Today's contradiction doesn't necessarily deal with a direct Biblical contradiction but more or less with a false statement penned by Ellen White. You see God is not in the business of feeding false information. He is most certainly aware of our physical world and the laws upon which it operates. He made it after all.

Her error involves a statement she made about the brain's physiology. Since God made the brain then He is most certainly aware of how it operates and its anatomy. Why would He give one of his prophets an erroneous view of human anatomy when He most certainly knew everything about human physiology? Think about that.

Here is Ellen White's false statement for today.

Fashion loads the heads of women with artificial braids and pads, which do not add to their beauty, but give an unnatural shape to the head. The hair is strained and forced into unnatural positions, and it is not possible for the heads of these fashionable ladies to be comfortable. The artificial hair and pads covering the base of the brain, heat and excite the spinal nerves centering in the brain. The head should ever be kept cool. The heat caused by these artificials induces the blood to the brain. The action of the blood upon the lower or animal organs of the brain, causes unnatural activity, tends to recklessness in morals, and the mind and heart is in danger of being corrupted. As the animal organs are excited and strengthened, the moral are enfeebled. The moral and intellectual powers of the mind become servants to the animal. The Health Reformer, October 1, 1871, paragraph 9

Here is where SDA's show they are masters at obfuscation. On the Ellen White Estate website they attempt to answer this ridiculous statement of hers. Rather than deal with the real issue here they take you on a diversion talking about peripheral issues such as the wigs she was speaking about in her day. They'll even mention how some of these wings had parasites in them and how the parasites caused some topical epidermis damage and how she was against them because of this and other similar issues.

Is that the main thrust of her statement here though? NO! Read her statement again. She's talking about the heat from these wigs bringing blood to the base of the brain(back of the head) and it stimulating the "animal" organs there. It doesn't matter what kind of wig it was. It's what those wigs supposedly DID to the brain that is the issue. Again, the real issue here is not the type of wigs she was referring to but rather her erroneous views on brain physiology! Let's not confuse the issue.

Let's examine the physiology of the brain then to see if her "divine" counsel is actually sound then.

First, I do believe she was talking about loose sexuality here as a result of blood being brought to this area of the brain. Those terms she used were generally terms she used when talking about sex. Recklessness, unnnatural activity, loose morals, etc.

However, the glands located at the base of the brain(or back of the head) have NOTHING to do with sexuality! Actually it's the thalamus or pituitary glands which are located near the frontal lobe and no where near the base of the brain(or back of the head as Ellen White used the terms) that controls sexual functions. These glands at the base of the brain also have no correlation with morals or intellect either.

In fact, here's what's at the base of the brain(or back of the head) as Ellen White defined the term and it's function.

a) Brain stem - The brain stem consists of the medulla (an enlarged portion of the upper spinal cord), pons and midbrain. The brain stem controls the reflexes and automatic functions (heart rate, blood pressure), limb movements and visceral functions (digestion, urination). AND,

b)Cerebellum - The cerebellum integrates information from the vestibular system that indicates position and movement and uses this information to coordinate limb movements.

And finally here's what's at the very back of the head(brain) I want to be fair and address every possible area as she was understood to define it in her statement.

c)The Occipital Lobe is at the back of the brain. It controls vision. Once again this area of the brain also has nothing to do with what she stated.

These areas have ZERO to do with morals, intellect, or sexuality! Furthermore, they are in no way animalistic in the sense that she used that word. When she said "animal" she was using that word in the sense of "carnal". These areas control motor functions, coordination, and vision and have absolutely NOTHING to do with carnality or base sensual processes. Bringing more blood back there via heat does nothing to dwarf your moral or intellectual capacity or heighten your sexual arousal. Ask any neurosurgeon about it.

Also, since when is having more blood brought to any area of the brain a bad idea anyways? The more blood which is brought to the brain the better the oxygen supply and the better your brain operates! In fact more blood tends to increase your intellectual capacity NOT decrease it as Ellen White intimates! Furthermore, if this counsel were true then SDA's need to stop using heating pads on the back of their necks also! We're talking about the SAME thing here as a heating pad would have the exact same effect of heating the back of the head or base of the brain as one of those wigs would. How silly!

Where did Ellen White get this nonsense? It wasn't from the Lord! I assure you the Lord knows our brains better than that. She got this from phrenology. Yes friends she had experience with it. She is recorded as taking her sons for a phrenology reading from Dr. Jackson at one time. Here's the relevant part from a letter of hers in which she talks about it.

"I think Dr. Jackson gave an accurate account of the disposition and organization of our children. He pronounced Willie's head to be one of the best that has ever come under his observation. He gave a good description of Edson's character and peculiarities. I think this examination will be worth everything to Edson."[ Ellen White to Bro. and Sister Lockwood, Sep. 14, 1864, from Jackson's clinic in Dansville, New York, L-6-1864]


What exactly is phrenology?

Phrenology was prominent back in the 1800's and early 19th century. Since then however, it has been discredited and is today looked upon as quackery. It was developed by a German physician Franz Joseph Gall in 1796. Gall established that the brain was composed of all the faculties that made up the human character. He believed that character traits were embodied in discrete cerebral ‘organs’, which were innate and inheritable, and that individual differences of personality were derived from variations in the physical organization of the brain. Gall contended that the power of each faculty depended upon the size of the ‘organ’ which embodied it; and that the cranium reflected the form of the underlying cerebrum. Accordingly, character could be ‘read’ from the shape of the head. Also, according to the "science" of phrenology, the animal 'organs' of the brain were located in the back and lower part of the head, while organs of intellect and sentiment occupied the frontal region. Heating the back of the head brought blood to this area and supposedly stimulated the sexual passions while conversely taking blood away from the intellectual area at the frontal part of the head.

And there you have it. Ellen White got her "divine" counsel from phrenology! There are no "animal"(carnal) organs at the base of the brain. The glands located there have nothing to do with base sensuality or sexuality or morals or anything animalistic. Again they control motor functions, coordination, and vision. Bringing blood to this area via heat will not cause you to have loose morals or dwarf your intellect.


Can you trust someone who makes wrong physiological statements like this as if speaking for the Lord and got her information from quacks?