AI: Surprising Support

This week, I headed out to the country side to join the whole family for a cousin’s birthday. At a certain point, one of mhy cousins who has recently accepted Jesus as her savior, but previously intended to be a biologist like me, started an argument with me with the sole point of convincing me that the bible was perfect and science was not.

I usually don’t engage in such things, specially within family, and was mostly just quietly shocked at both her sudden transition (which was brought on by the traumatic death of her sister, so I don’t really judge it) and her wild misconceptions of science. She proceeded to bring up the fact that my parents are cousins and, if it was up to science, my sister and I wouldn’t be perfectly healthy, ’cause science dictates inbreeding results in disabilities!

That was the point when my mom intervened.

My mom, deeply religious herself, went ont to tell my cousind that she ought to get her facts straight before trying to condemn science for something it never did, and explain the true nature of science and the importance of trying to actually understand “supernatural” phenomena instead of accepting it’s a miracle, because “it can still be a miracle if we understand how it happens”.

She basically gave a speech about everything I’ve been saying to her ever since I started studying science. With all the passion I had when I said it. Which was probably the most delightful moment of my life, because it sounded like she’s proud of my life choices, and because I know she wouldn’t have done it a couple years ago. She knew it mattered to me. She listened. And she supported me in a way I’d never expected. It made me proud.

So I ask you:

Have you ever had someone show you support when you didn’t expect them to? Has someone ever advocated for your causes like they were their own? Have you ever been able to influence someone very attached to their beliefs to value critical thinking? 

The Afternoon Inqueery (or AI) is a question posed to you, the Queereka community. Look for it to appear on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays at 3pm ET.