Do they really believe it?

[FreeTony]

Do the Religious really believe what they claim to? And is this belief comparable to a belief in something physical, for example that their brother exists? Or that the belief that Heaven exists is the same as the belief that Europe exists?


I'm not actually sure whether we yet understand beliefs from a scientific point of view. I also don't think we can yet determine if someone really believes something, or whether they just claim to.

It might be that belief as a result of indoctrination and fear is different to my belief that, for example, Europe exists. To me, the belief that if you don't believe in God you end up in Hell makes zero sense, as the moment you don't believe in God, you no longer believe in Hell. However if belief through indocrination and fear is somehow different, it may make more sense.

Another thing that I think distinguishes types of beliefs is the deliberate avoiding of a counter-view. Many religious people actively avoid viewpoints that differs to their own. They are almost scared that someone will stop them believing. Again, this is different to my view that Europe exists. I'd love to talk to someone who argued that Europe doesn't exist. I would find it zero threat. If someone ever did present evidence to the contrary, I would find it very interesting.

I'm not claiming any particular viewpoint, as until it is understood and testable we can't know for sure. However the testimonies of the ex-religious on here may provide a starting block, so I'd be very interested in their opinions on whether their beliefs were different to those in physical testable things.

[Natachan]

Depends on the person. Some people yes, very much. Others, no. Many simply believe because it feels good, even if intellectually they know it's rather silly.

[Tonus]

I believed beyond any doubt when I was a theist. I had been told that these things existed, and everyone around us pretended that it did. I can recall many stories and accounts of people who had witnessed the supernatural (though I cannot recall any first-person accounts) which strengthened the belief in such things. When you take a core belief (eg: god exists, and it is this particular god) for granted, you work very hard to make everything you know and experience fit that belief, and then you sincerely believe that they support the belief instead of the other way around. It is a self-reinforcing loop. Until you challenge that deeply-held belief, everything else must fall into place around it. The mind will not allow otherwise, IMO.

[vorlon13]

I'm trying to reconcile the aforementioned profession of strong sincerity of belief with the ultra-cafeteriaism prevalent in the US religious community.

How sincere and strongly felt can such beliefs be with such intense. brazen and pervasive cherry picking of which scriptures are applicable for those in the flock, which ones are required to be observed by all other Americans (regardless of their personal creed and/or faith or unfaith) by force of law, and which scriptures can be TOTALLY ignored ???

[/b]

[FreeTony]

I struggle to see how one can believe something 100% if they are actively trying to avoid anything that might detract from the belief. Surely if you believe something that strongly then anything you encounter that goes against it must be wrong, so is of no consequence to the belief and doesn't need to be avoided.

If I go onto the Flat Earth Forum, I don't worry that they my belief in a round Earth will change. If I actively avoided it I must surely have a doubt in my own belief?

[Simon Moon]

Contemporary cognitive philosophers define 'belief' as, the psychological state in which one accepts a premise or proposition as being true.

Using that definition, I'd have to say they really believe it.

[DramaQueen]

Some believers avoid dissenting views cause they believe that to be a sin. Some fear being influenced by Satan.
Some just find it to be uncomfortable.