Politics: America's new religion

(Disclaimer: this article does not promote any political party...anyone who interprets it as such is drastically mistaken...I don't do politics...I promote scientific, logical, rational thinking)

Thomas Jefferson was not only a great American patriot. He also possessed what was arguably one of the sharpest scientific minds ever. TJ fervently hoped that scientific, logical, rational thinking would rule our republic; which is precisely why he valued public education so much. He knew, as did virtually all our Founding Fathers, that “we will ultimately get the government we deserve - according to how well educated we are.” And by “educated”, TJ and the Founding Fathers meant that the voting citizenry would have learned how to think “scientifically and rationally, not ruled by politics or religion”. (There is a little bit of humor in everything; as I type I can’t help but think that “TJ and the Founding Fathers” sounds a lot like a mid-60s rock band.)

For nearly two and a half centuries, we Americans have generally done pretty doggone well.

No, it hasn’t always been pretty. And it has never been perfect. True democracies are neither one. But all democracies strive for their citizenry to be as open-minded and free-thinking as they can possibly be. That way, we can always get a bit better. And a bit more free. Little by little.

Unless.

Unless we forget how to think rationally, logically, and scientifically.

For instance, which three of the following statements are backed by strong scientific evidence? And which two are merely myths?