(March 14, 2013 at 1:58 pm)Bitterblkcoffeeman Wrote: Hello everyone. I'm new today. My name is Bitter. My family has and probably will continue to believe because it's been ingrained for generations now. The answer for them is simple, the majority will always be theists in my book for that very reason. It's become some morbid knee jerk reaction with them. They can't control what they believe anymore. I'm not particularly bright, but I cringe when I'm around them for brief visits home. Everyone seems "conditioned" somehow. My wife and I remain in the closet for fear of exorcism. Her family is as conditioned by it as mine.
Belief is not a simple case of 'conditioning' or indoctrination. There are many debates to be had about the nature of belief, many of them are interesting if not convincing.
You make an interesting point, how much can anyone 'control' what they believe?
Welcome.
MM
"The greatest deception men suffer is from their own opinions" - Leonardo da Vinci
"I think I use the term “radical” rather loosely, just for emphasis. If you describe yourself as “atheist,” some people will say, “Don’t you mean ‘agnostic’?” I have to reply that I really do mean atheist, I really do not believe that there is a god; in fact, I am convinced that there is not a god (a subtle difference). I see not a shred of evidence to suggest that there is one ... etc., etc. It’s easier to say that I am a radical atheist, just to signal that I really mean it, have thought about it a great deal, and that it’s an opinion I hold seriously." - Douglas Adams (and I echo the sentiment)
"I think I use the term “radical” rather loosely, just for emphasis. If you describe yourself as “atheist,” some people will say, “Don’t you mean ‘agnostic’?” I have to reply that I really do mean atheist, I really do not believe that there is a god; in fact, I am convinced that there is not a god (a subtle difference). I see not a shred of evidence to suggest that there is one ... etc., etc. It’s easier to say that I am a radical atheist, just to signal that I really mean it, have thought about it a great deal, and that it’s an opinion I hold seriously." - Douglas Adams (and I echo the sentiment)
