Ignorance and Intelligence

I have noticed that those who choose to follow a different path than the norm, a different path than the "experts" say, are labeled "ignorant."

For example, I grew up in a church that thought Creationism was probably right, but evolution, gap theories, or day-age may all be right also and there was no way to really tell and it didn't really matter anyway. My public school and all the TV and movies assumed evolution was true and talked and acted like it. As an adult, I decided to research the issue and study out the facts. I came to the conclusion that both biblicly and scientifically Creationism had the stronger case, Gap Theory and Day-Age are bunk, and evolution is a religion as much as Christianity is. This is twenty-five years of research! Those who just buy what they are told in school and on TV have called me ignorant for believing in a Creator God.

When I was pregnant with my oldest I intended to do all the right things; preschool at three, lots of extra curricular activities, attend all the parent/teacher conferences, ride herd on homework, etc. I was exposed to homeschooling when she was 3 months. I began to research, ask lots of questions ("What about socialization?") and by the time she was three years old had come to the conclusion that homeschooling was not only the best choice academically and socially but that it was more biblicaly accurate. I can take you to the scriptures and show you! Those who just buy what they are told in school and on TV have called me ignorant for homeschooling.

I gave birth to my first four babies in the hospital with an OB. No nightmare stories, no injuries. Not even any stitches. I had analgesic and pitocin, but didn't even need an epidural (and we're talking babies ranging from 8.5 to 9.1 lbs). Somewhere about the time I was pregnant with my second I began to hear about midwives and homebirths. "Interesting, but I prefer the hospital (how would I know if I had never done the homebirth to compare it to?)" We moved shortly after the birth of my fourth. When number five was on the way, I had to find a new doctor and had no way of getting any information on which would be the least interventionist. Hubby read an article in the paper about one of the local midwives, so we did some extra research and then met with her. She "caught" (midwives don't claim to deliver babies. They say that's what mommy does) numbers 5, 6,  and 7 (surprise breech!). A different local midwife caught number eight. I have spent hours studying the difference between birthing in hospitals and with doctors and birthing at home and with midwives. I am now so convinced in the superior safety of the home that I am studying to be a midwife myself. Those who just buy what they are told in school and on TV have called me ignorant for birthing at home.

I always wanted a big family and hubby said we should take it one child at a time and not set any numbers. Yet when we hit THREE WHOLE CHILDREN I began to panic. Should we really have more? What about over population? What will people think? (hate to admit that one) Where in the world will we find a house with that many bedrooms? It was after researching the issues involved that we decided to not put limits on God. Those who just buy what they are told in school and on TV have called me ignorant for having eight children.

I dutifully had my oldest children fully vaccinated. By the time #5 was here, I was having doubts. Oh, I wasn't really afraid of Autism. But it just didn't feel right. I began to research and study. #8 has had no vaccines and I now actively write against them. Those who just buy what they are told in school and on TV have called me ignorant for not vaccinating.

Am I not defining "ignorant" right? Or is someone missing something somewhere?