For A Doctor, Ben Carson Sure Does Seem Clueless At Times

Right up front, let me say that I greatly admire anyone who goes through what it takes to be a medical doctor. They endure nearly a decade of higher education, long hours, and have to live with the knowledge that one wrong decision on their part may lead to the death of a patient. Doctors are truly heroes.

But when I see and hear a doctor like Ben Carson, I often wonder how someone with so much education, knowledge, and skill, can be so utterly clueless at times. While appearing on “Meet the Press” over the weekend, Dr. Carson was asked about how he squares his belief in creationism with the overwhelming scientific evidence presented by the theory of evolution. Dr. Carson responded by saying:

“I find a very good measure of correlation between my religious beliefs and my scientific beliefs. People say, ‘How can you be a scientist, how can you be a surgeon if you don’t believe in certain things?’ Maybe those things aren’t scientific, maybe it is just propaganda.”

Yes, and maybe there’s no need for a surgeon to wash his hands before he steps into the operating theatre. After all, the idea of germs might just be propaganda that’s being used by soap manufacturers to sell more of their products.

Keep in mind this is the same Ben Carson who proudly said he wouldn’t support health care reform–Obamacare–“even if it worked.”

So I’m not quite sure what to make of Dr. Carson. First of all, he is undoubtedly a brilliant man. He owns the distinction of being the first neurosurgeon to successfully separate conjoined twins joined at the head. Yet he often takes facts and treats them as if they were superstition. Would you want your doctor to tell you that an antibiotic would cure the infection you’re suffering from, but he won’t prescribe it because the pills might have invisible spirits in them?

Carson hasn’t yet announced if he plans to seek the 2016 GOP nomination for President. But if he does, he’d be well advised to keep a lid on some of the not-so-intelligent things he’s been known to say.

This article was originally published by the same author at LiberalAmerica.org.

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