Paddy

Why is it that seemingly intelligent people are incapable of accommodating 'reality' when it comes to their religious beliefs?

I have an uncle who is an extremely intelligent man, who possesses an ostensibly lucid intellect. However, when presented with patent flaws with Christianity he comes out with such horse shit!
Even when discussing paricular confounding issues, of which he has no answer for, he insists on clinging to his beliefs in spite of reason.
This is a man who holds a law degree, and a degree in economics. He is also a man whos counsel I would acept on any matter other than religion. But why do these intelligent theists stick their heads up their arse when it comes to reasoning about particular deities?



Paddy

Cap'n Jack

My Gran's the same, although she had recently admitted that the thought of there being no after life scared her too much. So she prefers to believe in God and the afterlife as it brings her great comfort.

This view could be held by many others as well.

Paddy

The thing is, my uncle will sit down and find every fault with every other religion and present cogent arguments as to why it would be absurd to espouse any of them, and yet he is blind to the fact that he has espoused the greatest fable of them all (IMO anyway).

Does anyone have any theories (other than 'cognitive dissonance') as to why these people are so inexorably retarded when it comes to their faith?



Paddy

cfgauss

http://www.apa.org/journals/psp/psp7761121.html
That's apart of it.

This, too:
http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?col...FB809EC5880000

[Edit: You should read the last one first]

seebs

Dunno, but I see it in all people, including atheists. I see people who are brilliant thinkers in other fields offer hilariously stupid arguments against religions... It's normal.

People aren't rational. Cope.

Paddy

But wouldn't the same cognitive processes that are involved in the decision making process within a particular field of expertise be used in examining a religious belief? or do these theists make soley emotive judgements regarding their faith?

I acknowledge that it is (almost?) impossible to dissociate one's self from emotion during any decision making process, but that one will develop a criteria in order to identify weaknesses and flaws in any particular religion, and not apply that same criteria to their own beliefs indicates a predominately emotive decision making process regarding their beliefs. This is inconsistent with every other facet of their lives, so I am curious as to why this occurs.'



Paddy

Amie

yeah too bad the whole fucking world doesn't think like you huh Paddy?!

good post seebs.

Paddy

This is not a tirade against any particular religion, even an atheist who does not have sound reason to support his 'convictions' has fallen prey to the same phenomenon. But why does this happen?



PAddy

Paddy

It's a damn shame. Oh, the sleepless nights!

How 'bout you relax a bit?!



Paddy

8of9

Seebs said:
" Dunno, but I see it in all people, including atheists. I see people who are brilliant thinkers in other fields offer hilariously stupid arguments against religions... It's normal.

" People aren't rational. Cope."

Exactly -- they aren't rational, and an argument to them is not a rational process, it's give and take on an issue until everyone's had his say. They're not arguing for the sake of thinking, learning, growing, enlightenment. They're arguing to keep you from "winning" the "argument".

[Ad hoc psychology] They believe that if they keep blabbing, and especially if they have the last word, you can't "win", and if you don't "win", their (religious or atheistic) belief system has stood the test, and is right, and *whew!* that was a close one but now they don't have to think about it and risk (a) having been wrong -- oh, the humility! and (b) the unknown of not believing -- they don't even want to consider life without that reliable, comfy, old belief that keeps them warm in the cold, hard world. [\Ad hoc psychology]