The Belief Trap.

by Blueblades 18 Replies latest jw friends

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  Blueblades

  Most of us are awash with beliefs of all sorts. We are steeped in the common sense and prevailing wisdom of our culture, traditions, communities, profession, family, and friends. Belief is very personal for each of us. Most of have deeply held and ingrained ways of thinking and being.

  Beliefs may be cultural, religious, scientific, or personal. If we know for sure that belief is not required, in that case we have real knowledge.

  Knowledge is different from belief. Knowledge is derived from knowing what is true. If our apparent knowledge is false, we only believe that we know. In this situation, belief is masquerading as knowledge. Belief posing as knowledge is pseudo-knowledge, not real knowledge.

  Have you ever wondered how other people can come to the strangest conclusions about all manner of things? Could it be because we get caught up in our own very personal beliefs and not real knowledge about all manner of things.

  I believe that some of us get caught in our own belief traps, yours truly included. How do we escape this trap?

  Just thinking, but, what do I know? I only know that I don't know. I certaintly am open-minded to other possibilities.

  Blueblades
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  Deputy Dog

  BB

  Do you have any "knowledge" not based on a presupposition?
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  WTWizard

  We all get trapped in belief traps. The government sponsored "education" system is designed to do just that, while forcing people to rely on rote memorization to do what could have been done more quickly. A prime example is when I learned my times tables. I did it my way: by integrating the rules into concepts. It took me about ten seconds to master multiplication and division, and the time it took to physically construct my times tables to 12 X 12. The Establishment way: Rote memory. Children at the end of third grade (I was nearing the end of the second grade math book at the time) are to memorize their times tables out to 9 X 5, and finish by the end of fourth grade (and most children struggle mightily, wasting reams of math paper writing their times tables thousands of times).

  Beyond this "education", the religious system makes it almost impossible for anyone to really comprehend the Bible. Anyone who doesn't believe me should notice that Satan and Jesus had nearly the exact same agenda and message--if they feel that Jesus is righteous while Satan is evil, they have been affected by this belief trap. Ditto if they think God is anything more than a lousy, wicked, evil, selfish Tyrant that entertains Himself by holding people back from their dreams while extorting sacrifices out of them. Most people believe those fallacies because they are caught in a belief trap. Even after being exposed to the real truth, many people will still believe God is infinitely good, Jesus followed God, and Satan was evil.

  Just to show how tenacious this trap really is.
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  Narkissos

  BB,

  I believe you are quite right in pointing out that the "trap" actually lies (!) in mistaking belief for knowledge. A mistake which is, in a sense, an integral part of the paradoxical dynamics of beliefs -- for when you know for sure that you don't know what you believe, do you still believe it?

  On the other hand, the less you know the more you have to resort to belief of some kind.

  Knowledge (either true knowledge asymptotically tending to 0, or belief disguised as knowledge) requires submission. If there is a narrow path of freedom between true and false knowledge, it may require the lucid, conscious yet creative use (or, better, play)of some "belief" (call that intuition, inspiration or something else if you prefer).
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  Blueblades

  Deputy Dog, What do you mean? Explain, give me an example of what you mean.

  Blueblades
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  Blueblades

  Whenever we feel that we are reasonably certain that we are correct even though we have to real data to back us up, we should at least consider the possibility that we may be stuck in our own belief trap.

  Blueblades
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  Blueblades

  Our own intellect could trick us into believing comfortable conclusions that are designed to reduce our anxiety, reassure our ego, and maintain our current self-satifying worldview.

  Blueblades
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  Narkissos

  Our own intellect could trick us into believing comfortable conclusions that are designed to reduce our anxiety, reassure our ego, and maintain our current self-satifying worldview.

  Sure, but as long as it is really "self-satisfying" (vs. "cognitive dissonance" for instance), where's the problem? How is it a trap?

  The problem imo begins when we cling to beliefs which for some reason are no longer "self-satisfying", because we are simply afraid to face the unknown without them. But at this point do we still believe?
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  Deputy Dog

  BB

  Deputy Dog, What do you mean? Explain, give me an example of what you mean.

  How do you "know" anything? Can you give me an example of something you "know" that does not require belief?
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  Terry

  As you all have become aware, I think precision in our language would go far in eliminating misconceptions.

  I think the imprecise use of "belief" is no exception.

  When people hold CONVICTIONS this is not the same as belief.

  You proceed as though there is no further need for proof!

  Just as Spirituality is often simply the wrong word for AESTHETICS.

  When you hold convictions you can be persuaded emotionally. Why? Certain important values have been triggered which lack fact-based knowledge of data.

  In other words, you see the outline and fill in the rest.

  The trap is failing to investigate the part you don't see and must fill in yourself.

  I would call it the "due dilligence" which you fail to perform.

  There is nothing wrong with belief if you don't bet too much on the missing pieces. But, to be intellectually honest we must perform the necessary investigation to see if there really is a there there.