can identical twins have different religious beliefs?

[ignoramus]

Just thinking about genetically identical twins, triplets, etc.
If they are all exposed to the same upbringing, whatever that may be, would they have the same propensity to believe or not believe?

We're all aware of the power of indoctrination (plant the seed before the logical mind has fully evolved).

"Genetic tendency
There is evidence to suggest that some people are more susceptible to developing an addiction although this is not conclusive. This doesn’t mean that the addiction is passed down in their family; rather that their biological make up is hard-wired in such a way that makes them more prone to dependency."

The above quote refers to drug addiction. I wonder if the brain is also hardwired for other things like:being more susceptible to believing, gambling, killing, etc.

[Thumpalumpacus]

Are beliefs hardwired?

I doubt it, based on my own experience and that of millions of other atheists, that we were indoctrinated in belief and only later pierced the veil. That clearly shows that beliefs can and do change over the course of a lifetime. I think that pretty much kills the essential premise of your question, meaning that the answer is that of course identical twins can have different views on faith -- even given the same upbringing, if we can ask the question at age thirty.

[Ravenshire]

I don't think beliefs are hardwired, per se, but the predisposition to believe may be, the so-called "god gene." It would certainly explain why so many otherwise intelligent people never throw off the shackles of religion even when they are exposed to, or even immersed in, opposing views.

[SteelCurtain]

I would be interested for people like No_God and Marsellus Wallace to tell us what their experiences were like with their twins.

I wonder if it's possible for identical twins to have such differing ideas about the possibilities of the supernatural at an early age. My siblings (not twins, mind you) were eager to get involved with the youth cults around where we grew up (Campus Crusade(!), Student Venture, FCA), and I wasn't. My sister dragged me to some events (I would only go to the ones at the beach), but I felt it was fake and stupid. I never really believed in God. Ostensibly, we had the same childhood experiences, we just interpreted them in different ways. Maybe there is something genetically different about me. I don't know. But I wonder if it's possible for identical twins to have the same differences that me and my siblings had, sharing the same genes. Very interesting question.

[vorlon13]

I've encountered one set of identical twins at 12 Steppers and only the 'alpha' twin was alcoholic. They both went to the meetings, though.

[bennyboy]

Just thinking about genetically identical twins, triplets, etc.
If they are all exposed to the same upbringing, whatever that may be, would they have the same propensity to believe or not believe?

No, I don't think so. The butterfly effect will take care of that. There is no such thing as the "same upbringing," as one may stub a toe while the other does not, causing them to experience subsequent moments in different emotional states. On must take the window seat or the aisle seat on the school bus, exposing each to a slightly different perspective on the world, etc.

[Anomalocaris]

Just thinking about genetically identical twins, triplets, etc.
If they are all exposed to the same upbringing, whatever that may be, would they have the same propensity to believe or not believe?

We're all aware of the power of indoctrination (plant the seed before the logical mind has fully evolved).

"Genetic tendency
There is evidence to suggest that some people are more susceptible to developing an addiction although this is not conclusive. This doesn’t mean that the addiction is passed down in their family; rather that their biological make up is hard-wired in such a way that makes them more prone to dependency."

The above quote refers to drug addiction. I wonder if the brain is also hardwired for other things like:being more susceptible to believing, gambling, killing, etc.

The key is how same are their upbringing? Even if they have similar upbringing, there could still be chaotic differences in outcome thanks to seemingly minor differences in their experiences.

They may date different people. They may go to different schools and therefore associate with different people, etc.

I would say perhaps identical twins are less likely to have different religious beliefs than fraternal twins raised in comparably similar environment (as somehow assessed) but they certainly still can have different religious beliefs.

[ShaMan]

My first wife (a great woman, an excellent mother, and still a good friend of mine) is an identical twin who was born into a Catholic family. She (my ex) is a devout Catholic - her identical twin sister is not.

They are both equally hot and both liked to party when we were all younger

[Anomalocaris]

My first wife (a great woman, an excellent mother, and still a good friend of mine) is an identical twin who was born into a Catholic family. She (my ex) is a devout Catholic - her identical twin sister is not.

They are both equally hot and both liked to party when we were all younger

Why is she your ex then?

[Sejanus]

Isn't that a rather personal question?