How often do you question your beliefs?

Question

In my opinion belief is something that needs to be evaluated by balance of probability. In a relatively fixed framework that's fine, but consider what happens when new knowledge comes to light.

How then do you re-evaluate your beliefs? For example, if something emerges that casts serious doubt on a fundamental pillar of your belief do you then question yourself and ask "Am I right? Do I need to think this through?"

I think it's important to question beliefs. In the days before Planck people believed Newtonian Physics to be an absolute truth. We now know it isn't. The same goes for the Darwinian model of evolution - although the principal theory is sound we now know there is much more to it.

Basically, if we don't question established doctrine then nothing will ever change.

The same goes for religious beliefs. If a tenet of a faith is chipped away by cold hard fact then does that not shake the very foundations of that belief? The hardest thing I find to understand about people with religious convictions is how they can hold fast in the maelstrom of acquired knowledge.

And, in fairness, exactly the same principle applies to atheists: If there was a stunning example of faith that swung the balance in favour of religion then we would be fools not to question our own beliefs.

Answer 1

I'm as apt to question a belief as the day has minutes. It sounds like you are, too, so in my opinion you're right on the bulls-eye.

It's a virtual impossibility to know everything there is to know about our complex surroundings and it's because of this attitude that I'm very willing to admit ignorance to much of it and thus I'm able to acquire new knowledge easily.

Being malleable, however, is not a panacea that I could agree is any guarantee of being correct and therefore, as I see it, it's extremely necessary to apply any new information gained against a backdrop of reason and logic. Wherever a new piece of useful data seems to fit neatly into a puzzle, I am quite willing to let it be until it proves itself incorrect. Nothing is etched in stone for me and there's no perfect bible that I subscribe to., but instead I feel it's a part of my duty to compile knowledge enough that one day I might feel confident enough to write my own bible of truth, (although i probably never will); nonetheless, to share my understanding of things with others for the sake of our common good is a hallmark among my ethic principles.

You might say of me, that the greatest cornerstone of all my beliefs is in how to deal with an unknown in the first place and the answer to that is easy: I deal with it by using cautiously applied skepticism, and I "believe" that's the best way to be.

[][][] r u randy? [][][]
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Answer 2

I re-evaluate my beliefs every day. That's why I'm here, in the R&S section. All I can say is, "Keep 'em coming, atheists! I love you guys!"
How do I re-evaluate my beliefs? By REALLY researching in order to answer atheists' questions on here. And by examining myself. That's why, if you look back over my Q&A, you'll see that I RARELY use the Bible in my arguments. Why would I use something that atheists don't believe in? I prefer to use facts, which are what atheists identify with.

Answer 3

If one is ever shaken in their faith then it is not faith at all. For instance, a Christian believes that Christ died on the cross for our sins. If things like "The DiVinci Code" and the recent lie about someone finding the lost tomb of Jesus could make a person question their faith in Christ then they never had a solid hold in the faith in the first place. I personally never doubt the truth of God's word or the saving power of Jesus Christ no matter what "logical", "scientific", or "intellectually deduced" lie people come up with.

Answer 4

I think that it is normal and even healthy to re-evaluate your beliefs upon discovering new information that you were not aware of previously. I behave in this manner myself and each time I do it it confirms my beliefs and makes them stronger. The truth is just that way.

God gave us a brain to think with. Belief is a choice we make based on decisions we make with information we have.


Caution - make sure any new information is acurate and not merely someone's "opinion".

Answer 5

I don't think I sit down and decide to question a belief, but I try to be open to new information as it comes in. In a lot of ways, I think evaluation of one's beliefs happen slowly, in the background. One day you realize you just don't think like you used to.

Answer 6

At least several times per day. When I'm working, I question them constantly. I change them from time to time as well, including some rather major changes (e.g., about absolute morality, the genetic heritability of psychological traits, etc.).

Answer 7

Never...because I don't have beliefs. I have knowledge, and if circumstances change, I will acquire new or different knowledge. It's hard to explain, but I work very hard at keeping "I believe" out of my vocabulary. Either I know something or I don't.

Answer 8

Large areas of belief go unexamined, or better put, unreexamined for long periods of time. It is important to revisit one's beliefs from time to time to better understand how one came to be where one is, and what if anything needs to be reflected on.

HTH

Charles

Answer 9

I just change the belief , i do that for years , and it is getting stabler all the time , i think within a few years its finished.

Answer 10

Buddha told us to take nothing on "faith" alone but to test even his words like "gold in the markeplace"... so yeah, I question the answers ALL the time.

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