Am I allowed to ask some questions?

I am sort of just venting here but at the same time I am trying to provide some encouragement.

I am going to put in this post a list of some of the topics that I have found to be sacred cows for many "Establishments" and their followers or supporters who seem to, at times, not allow much discussion if any at all regarding their sacred cows or "strongholds".

I say this based on my own personal experiences. I have on many occasions attempted to have conversations around these subjects and I have found that when I question the "popular positions or conclusions at any level I immediately get shut down with more often that not ad hominem attacks. On very rare occasions do I get a real chance to actually discuss my conclusions based on my own studies.

In fact I bet that some will read this list and see their sacred cow listed and they will immediately assume that I am some sort of illiterate conspiracy nut with ideas based outside of any real knowledge or science, if you will...They will do this without hearing my position first.

I encourage you not to jump to conclusions, especially if your opinion is based on little if no studying on your own part. Having an opinion on something that you have not diligently studied is truly ignorant and the scriptures actually state it is folly to do so.

He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him. Proverbs 18:13

The scriptures also say that we must prove all things and to hold fast that which is good (1 Thessalonians5:21).

If you have an opinion that is based only on what the media and the 'powers that be' tell you and you call yourself a Christian then you ought to start proving some, no all, of these things on your own. All aspects of our lives ought to be scrutinized and questioned even the 'traditional things' we always do in church. We assume these are correct typically because we have always done them this way and so it must be right.That is logically fallacious and not at all encouraged by scripture. We are to prove everything...

So here goes my list. They are not all related to any one particular "Establishment" per se but some are shared no doubt across more than one. These are the typical sacred cows that I have mentioned that on more than one occasion across all of them I have found bitter if not hateful attitudes towards me for even thinking that their positions may be wrong.

Sad thing is, some of the most intense and hateful reactions I have received in discussions on these subjects have come from self-professed Christians.

Evolution
Vaccines
Public Education
New Bible Versions
Patriotism
Abortion
Global Warming
OSAS (Once Saved Always Saved)
The timing of the rapture (pre, mid, post trib, etc)
Two party system (Dems and Repubs)
Patriotism
Open Air Preaching/Evangelism
Halloween
Christmas
Easter

I know there are more but these cover some of the most intense past conversations I have had. What I do know, as I said previously, is that I have had more than one occurrence, in fact I have had many occasions with every one of these subjects where when I question them with certain crowds they try to shut me down without much of a conversation. Typically these involved attacks on my character, my intellect and me as a person in general instead of having any real exchange of ideas.

These folks more often than not appealed to the majority, the "authorities" and traditions which are all logically fallacious. They do this instead of really studying these subjects on their own. This involves examining both sides and then making the best conclusion possible. I do so not just in light of man's knowledge but I finalize my opinions only in the light of God's Word. I believe and know that the Bible is the finally authority for everything in my life so I do this in order to be consistently and, more importantly, Biblically correct on my end.

 I try to be as nice as I can back to these stronghold supporters because I was just like them at one time. I thought I was the intellectual one but in reality any intellect I had was borrowed from someone else without any real studying on my part. I was really good at ingesting and regurgitating information without really testing it first. I have since repented of that behavior and am now asking as many questions as I can and studying as much as I can as well so that I can know what is the real truth on any of life's subjects.

I still have much to learn but for now, am I allowed to ask some questions regarding any of your sacred cows???