My thoughts on Belief.

by braincleaned 8 Replies latest jw experiences

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  braincleaned

  It would be a grave mistake to imagine we can change the convictions of anyone even thru the most persuasive arguments we can muster. Fact is, we are wired to deal with our cognitive dissonance by catering to it thru confirmation bias.

  Anything that contradicts our cherished beliefs will be rationalized against, or simply categorized as untrue. If any logical fallacy is detected on either side — it will be used as if a bad argument is automatically proof of a false one (which is a fallacy in itself, amusingly called the "fallacy fallacy").

  Either way, nobody has changed cherished beliefs on a presumingly lost argument.

  But all the rhetoric is not fruitless. I have personally changed my deep beliefs and bias thru the pertinent counter-arguments of others. I went from theist (JW) to atheist. Others are touched the other way around, and go from atheism to theism. So we CAN change through debate and argumentation — but it is always a long process.

  Why?

  Because some of us have invested a lifetime in a belief or conviction. We have built a circle of peers, like family and friends. We are part of a like-minded community. We don't want to lose our emotional and intellectual investment, nor do we want to disappoint our peers (sometimes even lose them).

  I know.

  I went thru it all. It almost destroyed me. But the satisfaction of proving to self that we are capable of seriously questioning our biases — and humiliate ourselves if need be — can be pure bliss. It is humbling to find out we can be wrong, but if our quest is for "Truth", we will follow it wherever it leads us, even if it's not where we want it to go. Even if our reputation is at stake.

  On the path of this honest journey, there is such a glowing and warm feeling of satisfaction, and happiness peaks to an all-time high. Trust me.

  Of course, new understanding is not a guarantee of correct understanding. We need to stay open to the fact that our conversion may have been a mistake. Being open to correction is an ongoing process for as long as we live.

  Whatever we believe or not… we are doing something right if we are genuinely happy!

  Lasting Happiness is to not kid ourselves.
  
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  suavojr

  This is so true braincleaned, once we unlock the power of our mind we cannot go back to a complacent state of denial.
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  zeb

  thankyou.
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  Phizzy

  My thought on Belief is that it is a state of delusion. A mental disorder.

  By belief, I mean trusting that something is true with no satisfactory proof.

  Believers, who fit the definition above, are in a dangerous state, because delusion blinds you to reality.

  Look at the deluded believers who are JW's, they have denied themselves an education, a well paying career, and a good reitirement, and in the mean time they have not really had a life.

  All based on "beliefs" as unprovable, and unfounded, as the belief in pink Unicorns with purple spots.
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  cofty

  Supernatural beliefs can bring great comfort. It's understandable that they are difficult to give up.

  The reaction of some believers to having their beliefs challenged is deeply visceral, sometimes it's vitriolic.

  On balance reality is far more satisfying but the transition can be painful.

  I just wish believers would make the effort to make their beliefs conform to reality.
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  Phizzy

  Reality is evidence based, beliefs are not, ne'er the twain shall meet.

  I know what you mean though Cofty, some more sensible believers have rejected a literal view of most of the Bible, and have accepted the overwhelming evidence for Evolution, but even so, the beliefs they retain are still equivalent to delusion.
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  braincleaned

  It's looks from the perspective of an atheist, to be a security blanket (except that a blanket is real).
  Don't get me wrong, I hung on to that blanket for 45 years!!! So I judge no one still hanging on.
  But at the end, all logic considered, there is not ONE reason to believe in the Abrahamic God.
  
  Not to mention his morals and character, far off the idea of a loving god.
  He is the fruit of folklore, barbarism, and ignorance of the time.
  
  Again, NO reason to rationalize belief in him.
  Not ONE... except emotion.
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  prologos

  if your belief is that the Watchtower writers have now and will in the future provide you truth, a link-up to reality, think/believe again.

  If you believe that the combined scientific enterprise, research will describe reality for you, you are on the right path and be alsways open to and welcome the change in your beliefs to come.
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  Terry

  The default state of human consciousness is IGNORANCE. We simply do not KNOW.

  Remarkably, using our senses to integrate sensations, we come to the point we can GUESS.

  We can SUPPOSE.

  We can conjecture and imagine and even form a hypothesis about things.

  And there you have it. Between ignorance and actual knowledge we need a way to bridge the gap.

  Perfect knowledge means all the data, facts, calculations and contexts are gathered and understood. Further, they've been tested and replicated.

  But. . .

  until that happens and a provisional certainty is ours. . .

  we need to bridge the gap.

  That is where we begin to BELIEVE we know without actually knowing.

  In the religious sense, however, when we BELIEVE there is no provisional doubt.

  The Absolute Certainty creeps in and makes us authoritarian and often stolid and uncompromising.

  Absolute Certainty (in the absence of all the facts) makes us immovable, rigid and close-minded.

  So. . .

  Belief can be a bridge or it can be a trap.

  Here is the test.

  IF YOU ARE WILLING TO BE WRONG IF THE FACTS GO AGAINST YOUR BELIEF. . . you are intellectually honest.

  But, if you are unwilling to be wrong and, worse, unwilling to HEAR the facts. . .you are probably a Governing Body member!