What keeps people from believing?

Answer 1

Choice. All the "proof" in the world will never be enough for someone who simply chooses to not change his mind.

And what keeps people from choosing to change their minds? Fear.

EDIT>>
In response to Mervin DePervin's answer:

"My view is as follows: if it has to be believed in, it simply isn't true. Yours truly,

Mervin DePervin"

On the contrary Merv. :) If it has to be believed in, it simply means we're not smart enough yet to prove it one way or another. And further...

"Even if I was sentenced to an eternity of damnation, cast into oblivion, the fires of hell or frozen in a block of ice I would rather have that then death. If it happened you know you deserved it. (This applies to both hands.) Unfortunately nothing points to this as a reasonable outcome to the end of life. Simple and sweet. (Maybe not sweet to some but it is what it is.)" - Mervin DePervin

Nothing except our conception of this idea and our desire to believe it. And until someone proves me wrong, I certainly don't feel like a fool believing it. It satisfies my need for logic (and I do have a need for logic). If you are indeed right, and this life is all we have, then I'm damn well going to make the best of it. And the best I can make of it is to not live in a destructive fashion, but positively influencing those around me by setting an example worth following. Part of this example is finding a way to "quench the fires" of those eternally burning questions. It allows me to live in a balanced and positive way, at peace. To me, it defies logic to want to live any other way. Logically, we must realize that we will never know all the answers. If you MUST have logical answers to every question, you will never find any peace. Just my 2 cents.

Answer 2

Short answer: Things that challenge whatever it is that you want them to believe. Long answer: If I were to tell you the sky was green today, and you look out the window, and you say, no nmsosnoski, its still blue, but I still insist that you are wrong, and I am right, would you believe me? There is an expression, seeing is believing, and quite often it is true. It is sometimes hard for people to believe in things like heaven and in Jesus and the Saints, and all the profits, because they can't see them, just like you can't see a green sky. In fact, I am sitting here trying to think of why I believe in God, and why so many others do as well. Perhaps that is part of the miricle... I only bring the Big man into this because he has been the hot issue when it comes to believing, for a little over 2000 years now. But basically if there is something that gets in your way of beliving anything, it will hold you back, and if there is lack of evidence to the case, whatever it may be, you might not buy into it. There, that is the long and the short

Answer 3

People want a tangible God or a direct answer personally for them. It is not just about you. People want God to say, "Hey Veno m cook my dinner", before they believe he exist. People find it hard to believe in someone they can not see. If you need tangible look at the birds, bees flowers and trees these are some of his tangible works.

Answer 4

One word my friend, logic! Believing, whether in the Easter Bunny, Santa Clause, god or in a new theory that hasn't been sufficiently tested, for no other reason than you "feel" that's it's true goes against the entire basis for modern society. Look around your room, or better yet, look straight infront of you. See the computer, it's monitor and mouse, the keyboard and maybe even a printer? These were not made with faith of any kind. People spent thousands of hours building, testing, reworking and retesting these ideas before they came to frution as a an intergral part of modern life. Believing doesn't take this kind of effort or scrutiny. Anyone can say they believe in anything, thus it's apeal to modern societies. Infact people still believe that the Earth is flat and we didn't land on the moon. These of course are two things which we can prove beyond reasonable doubt, quite easily, to be true(you can see a round shadow on the moon and, with a telescope, the U.S flag) ; but people still believe other wise. The major remaining beliefs are not as simple as ludacris conspiracy theorys. What we have remaining is god or gods, psychics, astrology and spirituality in whole. The reason these beliefs survive is because most of them are non-fasifiable; meaning they can neither be proven true nor false. Although nonfalsifiable many, if not all of these, logically do not make sense. Take for instance an omnipresent being that has existed forever. The sole responsibility of this being is the creation of the universe for the shear fact that it (the universe) in itself could not have existed forever. This is a contradictory statement; but it is easier idea to understand and form for most people than say, the big bang theory. You don't have to study physics for years or even go to college period, all you have to do is believe and that will suffice to put your mind at rest. Not to say that all people who believe aren't educated in physics, nor that no physicist believes in spirituality. Another reason, aside from their simplicity, that nonfalsifiable ideas apeal so greatly is the comfort that can be gained from them. Take death for instance. Nearly every society has some form of afterlife. This in principle takes away the fear of death. (Though in practice many who say they belive in an afterlife still fear death.) The concept of afterlife can also be used to achieve favorable actions (those determined by the hierarchy of the belief system) from the people who believe in it. In some cultures you must be "good" in others you just have to die to go on living in another world. The former can be used in a society as a type of fear tactic. If you do not do as is socially acceptable, or "right", then you will: be banished to oblivion, go to hell and burnt or frozen, etc. On the other hand if you do things that are socially acceptable then you get to live forever with: 7 virgins, all your family in heaven, god, etc. The problem with this kind of thinking is it doesn't allow for one to question what is truly right. What is right and what is wrong? Are these even valid concepts in our modern world? What is socially aceptable or "right" changes dramatically over time. But I digress. In answer to your question short and sweet. Logic is an important part of most modern societies. Everything must have a logical explanation or generally it must be outcast from society. The fact that most concepts whos sole proof is "belief" don't hold themselves up is a HUGE factor in non-belief. My view is as follows: if it has to be believed in, it simply isn't true. Yours truly,

Mervin DePervin

P.S In response to some of the responses on this question: as a person who doesn't believe I have no fear of being judged by an ultimate creator or being of any sort. In fact I would rather there be one. I think for there to be a true right and wrong that could be logically judged and and answer as to whether or not you lived your life as a good person would be the most important thing in the universe. Even if I was sentenced to an eternity of damnation, cast into oblivion, the fires of hell or frozen in a block of ice I would rather have that then death. If it happened you know you deserved it. (This applies to both hands.) Unfortunately nothing points to this as a reasonable outcome to the end of life. Simple and sweet. (Maybe not sweet to some but it is what it is.)

Answer 5

Human's are rational animals. Which means they have the ability to discern between different things & make their own choices.
So they will believe only selectively based on their own feelings.

Answer 6

believing what? A higher power.. a group of peoples thoughts?
in life? in reality? How deep do you want to go?

Answer 7

Pride

Answer 8

Believing what? What you believe?

Here is what keeps people from believing what you believe: they can believe whatever they want to believe, even if it contradicts your beliefs.

Why not? You're not that important.

Answer 9

Things life has dealt one no matter ones beliefs places thought in ones heart and soul.

Answer 10

Not having enough faith in yourself/God. Being impatient for answers or results.

Or, if the result is contrary to your original thought.