Are believers more susceptible to media propoganda than non-believers?

Question

When I see something on the news that I care to take note of, I investigate it and see if other sources can confirm that news.

Answer 1

I don't think there's a causal relationship there. However, there's likely to be a correlation, as non-believers are more likely to be highly skeptical and more analytical.

Answer 2

I don't think that believers are more susceptible to media propoganda. Believers believe in God because of things in their lives that cannot be explained with out there being a higher being. The fact that our bodies are some complex and incredible is one of the things that can not be explained with out there being something behind it. How were we created or began. Could it really be an accident of nature and if so how did nature begin? We can go in complete circles on that one to.

Other things in there life that could happen to encourage belief is devastation. Something they know they can not survive because it happened. A death of a loved one, physical action taken against them by an intruder, or addiction. They need help from a higher power in order to over come and deal with these things. Just because they believe because of these things doesn't mean they believe anything anyone tells them. The Bible encourages us to seek truth and wisdom.

Answer 3

Someone who is very firmly set in a belief will automatically accept information that aligns with his or her views and then firmly reject something that is of another nature. We all have things that we do this with. We are prejudiced to accept only certain things. However, I've noticed that people who aren't incredibly religious are more open to taking in information from multiple sources. But, it depends upon where the info comes from once again. I doubt that the Jim Baker quarterly would carry a lot of weight.

Answer 4

In my opinion, people of faith are more easily persuaded than those who are not. This is reasonable given their accepting nature of what cannot be proven, seen, touched, etc.

I would categorized people, rather than believers and non-believers, as realist and idealist. Realists tend to view the world from a scientific perspective, requiring proof and resources to support claims by anyone, whether or not in the media. Idealist may believe what they want to believe, or what they think should be true. Moreover, they have a different perspective of the world and consider possibilities that many realists cannot.

Answer 5

I think belief has nothing to do with it. Some people investigate and others do not. Religion is not a part of that.

Let's turn it around: during the recent Israel/Lebanon war, the media screamed "IT'S WORLD WAR III!!!" Be honest -- didn't you believe it, to some extent?

Mature Christians knew it wasn't, because the Bible tells us how WWIII will start: a war begun by an invasion of Israel, lead by Russia and including Iran, Libya, Egypt, and other Muslim countries (see Ezekiel 38/39). Since we knew it wasn't WWIII, mature Christians sat back and laughed at non-believers who were getting hyper about this war. We knew it would end, and so it did. We did not succomb to media propaganda.

Peace.

Answer 6

Strange I do the same. Actually my wife is always complaining that I have too many books and articles lying around the house. Also as a family we usually have between 40-60 books out of the library at any one time.

Odd as we are believers and according to you we should just be blindly following what we read or see.

Answer 7

Definitely. You should read John Dean's book "Conservatives Without Conscience". There is a connection between the religious extremists, the blind followers of Adolf Hitler and neocons. Scary stuff, and obviously true.

Answer 8

I think that those who believe as in a religion have a tendency to not believe the media's propaganda as much, unless they are so lead around by their noses as to follow whatever the crowd is doing. But non believers are actually prone to believing and not asking just...taking for the gospel what they are viewing or reading. It is understandable in a way, for if you have something you believe in and something in the media is contrary to that belief you are going to find out the truth. If not you only have what you are presented in the media as a non-believer.

Answer 9

I think there is more chances that the believer is going to be less critical. They call it 'juging' and thats often not allowed. Some do, but not a high number, unless its science related, then they are not critical.

Answer 10

It is always good to do research for yourself. Through research I found out that Charles Darwin was a racist., there is no evidence for macro evolution and there are still huge reptiles on the earth that eat people.

Amazing stuff!