Beliefs don't change Truth and Reality; why, then, are beliefs treated as truth?

Question

I hear people respond to questions of life-after-death with 'it depends on your beliefs', as if the beliefs somehow change reality. Reality is what it is -- whatever happens after death is what it is, regardless of belief. Beliefs can change the way a person lives this life but that's it -- e.g. an islamic terrorist believes he's going to go to heaven for blowing people up. He's so convinced (especially with evidence his perception tells him supports his belief -- e.g. he has a dream, meets some other religious person, etc.). His belief may change his life to where he feels very good and 'saved' but it doesn't change reality. The only thing that can tell us what reality is is an Enlightenment experience (the one Jesus and the Buddha had) which is a DIRECT experience of reality. Why, then, do we adopt all these beliefs and treat them as reality??

Answer 1

Good Q dude!
I've seen on UK TV, some people demanding that their beliefs be given respect and not taken lightly by comedians. (related to the new leglislation that protects religion from inflammatory comments).

I think that our beliefs "colour" our own particular "world-view" and we see things around us in terms that reinforce our belief; we see evidence all around us that supports what we believe!

We might recognise that there is one reality, yet it appears different to each of us because we hold various beliefs.

I think also that beliefs hinder our understanding of reality (whatever this is!) because belief engenders certainty. Science, on the other hand suggets that certainty is not possible (my words) as thinking people always expose themselves to new observations and ideas. The world as described/exposed by science is far more exciting and appealing than that inferred from obscure scriptures.

Take a look at the website "Answers in Genesis" to get an idea of the way fundamental Christians see our world. I am intrigued to see that they have to "backpedal" on so many of the arguments that were used to discredit scientific observations.

Answer 2

You are exactly correct. Beliefs are only ones own conditioning, and do not affect the truth. If they did affect the truth we would see all kinds of chaotic changes taking place everyday. If a lunatic were to say(and believe): "Hey man, pigs can fly!!" Then suddenly, pigs would start flying into the wind, and you'd have weird news reports like: "Another helicopter downed by a flock of flying pigs."

Obviously, this doesn't happen, so believing something does not make it so. However, it is also possible to believe something, say for example, about life after death that may in fact be true, though it would only be true by accident.

This is exactly why I'm a Buddhist.

Treating beliefs as reality is like trying to cook something you've eaten before without knowing the recipe. People do this a lot however, because it feels good to do it and it makes people feel safe and secure to believe in something.

Too bad it's wrong.

Answer 3

I rarely treat other people's religious beliefs to be a reality, and when I do, it is for their sake, I do not actually consider their warped ideas of truth to be a portion of absolute reality. I doubt that any current theist can really understand what is is like to be overwhelmingly critical of all religion and faith-based beliefs, but I feel like this critical viewing of "religion" is necessary to move beyond it. We treat the beliefs of others to be fact and reality because in our culture, it is a grave insult to do otherwise, to openly dismiss the faith-based beliefs of another member of society. We obey the unspoken rules of society to better function within it.

Answer 4

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Answer 5

Because we believe our beliefs are right?

No one adopts beliefs knowing they are wrong, they truly feel they are right. Granted, no matter how much you "believe" something it doesn't immediately make it right, but even if you cannot conclusively prove you are right, you still might be. Thus it is not useless to have faith in something.