, the atom is much more complex
than our little model shows and things like electrons and protons
aren't really nice round particles at all, though they sometimes act
like particles, and other times don't. The details are way beyond
what we can cover in this class, but if you want to know more, I can
suggest some books to read.
I
loved science and would go on to study it more over the years. Later
I would learn about quantum chemistry and the bewildering more
advanced models we have for the nature of electrons and other
components of matter.
I
would take a graduate-level class on quantum chemistry that still
makes my head spin when I think about it, though I somehow managed to
get a decent grade.
In
later readings I would learn of string theory, multiple dimensions,
dark energy and dark matter, and a host of other bewilderments that
make me feel that today I know much less about the nature of matter
and the universe than I did in sixth grade.
The
universe is a complex place, and so is the gospel and Church history.
History can be profoundly complicated as we struggle with conflicting
accounts and inadequate documentation, not to mention our lack of
psychic skills understanding the real motives for apparent actions.
As
for matters of doctrine and the things of God, we have models to
describe concepts like the Creation, the Fall, the Atonement, the
nature of sin, godliness, spirits, the spirit world, and Eternal
Life, but we know so very little and can easily import numerous
incorrect assumptions into our models and into what we teach and into
the questions we formulate as we struggle to understand.
Once
we detect that some things are more complex than we realized, we may
mistakenly interpret the gaps as the fruits of deception, when they
may be the result of sloppiness, mistaken assumptions, or a good
faith effort to simplify in order to teach basic principles. Or other
times just painful mortal blunders.
In
reflecting upon my sixth-grade experience, I see an analogy to the
gospel and the issue of dealing with doubts and tough questions about
our faith. My antagonistic stance before the teacher sometimes
resembles those who throw out seemingly hostile questions, the kind
we sometimes view as "anti-Mormon."
Yes,
there may be hostile intent with a loaded question or criticism that
might embarrass or weaken faith. At the same time, many who ask these
questions still have, to some degree, especially initially, a sincere
desire to know and not just belittle.
Some
are learning and are simply troubled when they find out that Church
history or other elements related to our faith are much more
complicated than the simple models they learned in Sunday School or
seminary.
When
these questions come, we would be wise to take them seriously and not
belittle or ignore the person who might actually be asking with a
touch of sincerity, or even deep and obvious sincerity. We may not
have the answers, but we can help.
We
can help that person know that we care, that there may be answers,
and there may be people who have those answers, and try to actually
get back to them with something more useful than just saying "pray
about it" (though that is, of course, an essential component in
dealing with doubts and in building our testimonies and our
relationship with God).
There
are legitimate questions and legitimate doubts that we may face. How
can it be any other way given how little we know and how much there
is yet to be learned and revealed? How can we not face troubling
questions as we expend out knowledge to break past oversimplified
models and touch upon the bewilderments of a "quantum faith"
with its spiritual quarks and all their strangeness, charm, and
unseeable color?
For
some of these questions, we can only wait and hope for more to be
revealed or learned. But for many questions, there are great answers
and people who can help us face them. We must let those who doubt
know that we care and will get back to them.
We
can help them turn to resources like those at The
Mormon Interpreter,
the Maxwell
Institute,
FAIRMormon,
LDS.org,
and other resources, along with the writings of many authors who
tackle tough issues related to our faith, sometimes even with
brilliance.
People
with tough questions may discover, as I have discovered, that many of
the weaknesses in our faith have, with time, become strengths. For
example, many once-challenging attacks on the Book of Mormon have not
just been blunted by further research and discovery, but have become
pillars of strength for the case of Book of Mormon plausibility.
I
could mention things like the many recent discoveries related to the
journey of Nephi's group through the Arabian Peninsula, including
archaeological finds from Lehi's day supporting the case for a rare
place name mentioned by Nephi being exactly where and when it was
supposed to be.
I
could mention the many discoveries pointing to the plausibility of
ancient writing on metal plates, or the use of cement in the ancient
Americas, or intriguing little details like the once laughable use of
Alma as a man's name in the Book of Mormon — when everyone
knows it's a modern woman's name — now confirmed as an ancient
Jewish male name from records unearthed long after Joseph Smith's
day.
The
Book of Mormon today is truer than ever, with a growing array of
evidences to help overcome objections and give room for faith and the
Spirit. In many areas where the Book of Mormon once had big question
marks, we now have answers, and sometimes very impressive answers,
turning weakness into strength as we dig into the text and the
related arguments
and evidences.
The
Book of Mormon doesn't just withstand study and scrutiny, it invites
it, it urges us to study, ponder, and dig into to the text. Take it
seriously. Don't blow it off as an annoyance not worthy of a
response.
When
we are willing to apply both faith and patience, the quest for more
knowledge and the challenge of dealing with doubts can lead to
journeys that uncover many treasures that steadily strengthen our
testimony. That testimony isn't just fuzzy emotions. It involves the
mind and serious intellectual processes.
One
of the things I love about the gospel is that we are invited to
think, to ponder, to study, and to reason, and even to apply a form
of the scientific method in gaining knowledge about the details of
the Gospel. That is the point of Alma 32 in the Book of Mormon, a
chapter addressed to those with a high level of doubt because they
were just on the verge of believing.
Alma
challenged them to experiment with the word and to put principles of
the gospel to the test, scientifically, and observe the fruits of the
experiment as people apply and live those principles. He speaks of
true principles causing not just spiritual feelings, but intellectual
enlightenment as the mind expands.
In
the Doctrine & Covenants, we are also reminded that revelation
involves both heart and mind (D&C 8:2,3). Our minds should expand
and grow in knowledge as we pursue the things go the Spirit.
While
I have more questions than ever about the nature of the universe and
about the nature of God and the gospel, there are some core things
that we can grasp and know to be real. Just as we can know that there
is a nucleus inside the atom with real properties, whatever it may be
and however it is held together, we can also identify and know some
core truths of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Although
I am confused by the complexity of matter and space, I can marvel and
rejoice at the intricacy of the design of the cosmos and its very
fabric that gives us such remarkable physical properties to enable
the majesty of stars and galaxies, of planets and our ecosystem, and
the glory of things like the carbon atom that enables the machinery
of life.
The
more I learn about matter and physics, the more I marvel that a
solution was even possible to enable this wondrous existence of ours
and the glory of the heavens. The more I learn about the gospel, in
spite of all my questions, the more I can appreciate the reality of
God and Jesus Christ, and their love for us.
And
the more I can appreciate the power of the Book of Mormon, even with
its puzzles and warts, as a witness of Jesus Christ and an authentic
ancient document that can bring us closer to God — if we'll let
it, if we'll press forward with patience and faith, and if we'll
never stop learning and seeking to understand more.
May
we press forward with patience, and add to our own patience a little
patience for those who annoy us with their seemingly ignorant
questions, who triumphantly toss out information that might be meant
to embarrass, yet who may have a willingness to grow and learn if
only we can get back to them with helpful answers to what may have at
least started as a sincere question.
Some
critics are just out to attack no matter what, but some doubters
really need the benefit of a doubt in order to move on toward more
intelligent faith.
Jeff Lindsay has been defending the Church on the Internet since 1994, when he launched his
LDSFAQ website under JeffLindsay.com. He has also long been blogging about LDS matters on
the blog Mormanity (mormanity.blogspot.com). Jeff is a longtime resident of Appleton,
Wisconsin, who recently moved to Shanghai, China, with his wife, Kendra.
He works for an Asian corporation as head of intellectual property. Jeff and Kendra are the parents of 4 boys, 3 married and the the youngest on a mission.
He is a former innovation and IP consultant, a former professor, and former Corporate Patent
Strategist and Senior Research Fellow for a multinational corporation.
Jeff Lindsay, Cheryl Perkins and Mukund Karanjikar are authors of the book Conquering
Innovation Fatigue (John Wiley & Sons, 2009).
Jeff has a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from Brigham Young University and is a registered US
patent agent. He has more than 100 granted US patents and is author of numerous publications.
Jeff's hobbies include photography, amateur magic, writing, and Mandarin Chinese.