Once a person takes something on faith; they stop thinking critically about it (brain scans support this assertion) and start accepting it. People who follow faith movements are prone to accepting other postulations from authority figures or experts within their faith and/or belief system. Faith, after all, believes in things we can’t see, hear, touch, taste or smell. In fact, faith is belief in things we can’t possibly prove or disprove.
Our ability to have faith is one reason cults gain traction in an otherwise educated country like ours. Our brains ability to shut down critical thinking when we have accepted something lends itself to abuse by others or simply furthers a system unfounded and lacking in proof. We tend to see what we believe, because we interpret the world around us based on our beliefs. We see what we believe, feel what we belief, etc. Two people looking at the same unexplained event, who both have different supernatural orientations, will likely interpret the event based on their unique supernatural worldview. Who converts you, your educational level, your chosen belief system, what country you live in or born into, what culture, or subculture you belong to all influences what you see because it alters how you see.
Why do we believe in anything without proof or factual evidence? At some point the benefit of belief, no matter how fallacious it may be, overcomes the absence of evidence. How does it do this? Our faith causes us to feel and we interpret this as proof of its power and reality. Feelings motivate and produce behavior. Positive behavior and good feelings are one of the powers of belief. The opposite it also true especially when the belief causes guilt, anxiety or shame. Most rigid systems of faith produce these negative feelings and re-enforce the need to do what is commanded to alleviate the negative feelings. False guilt is a by-product of a false belief.
Our beliefs both natural and supernatural guide our feelings and behavior. It doesn't have to be true or real to have this effect. It is just the way we operate. It's also one reason why cognitive behavioral psychology continues to be the predominant psychological orientation used by psychologists alike; because it works, is supported by evidence and doesn't require tons of time to help people and ultimately... because it takes into account what you believe as the predominant motivator of your feelings and behaviors. It also doesn't require faith in anecdotal theories about mom, dad and how you were treated as a child thereby causing regression into timeless worries about why, who we are, or what could have been.
It's no wonder people attribute good and bad things to a god, or other supernatural things. This is how we apparently evolved, how our brian works and what our civilization overwhelmingly values. This evolution of the brain and thought makes reasonable sense in a natural world guided by natural laws with outcomes often unpredictable and recognized by a cognizant species in need of understanding and security. Until something or someone can step down and actually and consistantly demonstrate their supernatural power in a real world setting we are bound by the normality of life and entertained by fantasy in our movies and books. Faith give us a faux understanding of life and death, which results in a wonderful sense of personal security in an insecure world, but don't be fooled. Belief, aka faith, is powerful, just not in the way some believers claim.
Bill J.
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