How can fundamentalists not wake up?

[watchamadoodle]

I used to believe in Noah's Ark and so forth, because I had been indoctrinated and had never bothered to reexamine these beliefs as an adult. I believed in evolution, dinosaurs, etc. while I simultaneously believed the Bible stories were based on real events. I didn't see the cognitive dissonance.

However, when I went to college and began to discuss these issues with friends, I rapidly woke up to the stupidity of my beliefs. It wasn't instantaneous, but it happened eventually. This was in the days before internet, and I was ignorant of comparative religion, philosophy, etc. that might have accelerated the process.

I just don't understand how people today can believe in Noah's Ark in spite of all the resources available through the internet (such as AF). How is that possible? I'm pretty gullible, but I eventually woke up. Many of these Christians are smarter and better educated than me, but they keep believing things that are ridiculous.

EDIT: I especially don't understand how fundamentalists can come to atheist forums and debate these issues without realizing that their beliefs are silly. This is different from those fundamentalists who don't think much about their beliefs.

[Norman Humann]

Many reasons. Indoctrination, mostly. It's hard for children to question what their parents have taught them, even years later. They tend to either ignore what doesn't fit with their beliefs or twist it around to make it seem like it does. One thing for sure, people can be stubborn in not recognising the truth.

[Strider]

They're willing to suspend all reason to continue clinging to the idea that they are special and that they are going to a better place after death. If they believe they are going to heaven, they must believe all of the other nonsense that comes with it. Christians and other theists prefer to believe in a comforting lie rather than accepting reality.

[YGninja]

I used to believe in Noah's Ark and so forth, because I had been indoctrinated and had never bothered to reexamine these beliefs as an adult. I believed in evolution, dinosaurs, etc. while I simultaneously believed the Bible stories were based on real events. I didn't see the cognitive dissonance.

However, when I went to college and began to discuss these issues with friends, I rapidly woke up to the stupidity of my beliefs. It wasn't instantaneous, but it happened eventually. This was in the days before internet, and I was ignorant of comparative religion, philosophy, etc. that might have accelerated the process.

I just don't understand how people today can believe in Noah's Ark in spite of all the resources available through the internet (such as AF). How is that possible? I'm pretty gullible, but I eventually woke up. Many of these Christians are smarter and better educated than me, but they keep believing things that are ridiculous.

EDIT: I especially don't understand how fundamentalists can come to atheist forums and debate these issues without realizing that their beliefs are silly. This is different from those fundamentalists who don't think much about their beliefs.

Sure you weren't indoctrinated at college and told the truth during childhood? Do you think that your college is impartial, or your professors, or the ones deciding their wages and the curriculem? What do you ground that belief on?

[abaris]

I used to believe in Noah's Ark and so forth, because I had been indoctrinated and had never bothered to reexamine these beliefs as an adult. I believed in evolution, dinosaurs, etc. while I simultaneously believed the Bible stories were based on real events. I didn't see the cognitive dissonance.

Only as a child did I believe in Noah's Ark and things like that. Although believe is probably putting it wrong. It was just another fairy tale I didn't question. I grew out of it and I can't even remember the process of growing out of it. It was more, like I said in different threads, that I didn't give religion any thought. Religion was somewhere in the back corners of my mind in the way of there is a god and there's a Jesus - well, good for them.

I never questioned evolution. It was taught to us in biology class in school. starting at the primary level, and at frequent visits to museums with my parents, I could see the results.

But I never forget the day when I lost the last bit of faith. There's a catholic tradition of building stations of the cross memorials all over the land. It was at one of these sites I visited quite often because it's smack in the middle of a forrest and very quiet. So I could let my thoughts run free without any disturbances. And there it hit me, when I looked at all the pictures of Jesus being tortured. That's far to simple. The timeline didn't add up for starters, since it was illogical for god to make himself known after millions of years and countless species having come and gone.

Although I never was very religious to begin with, that was quite uncomfortable. It brought with it the insight that I'm well and truly on my own in seeking my way in life.

[Chad32]

They don't wake up because they don't want to be killed, or banished from their community. Whether they believe it genuinely or not, they have to tow the line or their lives will be over.

[Faith No More]

As much as we like to tout the internet as a source of scientific knowledge, you can always find someone supporting or defending the ridiculous. If a person doesn't truly evaluate their sources, they will find all kinds of misinformation to confirm their indoctrination and biases. It's not really about the availability of information but how the person approaches that information.

---

Sure you weren't indoctrinated at college and told the truth during childhood? Do you think that your college is impartial, or your professors, or the ones deciding their wages and the curriculem? What do you ground that belief on?

Lol, you don't have to indoctrinate people to make them realize 2 of every animal on a boat is fucking stupid.

[Chad32]

I don't think learning about the limitations of wooden boats, genetics, the needs of creatures ranging from the arctic to the deserts to the tropics, to everything else, would be indoctrination. It doesn't take much to realize that's a hell of a lot of work required, just to save one family and a small number of animals. If you have to constantly work at keeping a plan from falling apart every step of the way, you're not very good at ideas. Not that it really accomplished anything, anyway. the world is still messed up.

[Minimalist]

They are fucking idiots and content to be so.

[professor]

What YG said.
You guys are a scream.
Which is one of the reasons I come here.
Willie Wonka said; "A little nonsense is relished by the wisest man."
You guys are in a veritable lake of nonsense gazing out, thinking everyone on shore is deluded.