When I was a child, a really old lady (who lived another 30 years, so why I remember her as really old, I don't know :)) asked us how we knew we had a toothache - because you can feel the pain - how do other people know you have a toothache - they can't see it or feel it - they have to believe or take it on faith - just like you have to do with God.
It stayed with me - and as now a person of science - its still there, how do we know what we know to be true.
But...a dentist would take an X-ray and do other inspections (including looking at the person's face to see signs of pain). An ER doctor would do the same for fear that he was encountering an addict seeking narcotics.
As scientists, we all have to prove what we claim or no one will believe it (and rightly so).
I think that this lesson is very important for all kids (not just gifted kids): don't believe stuff just because someone said it's true. Make them prove it.
A good friend of mine used to write questions for the A levels. One of his questions was,
"It's 1590 and you're an officer in Queen Elizabeth's army. A messenger comes running up and tells you that the queen said 'You have to cross the channel and go invade France!'
Assess the situation. What should you do?"The correct answer was that you don't invade France without a written order containing the queen's seal and signature. The lesson was not to believe everything people tell you.
