The famous saying “Knowledge is Power” is attributed to Francis Bacon, a 16th-century English philosopher, and father of empiricism and the scientific method. The correct quote is “for knowledge itself is a power whereby he [God] knoweth” (Meditationes Sacrae,1597.71). It hints at the relationship between divine knowledge and the power to act. Besides objections to Bacon regarding over-dependence on empiricism, the wit of the quotation is self-evident.
Knowledge is power, but searching for knowledge is difficult for many. However, those who eventually break the cycle of prejudice and ignorance with an unbiased search for the truth find true freedom. They participate in divine wisdom, spoken of in 1 Corinthian 1:18-25.
Knowledge versus Prejudices
There are numerous prejudices nowadays. You might call them biases, prejudgments, ignorance, or simply self-opinions. Philosophers call them “idols.” They come from different sources.
Some prejudices come from family and friends, some from peers who see things only through one particular lens and don’t want us to see it otherwise. Probably, we don’t want to lose their friendship; hence we limit our search. Or we silence ourselves, what Elizabeth Noelle-Neumann called—the spiral of silence. It is a situation where those who have unpopular views silence themselves for fear of public rejection. It is unfortunate for anyone to do so to oneself.
Some prejudices come from what I call “emperor or celebrity cults.” First, many take a line as dogma because a celebrity said, shared, or tweeted it. Then, they fight over what they have not researched or thought through. Finally, they defend it with utter passion.
The worst prejudices come from the Internet. Those with less depth and information circulate more gossip and false information. The more ridiculous and the trendier they are, the more they are accepted. TikTok is the height of the trendiness, and Instagram is the pictorial landscape. The so-called race for our attention has become the normalization of the dumbest and the glorification of the shallow. The instant gratification culture of online communication breeds hastiness and illogicality. It promotes intellectual and spiritual poverty—the death of knowledge besides.
Worst is the selective exposure that comes from loyalty to a one-sided story. Loyalty to a particular viewpoint closes the door to improving what we know. Such devotion becomes a culturally divisive status, blocking if not canceling the networks, movies, books, beliefs, or blogs that promote alternative views. Is this the way to know? Not. The angelic doctor, Saint Thomas Aquinas, warned against such narrow-mindedness: “Beware of a man of one book.” Don’t we have an ethical obligation to search for the truth and abide by it when we find it?
Saint Justin the Martyr, Example of Knowledge with Power
In the light of this, we have good role models to follow. The saint—Justine the Martyr—whose life we celebrate today is one of them. He leaves us an excellent example of how best to seek knowledge and discover the truth.
Justin was born during the early second century at Sichem in Palestine. His parents were Romans and worshippers of the Roman gods. He, too, believed in the Roman gods and popular philosophies of the time. He was an avid reader, a philosopher, and an extraordinary intellectual. However, he didn’t limit his search for knowledge.
As a youth, he studied the available philosophy systems of the time. He found something was missing. Providentially, he decided to investigate Christianity through a casual chat with a Christian who counseled him not to limit his thoughts to the popular. No sooner had he started to read than he saw, “this was true.” The knowledge, the missing link, was coming together. His openness led to a more profound discovery, and he became a believer. Though he died for his faith, his example is noble for all. He broke the shackles of prejudice. You can do the same.
My advice is: Do not limit your search. Don’t be stuck with social media one-liners and the trendy. Those who search find. Explore deeper, and you will find more than you thought. The Lord says, “those who seek, find” (Matthew 7:8).
I pray that God will fill our minds with deeper longing for His ways and our intellect with holy desires. Saint Justin the Martyr, pray for us. Amen.
God love you. God bless you.
[June 1, Saint Justin Martyr: 1Cor 1:18-25; Matthew 5:13-19]
Hello, Fr. Maurice, I listened to your message at the Black Catholic Congress in Maryland a few years ago and continue to read your one-minute inspirations daily. Blessings!
Blessings too, Jeanette. Thanks