I have many discussion with 'believers', as i'm still trying to understand how otherwise intelligent people can consciously, purposefully, knowingly prefer to base their lives around beliefs in things for which they cannot produce a shred of support... beyond their belief in it. That recursive situation has always puzzled me, but i think im closing in on another part of the puzzle.
I long ago recognized that a certain personality type would be likely to embrace the fundamentalist side of the religion in which he/she was raised. For people who are either incapable of deep thought, or who lack the necessary academic background to have any real data to process, the simplistic view of reality presented by religions is about a far as they can get intellectually. The rigid dogma gives them structure, the community of like minded people gives them a sense of belonging and the existence of a group of people they are allowed (encouraged?0 to hate gives them a sense of superiority and being on the winning side. That's probably VERy appealing to those for whom a more objective view of their status would classify them OUTSIDe the winner's circle.
But what about the intelligent, educated people i know who still cling to their 'faith'? This explanation does n't cover them,a nd they do exist. While statistics show that for the most part belief in superstitions is inversely related to intellect/education, there are enough outliers that their existence requires an explanation for the model to be useful. Yesterday, while having a discussion with a person HERE who IS a believer, and who is also rational and intelligent i finally saw something that has been in front of my face all along.
Often times, in those discussions, i have heard this response to my statement that there is no afterlife, etc. etc.: "I don't want to believe that there's nothing after i die.". BINGO. That' type of response is more pertinent to this situation than i had recognized.
When a REAL problem exists, only those who face up to it and all of its ramifications are in a position to find and implement a true solution. That weeds out the incompetent, and only those who face the full truth of the matter and produce solutons that address the problem get taken seriously by those who have an interest.
But in the area of 'gods', 'angels', 'demons', 'afterlife', etc., there's no REAL substance to any of it, so there's no REAL problem to solve. It is one's FEAR of death, a natural side-effect of the survival instinct (which would be a logical component of any evolved entity), and the inability of our species to do anything about it, which has prompted cultures to come up with the placebo of religion as a means of softening the harsh reality that you get one shot here, and then you are gone for good.
People who "Don't want to think that" are fairly common, and i suspect they have always been so. Because of the way our minds work, we are all perfectly capable of ignoring/dismissing any data that conflicts with our existing perspectives. When i present a logical, rational, supported argument for a position, and the ONLY thing the listener has in reply is "I don't like to think that's the way it is", i have previously failed to see that this simple fact IS the explanation.
An intelligent person can't maintain an illusion if hard data and personal experinec conflicts with it, but they can easily do so until that occurs. In the matter of the existence of gods, it's not like gid is going to appear and tell them he doesn't exist. As they were taught these things before they were capable of discrenment, and there's no way to PROVE lack of existence, there's really no hard event that is likely to allow them to see through the illusion, and MAINTAININg it does provide them comfort. Similarly, they ahven't dies yet and discovered that there's no pearly gates waiting for them, and... DUH... once they do they won't be thinking anything one way or the other.
Comfort is nice. I like a warm bed, a chilled glass of Drambuie, and a loving embrace as much as the next person. I certainly seek comfort as much as the enxt person, but not so much in areas of intellectual endeavor. Reality is what it is, and some parts of it are not so nice. The universe was not created just for me, i'm no more nor less special than any other entity that has ever lived, and once my parents died that was the end of any 'parent looking out for me' situation i could have had. When i die, i will be gone for good, and when my friends and family go through a generation or two, my entire existence will be forgotten and over. I'm Ok with that, but i finallys ee that many intelligent people are NOT OK with it to the point that they PREFER to believe what gives them comfort in these areas instead of allowing themselves to see reality as a more bleak place.
That's cool and now that i get it better, i will simply extend my 'crutch' analogy to include them along with the folks who aren't even smart enough to think about things. I would not seek to take away a crutch from a person who needed it, though i do wish they would all stop trying to convince a person who walks JUST fine without their crutch that he needs it as well. People who have subconsciously chosen to place their comfort above their consciously stated search for truth have every right to do so. I would not seek to deny them that right. But i reiterate that having made that choice, they should not ask those of us who are HONESTLY seeking truth no matter WHERE it leads to follow them back to bed.
