Freethought & Rationalism Archive

DarkBronzePlant · 07-08-2002, 09:39 AM

It's certainly not as simple as emphryio makes it out to be, but there is some truth, I think, in the original post here. There are certainly many reasons that theists become theists, finding "happiness" in faith is one.

emphryio · 07-08-2002, 12:34 PM

Jamie_L said:

Quote:

I'd like to dispute #1 in the OP.
Most Christians become Christians because they are indoctrinated into it at an early age. I would argue that these people are trained to have happy responses to Chrisianity. I think the number of people who reach adulthood as non-Christians and then convert is much smaller than the percentage of people who are raised in it.

People who are raised in it also give various answers to the "why do you believe" question, but most are again not strictly true. The truth is just "that's what I've always believed".

But Emphryio said:

Quote:

1(a). Just trying to follow tradition and fit in.

I believe (a) addresses your point. No where did I say I was only talking about adults. Children definitely make decisions regarding their happiness the same as adults. And the truth isn't that "that's just what they've always believed."
The truth is that at some point, whether they were 4 years old or 80, they made a decision to become a christian because it would make them happy. If they were 4, the decision may have been tied in with pleasing their parents, following tradition, etc.

emphryio · 07-08-2002, 12:43 PM

And the ultimate reason anybody does anything, is because they want to be happy.

They may at that particular moment be more concerned with their short or long term happiness. They may be completely mistaken about what will cause them the most happiness.
They may, for example, be reduced to finding happiness in being unhappy.

Part 1 of my original post was really nothing more than a tautology. Everyone wants happiness, therefore they do whatever they do to try to be happy.

This is true for christians, masochists, pedophiles, altruists, etc, etc.

The thing is that christians hardly ever will admit part 1, but it almost always precedes part 2 and 3 which they will admit. I'm thinking that because they aren't aware of the truth of part 1, they are unaware of the general bias in their decision making process.

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07-08-2002, 09:39 AM	#11
DarkBronzePlant Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: San Francisco, CA USA Posts: 3,568	It's certainly not as simple as emphryio makes it out to be, but there is some truth, I think, in the original post here. There are certainly many reasons that theists become theists, finding "happiness" in faith is one.

07-08-2002, 12:43 PM	#13
emphryio Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: WV Posts: 4,369	And the ultimate reason anybody does anything, is because they want to be happy. They may at that particular moment be more concerned with their short or long term happiness. They may be completely mistaken about what will cause them the most happiness. They may, for example, be reduced to finding happiness in being unhappy. Part 1 of my original post was really nothing more than a tautology. Everyone wants happiness, therefore they do whatever they do to try to be happy. This is true for christians, masochists, pedophiles, altruists, etc, etc. The thing is that christians hardly ever will admit part 1, but it almost always precedes part 2 and 3 which they will admit. I'm thinking that because they aren't aware of the truth of part 1, they are unaware of the general bias in their decision making process.

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