possible answer to why you should believe

[FatAndFaithless]

I really hope you aren't trying to compare religious indoctrination with the proven-a-billion-times-over theory of gravity, Jero.

[DramaQueen]

I think he might be talking about rote learning

[FatAndFaithless]

I think he might be talking about rote learning

But even then there's a difference in memorizing say, the periodic table, versus memorizing religious claims about reality (such as young earth creationism). Rote learning isn't great or super effective for a lot of people, but the substance of the thing being taught matters a whole hell of a lot.

[pocaracas]

Human beliefs are complex.
It is safe to say that most people who believe in the existence of a deity do so out of indoctrination.
But "most" is not "all".

Fear plays a role after the belief takes root.... the fear of what would happen in the person leaves the faith... which then can extend to fear for those who don't believe.... which can then extend to fear OF those who don't believe.

I think you worded that nicely. Atheists who then claim those people are too close minded are too bold with that statement. The fear is well grounded, more so than fear for rats imho. You dont simply convince a theist that he is wrong. You can only hope that indoctrination is slowly declining due to the revolution of hypercommunication that is going on, allowing everyone to see both sides of the coin.

Thank you... I don't always word things nicely, so it's good to know when I do!

Indoctrination is wrong, not only in religion, also in politics and, yes, even science. Certain more advanced parts of science still rely on theories that havent been directly physically been proven (i.e. im thinking of the 4 major forces: gravity, electromagnetic, strong nuclear, weak nuclear). Though students are educated this way and simply see it as truth.
Religion however, is not wrong.

The theories are proven.
What is, sometimes, not fully understood is the underlying cause of the effects you describe in the theory.
The example of gravity is a straightforward one.
Newton described the gravitational attraction between two bodies with mass. That was known as the Newton's theory of gravitation.
Einstein extended this description with his Theory of general relativity.
But none of those explain how gravity comes about. They are merely descriptive.
Now, we have the Higgs Boson attributing mass to particles which, in turn, generates the gravitational field. But how?

These successive refinements of the explanatory capabilities of the theory of gravitation don't detract from the original theory.
We can put a man on the moon using only newton's theory. It's that good.

But it's not enough for other purposes... and, for those, we need further refinements... who knows what the future will bring in that subject?

[Mystic]

I feel as sort of close connection to God. I'm not afraid of hell if I don't believe but I do fear losing that connection. I'm also afraid my concept of what it means to be human will change.

[Cyberman]

Change in what way?

[Mystic]

Change in what way?

One example, I wouldn't see us as ascending in stages perhaps. It would rather just be subjective in our mind and have no reality. Right now I believe that we do ascend in stages and that this is a spiritual reality.

Another is that our value has an objective value, while I would not know what to make of our value without God.

[Cyberman]

Are we ascending? Without context, I don't know what that means.

[Chad32]

Humanity is definitely getting better in parts of the world. In general it seems to be the heavily religious regions that are weighing us down. In part of the world people are living longer, we know more about how the world actually works, and we have leaders that are meant to serve the people instead of rule over them.

Religion isn't helping us ascend. It's pushing us down.

[Mystic]

Are we ascending? Without context, I don't know what that means.

God is the Highest Sublime reality. Although nothing can reach him, things can ascend towards this reality. Without God, it seems there is no ascension possible. It's just subjective in our minds. We feel we are becoming higher but all that means is that we are becoming better. But I believe spiritual stations exist, the highest being God.