Why Disagree with the Consensus of Experts?

Super, super seriously.

100% serious.

Which is ironic. Because today, Islam is making the very same mistake, the Western World made in the Dark Ages. Rejecting reason. Embracing mysticism.

And as a result, they wonder why they can't build an atomic bomb, using supercomputers, that we built way back in the 40's. 

Using slide rules.

If Medieval Europe isn't a good enough example for the dangers of Mysticism, then look to the Modern Day Arab world, and all the great technological achievements, they haven't done.

good post, B-pawn .

First i would like to address the point you made on philosophers. Yes, the ones you mentioned certainly were influential. But I believe Sextus Empiricus was light years ahead of any of them. That could be considered an opinion though. So i will move on.

As to the technological innovations you mentioned. Yes, there were some. but nobody in Europe at this time, was building anything like the Romans were building, a thousand years earlier.

Certainly, no cites had an extensive aqueduct system, like Rome did.

And marvels like the Diocletian Palace, the Pantheon, or the Coliseum, were well beyond them.

   And yet , to your point, Rome was absolutely steeped in mysticism 

As usual v1, good, thought-provoking comments.  Yep, this runs far afield from my expertise so I went to preeminent source for accurate historical knowledge that the professionals use.  That's right: Quora (lol!).

Seriously, though, did find interesting Quora post.  Don't know if accurate, seemed so.  Lengthy but worth read.  Very interesting, thorough comparison.  Says Medieval eventually did advance past Rome by Late Medieval, but also talked about difficulties of making accurate comparison on this question.  Let me know what you think:  Were Romans more advanced than Medieval

I'm just starting to read through the last several pages of this thread. The bit about the Bible's adjuring the washing of hands caught my eye. Now, I suppose that an awful lot of early physicians were also Christians, and therefore aware of that Scriptural advice; yet, it wasn't until the late 1800's that the washing of hands by physicians became accepted practice, and in fact it was resisted before it was accepted. See

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/2020/03/handwashing-once-controversial-medical-advice/#:~:text=A%20doctor's%20redemption,regularly%20scrubbing%20up%20before%20surgery.

So, where is it in the Bible, and why do you suppose Christian doctors didn't heed that Godly recommendation?

   There never was a general command for people to wash their hands in the Bible.

the priests were to ceremonially wash their hands in their duties in the temple. The myriad of hand washing rituals referred to in the New Testament by Jesus was a reference to the extrabiblical writings of the Jews, and there were many. But no general command for laymen to wash their hands anywhere in the Bible.

Perhaps docyors of the day simply assumed the Bible was a bad place to look for standard medical practices?

Maybe not, but doctors, had they paid attention to scripture, may have avoided things like the plague because of bad healthcare practices. Sanitation was a big deal in biblical times (when the OT was being written), long before modern medician caught up. You should read what was common practice when the scripture was written in Egypt and elsewhere and see if you can find some of the disgusting things modern medician of that day called for. Had Moses incorporated any of that day's scholarly advice from Egypt, you could throw out the whole thing.

The Bible is not a guide for modern medicine, and as @Kjvav correctly noted, handwashing in the Bible was ceremonial/ritualistic.

It is a guide for life that tells them what to do which are healthy practices, it isn't a medical manual, but a life guide.

Mainly spiritual life.  Physical life to some degree in terms of caring for basic needs food, shelter, etc.  Healthy living, not so much.  That's not to say unhealthy practices are taught, just that things like food dietary restrictions were ritualistic/ceremonial and theological in meaning as part of Yahweh's covenant relationship with the nation of ancient Israel that would set Israel apart and mark/identify Israel as Yahweh's.  It's really not a good idea to use the Bible as a guide for "healthy living," unless you want to subscribe to ancient practices like drinking wine for an upset stomach as Paul advised Timothy to do.

   Remember when everyone was hot on “Ezekiel Bread”? Look in the Bible and see what Ezekiel’s bread was actually made of. You’d need a penicillin shot after every slice.

@Kjvav  I'm not familiar with the "Ezekiel bread" fad/craze.  What's it about and how's it made?

Ezekiel 4:9-15 (esp. 12), had to cook it on a poop fire.

Ezekiel 25: 17

¹⁷ I will execute great vengeance on them with wrathful rebukes. Then they will know that I am the Lord, when I lay my vengeance upon them.”

That's the recipe for Ezekiel bread?

No, but its the correct quote that wasn't done in the movie which was I was responding to. Once again you are attempting to accuse me of something?

Lol!  No, I was confused, so I asked a clarifying question

That's not telling us *how* he did it. That's only telling us *that* he did it. If he exists.