Why do people believe what they believe?

Why do people believe what they believe? Can someone be talked into changing their mind, or are there other, more deterministic factors at play? (e.g. self-interest, biology, psychology)

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  1. 1 year ago
    Anonymous

    Belief is the result of education, experience and learning. Add, change or remove any of those and you modify the beliefs of someone.

  2. 1 year ago
    Anonymous

    >Why do people believe what they believe?

    Probably because they were brainwashed by their parents/culture to believe it.

    >Can someone be talked into changing their mind,

    Sure if that individual is willing to take the chance of being proven wrong

  3. 1 year ago
    Anonymous

    Can the christians here tell me what made them believe? I'm someone who wants to have a personal connection with god and i'm wondering if there's something i'm missing, did you anons have miracles happen to you?

    • 1 year ago
      Anonymous

      (I've asked this question before and not gotten answers, making me think this board is not populated by genuine honest people)

    • 1 year ago
      Anonymous

      (I've asked this question before and not gotten answers, making me think this board is not populated by genuine honest people)

      It's just the best evidenced conclusion following theism.

      • 1 year ago
        Anonymous

        I've come to the conclusion that if we try to find god with logic only we'll be stuck in back and forth forever, not that it's bad to try and conclude he exists, but just we get stuck in the specifics, and so maybe personal events are the only real way we can know for sure

        Basically yes, mine was the equivalent of seeing a UFO in the sky, it just shatters your world view, unfortunately this isn't something that can easily be spread through words in a screen, maybe it is better that way.

        I envy you anon.

        • 1 year ago
          Anonymous

          If I try and prove something is real with logic and I fail I discard it. Probably means it’s not real

          • 1 year ago
            Anonymous

            That works for most things, but for something like a god i don't think it works, it's like trying to understand a language we don't know

          • 1 year ago
            Anonymous

            Come on man. It only doesn’t work for things that don’t exist outside your head

          • 1 year ago
            Anonymous

            I'm just saying i don't think it works, if you think i'm an idiot for that go ahead

          • 1 year ago
            Anonymous

            Help me out. I’ve been struggling with reconciling the two for as long as I can remember.

            I don’t think either of you are stupid. I’m saying the reason why you can’t reconcile faith in god and logic is because belief in god is not logical, because he isn’t real.

          • 1 year ago
            Anonymous

            It just doesn't add up with the reports of miracles and exorcisms, if you hand waive that away with "yeah mental illness" it's being so lazy.

          • 1 year ago
            Anonymous

            Mentally ill people do fit the bill for what everyone and done still believe to be demonic possession

          • 1 year ago
            Anonymous

            Speaking in unknown languages including dead ones?
            Super strength?
            Knowledge of the unknown?
            unless you want to say the exorcists are lying.

          • 1 year ago
            Anonymous

            Lies, mental illness are certainly more fitting of the model of reality than demons taking over people

          • 1 year ago
            Anonymous

            You realize you're parroting humes circular logic argument?

          • 1 year ago
            Anonymous

            I just want proof anon. If you can rule out mental illness and lies then i change my model of reality.

          • 1 year ago
            Anonymous

            I’ve never once seen a Christian take the side of atheists and agnostics against other Christians, just sayin

        • 1 year ago
          Anonymous

          My belief is that logic and faith are orthogonal: they can’t occupy the same psychological space. I’ve yet to come to terms with this myself, so take it for what it’s worth.

          • 1 year ago
            Anonymous

            >My belief is that logic and faith are orthogonal: they can’t occupy the same psychological space
            You only have like one more dot to connect man

          • 1 year ago
            Anonymous

            Help me out. I’ve been struggling with reconciling the two for as long as I can remember.

    • 1 year ago
      Anonymous

      Basically yes, mine was the equivalent of seeing a ufo in the sky, it just shatters your world view, unfortunately this isn't something that can easily be spread through words in a screen, maybe it is better that way.

    • 1 year ago
      Anonymous

      People are just going to say it's a matter of "feels vs reals" but so be it.
      When I read certain scriptural passages or allusions to Christian doctrine in literature that is not explicitly sermonizing I experience a sense of unrivalled mental ecstasy, or awe, or whathaveyou at the beauty of the philosophical truth that is being espoused, that it convinces me of its reality. I imagine it is the same for non-religious subjects: for example, I'm quite certain that scientists have mindblowing "religious" experiences when they uncover a new theorem to explain the universe or realize the beauty of the logic of a mathematical proof.
      It is not a matter of "this book said it, therefore it happened", so much as it is a matter of Cogito Ergo Sum - I think therefore I am - I have been compelled to believe what I believe by the seeming impossibility of any alternative explanation. It is, quite simply, insanity to believe otherwise. That may seem insane to you, but that's probably why no headway will ever be made between us.

  4. 1 year ago
    Anonymous

    Most people, I would guesstimate 66%, 2/3rds are driven by emotion entirely and will discard any facts that go against their preconceived emotionally built conceptions unless the emotion is somehow changed.

    A third or less are capable of discarding their emotions to think logically and revise their beliefs.

    I was a conservative leaning Christian materialist that believed in supernatural elements (ie confused) at 18, now I’m a left leaning agnostic nominalism/materialist hybrid with socially moderate positions

  5. 1 year ago
    daymonklotz@insta

    gene selection

  6. 1 year ago
    Anonymous

    I’ve really tried to reconcile my belief in the cholo salsa fairy but I just can’t logically do it. I think faith in the cholo salsa fairy and logic just occupy different parts of human psychology

    • 1 year ago
      Anonymous

      You seem hung up on something yourself there guy. I’m agnostic and willing to accept there are (many) things that I am simply incapable of knowing or understanding through the level of logic accessible to my puny monkey brain.

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