It is our spiritual duty to be mistrustful of those we don't know. The obvious examples of this are found in the speeches of politicians. Just because a Senator or President says something, don't trust them. Even if you like them. Especially, if you like them.
Rare is the political leader who will speak simple truth. They will twist things to their advantage. Even when using facts, they will pick and choose and slant things to their purpose.
Same goes for supposed pundits, those talking heads who analyze every move made in the land. Just because someone is on a TV news show, doe not mean that they have any real clue what they are talking about, but you will never hear them admit that.
Teachers, Professors, historians, scientists, artists, most of these people have some flaw in their character that prevents them from telling simple plain truths and few of them will ever say the words 'I don't know.'
Further, and reluctantly, I have to apply the same analysis to most religious leaders. I have heard ministers of all faiths get up and spout chapter and verse as if they came from the mouth of God (they didn't; men wrote them) and go ballistic when questioned. I have heard them quote Jesus as if he were standing in the room, when, in fact, sadly, we are not exactly sure what Jesus said (the Gospels were written years after His death, disagree with each other on many points and the there are all of those other Gospels found in recent years). They often overlook the fact that the words they are speaking and the stories they are re-telling only make sense within the cultural and historic context of their times. It is fine to extract the timeless truths, of which there are many, from those words, but that is far different from taking them literally.
Think for yourself. Be doubtful of what you are told. Maybe it is the truth, maybe not. Generally, the truth is somewhere in there, nut you have to use your brain and sort things out. We have a sacred duty to use our minds.
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