Seeing Is Believing
You're probably familiar with the expression "seeing is believing." It's a reasonable expression, don't you agree?After all, our eyes are intricately-formed, finely-tuned sensors that provide high-quality, real-time information to the decision centers in our brains. We're accustomed to trusting this information to make thousands of accurate, timely decisions each day. We need to believe what we see—to help us locate the necessities of life like food, water, and shelter, and to keep us out of harm's way. So thanks, eyeballs! We see how valuable you are!
Missouri is known as the "Show Me State." Although there's some debate over the origin of the nickname, the meaning is clear: Missourians are stalwart, practical-minded people who trust the evidence of their own eyes more than some secondhand account. Nice nickname, Missouri! I respectfully chuck a virtual deuce at you.*
Interestingly, there's an inverse expression you might occasionally encounter: "I can't believe my eyes." When you hear this expression, it usually indicates the seer is in receipt of completely unexpected visual information—so unexpected, the seer questions the validity of the information.
I had such a reaction 16 years ago today. On September 11, 2001, some wicked men working for the terrorist organization Al Qaeda hijacked four commercial jets and used the jets to commit evil acts against thousands of innocent people. I distinctly remember that sunny Tuesday morning. I remember watching the live news report with utter disbelief as the first of the Twin Towers (it was the South Tower) of the World Trade Center collapsed. I couldn't believe my eyes.
*To "chuck a deuce" is to flash a sideways peace sign at another out of respect. That's the official meaning. It's not dirty or inappropriate—please believe me on this.