Do you control what you believe?

[Darkstar]

Some would argue we were created to be ruled.

If god existed, then yeah.

EDIT: How is it that so many of my posts end up at the tops of pages? I'm not doing this on purpose, seriously!

[Reforged]

I don't see my thought pattern regarding the existence of a God/gods as a decision, rather a concession. However, it is still a concious choice to leave behind any religious teachings/personal bias to accept the reality of science. Whether we be a science experiment or dust of the cosmos, we still make the decision to follow a set of rules. Whether they be beliefs or scientific facts. Humans need a structure. Some would argue we were created to be ruled.

Then they would argue without anything to back their argument.
There is no solid evidence on our origins. Only theories, hypothesis and superstition.
Any outright claiming to have the knowledge that is denied to the rest of the human race would require substantial evidence to back their claims.

As for structure, it would seem the structure that is present in the reality we live in would suffice.

[TaraJo]

You can't choose what you believe but you can certainly challenge what you believe.

This. A million times this. For me, the turning point wasn't that I chose to reject religion, it was that I chose to entertain the idea that God might not exist. Before that, I always took God's existence for granted, kinda as a given.

[Angrboda]

I don't control what I believe, but I do control the thoughts of a guy in Aurora, Illinois. He has yet to catch on as to why the Mets still lose in spite of his faith in them.

[Dumac Dwarfking]

This seems to fall in the ball park whether or not we have free will. I am a follower of determinism, and In my opinion we don't. Our decisions and opinions are a by product of your up bringing, and your collective experiences. However, lack of free will does not negate choice. You, right now, can choose what you want to have for dinner, but everything that has happened to you up to this point has already dictated what you were going to choose long before you did it. So no, we can't really decide what we believe, but we can choose to question it, and questioning it will lead to new information that will expand upon the collective experience that dictates what you believe, and may in turn lead to you choosing a belief that differs from that with which you started.

[Anomalocaris]

I think the process of belief is influenced by many factors that can be managed by, or at least affected by, conscious control. So yes, one could control one's beliefs.

[festive1]

I'll just throw this out there... I don't have the source, but I know I've read about this phenomenon: If you have a moving religious experience by a certain age (before the brain is fully developed, I believe towards the end of adolescence), certain areas of the brain related to critical thinking shut down. Thereby, if one doesn't have a moving religious experience early in life, one is A) less likely to have faith, and B) more open to different ideas. By having this exposure to a moving religious experience, I'd assume there would be a greater difficulty later in life of overcoming one's beliefs. Which is where you get the fundamentalists who simply won't listen to reason or accept proof or factual evidence. Thoughts?

[Whateverist]

Of course what theists say is just try it out. Talk yourself into not being sure. Then just open yourself up to the possibility. Hang out with a community of like minded souls all praying for yours. Next thing you know you're a true believer ready to play your role in converting others. I can't believe this actually works on many people. Perhaps if they're surrounded by such people and easily influenced by others. Otherwise, either you do or don't believe this shit.

[JohnDG]

It took me time to admit I was an atheist, took allot of pain also. I simply decided one day that I can pray and pray and do good with my life but still get fucked over then he must not exist. How can you love a god that does not love you back? I have never once felt the presence nor love of god. Even if god were to show up on my door step and showed me all kinds of rediculous powers. I would say I still do not believe in you, not in the fact you are not real (because he just became tangible). I would say I don't believe in you as an individual. I do not believe you have the best intentions for me or my people therefore you are unworthy of worship as a god. And I would refuse to be his servant for eternity I would rather not exist.

That's not taking into account all of human kinds accumulated knowledge and understanding of the world, universe.

[Darkstar]

I have never once felt the presence nor love of god.

People like to think that they have felt spitirual effects, but it's all in their heads. During the times when my CCD class went in for confession, I felt something, a knid of lightened feeling, as though all of the sins had been taken off of me. However, this was what I expected to feel. Some years later, I was playing Final Fantasy IV on the DS, and I felt the same feeling, but even stronger, when Cecil became a paladin (no joke!). I didn't really think about it at the time, but if a video game on a handheld system can have a greater effect on you than going to church, then the church isn't really doing anything.