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26 People Share Stories About "Professionals" Who Had Some Controversial Opinions
CuriositiesSEP 9, 2025

26 People Share Stories About "Professionals" Who Had Some Controversial Opinions

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It's one thing if your Uncle Dave said he doesn't believe in time. But it would be a completely different conversation if the same words came out of a clockmaker.
Inspired by a tweet where a microbiologist expressed his disappointment after learning that one of their colleagues was an anti-vaxxer, Reddit user u/MoniMokshith made a post on r/facepalm, saying "I had to teach a historical geology class because the geologist who was supposed to teach [it] was a Young Earth Creationist."
The post immediately blew up. As of this article, it has over 98K upvotes. And that's not even the most impressive part. The comment section got filled with similar stories, with people talking about "professionals" who made a career despite their controversial -- and often contradictory -- personal views. Here are some of them.
Image credits: foamtherunway

#1

Space shuttle launching with bright flames and smoke, illustrating professionals sharing controversial opinions.
I’ve worked with an aerospace/aeronautical engineer once that believed the earth was flat. It was so weird because in order for the calculations to function properly, you have to take into account of the earth not being flat.
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#2

Healthcare professional in scrubs pushing a neonatal incubator in a hospital hallway, illustrating controversial opinions in professionals.
I’m an ICU nurse of about 10 years. I would occasionally float to our regular, non-icu and non-covid floors. Plenty of nurses who denied how serious covid was.
The cognitive dissonance is real. Of course none of them came up to help on our covid units
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#3

Man resting head on arms at a wooden table in a bright room, reflecting on controversial opinions from professionals.
Used to be a science teacher and I always got flack on the evolution chapter from parents that were doctors. Like babe I hope you at least believe in bacteria and viruses evolving...
I've also come across many nurses who don't think mental illness is real.
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#4

Chef in a kitchen preparing food wearing a black uniform and gloves, representing professionals with controversial opinions.
Professional cook here. Near the beginning of the pandemic I heard about a Sous Chef I worked with in the past being an anti-masker. I asked through the grapevine why he washes his hands before and after handling food and the reply was “that’s common sense”. But somehow the scientific medical community saying that masks help prevent illnesses is just a big hoax. It’s beyond frustrating.
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#5

Telecommunication tower with antennas rising above green trees under a cloudy sky, illustrating professionals in technology.
My friends uncle is a '5G gives you cancer while the government controls your mind' conspiracy theorist. He's a 5G installer
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#6

Pilot wearing uniform operating an airplane cockpit, highlighting professionals with controversial opinions in aviation.
I worked with a former airline PILOT who was/is a flat earther. He has since went back to being a pilot but I am not sure if he still thinks Earth is flat. When I pressed him on being a former pilot and believing malarkey he claimed the schools indoctrination into round earth didn’t work on him and that the pilots windscreen was a very thick and curved glass that made everything appear to be curved.
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#7

Person in beige jacket writing on paper at a round table, illustrating professionals with controversial opinions.
I remember a few Evangelists and one Catholic ( odd since most Catholics I know aren't creationists) in my major (geography) saying they knew the truth about the age of the earth, but had to lie on tests (classes like oil&gas, hydrology, geology,etc.) in order to get good grades.
How Christian are you when you break one of the 10 commandments and lie about your faith in order to get ahead?
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#8

Large white satellite dish pointing skyward, surrounded by trees and a cloudy gray sky, illustrating professionals and controversial opinions.
Last career I had, knew people who were flat earthers and moon landing deniers...we were all satellite communications engineers.
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#9

Person holding a white cup and a blister pack of blue capsules, illustrating professionals with controversial opinions.
I work with a medication aide that refuses to take medication and actively preaches god>medication. Apparently god isn’t paying her bills so she still keeps coming to work.
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#10

Person washing hands under running water from a modern faucet in a tiled bathroom, reflecting professional hygiene practices.
I know someone who doesn’t believe in germ theory. We work for a company that builds water sterilization.
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#11

Two firefighters in protective gear walking near a large wildfire, illustrating professionals with controversial opinions.
I worked with a wildland firefighter who was a climate change denier. We fought more wild fires. We got way more OT over 3 years. Yet didnt believe it was true science and started to complain he couldnt enjoy his summers due to work....lol
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#12

Oil rig pumpjack in a desert landscape, representing professionals with controversial opinions in the energy industry.
I know a dude who works in the oil field who doesn't believe in dinosaurs. "Fossil fuels"
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#13

I work with someone who thinks bloodletting is a cure-all.
I work in a children's cancer ward.
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#14

I work with a locomotive engineer who is a flat earther and also said that gravity is a hoax. I can laugh at the flat earth part but not believing in gravity on a fright train in the mountains seems a little crazy to me.
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#15

Medical professionals in scrubs and masks transporting a newborn in a hospital hallway during patient care.
I work with two anti-vaxxers. They are nurses who work with elderly patients.
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#16

Various colorful rocks placed on a concrete surface, illustrating diverse opinions of professionals shared by people.
I used to work with a geologist who used to think minerals ("crystals") could heal you even from cancer.
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#17

Aerial view of the Pentagon building surrounded by roads and parking lots at sunset, highlighting professionals and controversial opinions.
I work in defense. No one there believes government creates jobs. We only get paid by government.
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#18

Two large bottles of premium alkaline water on a store shelf, highlighting controversial opinions on professionals.
I work with a cancer biologist who fell for the alkaline diet hype. She got persuaded by somebody who is 1000x less educated in the matter than she is.
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#19

Airplane flying high in clear blue sky with visible contrails, illustrating controversial opinions from professionals.
I’m an aircraft mechanic and I work with a guy who believes in chemtrails.
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#20

Large rock formation in a desert landscape with blue sky, illustrating professionals with controversial opinions.
My mom is a geologist and she worked with someone who was a young earth creationist. That person's excuse was "god created rocks that were 4.6 billion years old". I guess if it works it works, but that makes no sense to me
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