What is it about religion that makes people so blind?

Question

This is a bit of a rhetorical question, but I've found a particular fact about religion to be intriguing: regardless of the faith, denomination or whatnot, many believers (note I said MANY-not all or most!) tend to put all logic aside and either denounce or slander other peoples' beliefs when brought up in conversation. Example: I was dining with some clients when Christianity somehow came up. One of them, a devout Christian, kept getting flustered about me being an atheist. I asked her "why do you find it necessary to dis-acknowledge me because I don't believe in your god?" She replied that god's "love" is his gift to me and I shouldn't take it for granted. For the life of me, I can't find a shred of logic behind this way of thinking! Is it part of one's religious upbringing to deny the existence of free thought sans the belief in a particular deity?

Nina-I don't mean to purposefully tick you off or anything, but can you provide any evidence to prove your point? There's the bible and a few hundred-million people who believe the bible. If, for example, Simulacra and Simulation were remotely as popular, this world would be run by an amazingly effecient, free-thinking society. If the same amount of people applied the theology behind The Cat In The Hat, we'd all be walking around with 5 foot tall red & white top hats.

Dog Sneeze: perhaps if you had actually read the statements I was making, you'd realize I'm in no way degrading people because of their religion. I asked a simple, valid question which has obviously riled up a boatload of fanatics who believe any word which questions the logic of organized religion to be blasphemous.

Dog Sneeze (part 2!): fallacy or not, the fact still remains that the majority of believers that have contributed here offer little, if any, input to the topic at hand. On the contrary, Jimguyy's comment sheds a massive amount of light upon this: "The bible says, 'to lean not to your own understanding, but in all of our ways acknowlege Him'."

WOW! Taking this a bit out of context, but wouldnt this translate to "abandon all logical and proverbial thought because your lord says to?"

*Prepares for wrath of sh!t...*

Answer 1

They are preached to with love and such, but they just dont' see that they are being manupulated and lied to... even those doing the lying don't realize they are victims.

Organized religion is all about power. Witness all of those who are in positions of power who have been revealed to be cheating, stealing, lying and more. Humans like power... and religion is the easiest way to get it, even moreso than politics.

Control a man's soul and you can make him say or do anything. They are told abortion is wrong... and so they decide to blow up abortion clinics. They are told homosexuality is wrong... and so they kill gays. They're told other religions are wrong... and wars are started to eliminate the "threat," whether it was real or not.

Answer 2

Well, take a number. I am a Christian and I work in the arts. I developed some thick skin. And people on R&S calling Christians idiots is the background music for this place. Maybe you should wake up and smell the pluralism and let it sink in.

Since you are concerned with logic, maybe you can answer my question.

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AsP6AdWY21BE7obpBoMvx2nd7BR.?qid=20070407225212AAs7x4n

[edit]

She committed no logical fallacy in asserting then reasserting the doctrines of her belief system, even when you disagreed. I don't know what you are complaining about. If she accepted that your view was right, it would then be a logical fallacy to believe that hers was also. If she said you had a right to your opinion, she is stating the obvious. I can't see the logical fallacy that you seem to detect here.

Answer 3

First, you don't appear to understand the difference between opinions, attitudes, and beliefs.

All three resist change without additional input. Opinions are the easiest to change and are more receptive to additional data. Simply providing additional facts can sway an opinion.

Attitudes are much more resistant to change and often require the proverbial "attitude adjustment."

Beliefs are as much a part of a person as his or her head and vital organs. Trying to change them is akin to trying to kill the person holding the belief.

With that understanding, you should be able to understand why it is not a good idea to challenge someone's beliefs.

Try analyzing your own set of opinions, attitudes, and beliefs and you may be a little more understanding of those who don't hold your belief. You obviously have beliefs to which you hold religiously and are unwilling to give up.

When people say things like "prove it" or "you can't prove that" they are often defending an attitude or a belief. It takes more than reason to change them.

A rational person, of course, must always acknowledge that the person with whom they are arguing may be right, even if the person with whom they are arguing believes but is unable to articulate their position sufficiently to convince you.

After all, perhaps the standard for evidence you require for some things, such as the existence of God, far exceeds your requirement for others. Perhaps this is because you are actually trying to defend your own beliefs, and simply refuse to accept any further input.

Answer 4

It's because having "faith" means not being willing to admit to anyone (including ones self) that God might not exist. Doubt is contrary to faith. This is why when you ask a Jesus Zombie (I can't think of any polite way of putting it) whether he or she might be wrong about the existence of God he/she always says (if you can get him/her to actually answer the question) "No, I can't be wrong". Of course, they can be wrong (and it goes without saying). I as an atheist know that I might be wrong, and I don't lose any sleep over it, because the God of Abraham as described in the Old Testament is the lowest form of scum you could imagine. If believing in and worshiping that moron of a deity is required to prevent eternal torture then I'll do the right thing and accept the punishment happily knowing I didn't supplicate myself to such an abhorrent, sub-human creature.

Answer 5

I guess your moto is "live and let live" no matter what ? Wiccan is just as valid as Buddism ? Or do you not have a desire to seek out which is true among the seemingly endless religions out there, and feel that this is all there is ? Seems most people search for answers to the questions that have plagued Mankind from the beginning.

Answer 6

As a muslim, Quran is the way of life. It guide how to do and how to interact with external of personal being. Manual book of life.
It come from the creator of life. It brought via Muhammad in 23 year. So it will fit for anyone and anytime.
If you not accept it, its ok. A muslim just inform about the Quran.
It consist of history to learn and how you through your life.
The decision is still in your.
The fact, someone who learn it once will accept it.

Visit this good website http://www.harunyahya.com

Answer 7

Your associate was trying to make you see things from her perspective because most likely she's been brought up in the social gospel and doesn't understand that God doesn't love you, that he sees you as wicked, and is waiting for you to realize that, and to turn away from your sin, at which point he will overwhelm you with tender-loving mercy and total forgiveness. But, anyway, when you see the truth it won't be from another person's point of view, it'll be from God's point of view and it'll be how he sees you, and what he thinks about you.

Answer 8

As far as the Christians are concerned, the bible says that you are supposed to abandon reasoning and not question anything, just have faith. So yes, it is. My boyfriend's mom says the same thing - she's a born-again Evangelical - whenever I ask her a Jesus or OT question. She quotes scripture at me rather than explain or even try to reason it out on her own. People hate atheists because they simply don't understand us. It's stupid and sad.

Answer 9

I am a father of four children 30, 20, 10 and 7.
One of them got into her head that I dont love her.
Should I be angry with her?
I feel so sorry for her because I do love her.
Lets say she disowns me and doesnt believe I am her father.
Should I do something violent to her?
I am sure I am her father and I love her regardless.....
If I a sinful father think along this line, how much more would God my Father love us regardless.....

Answer 10

Remember, Adam & Eve had free will... We can see that they took their free will, and chose to sin. IMO, there's no denying there's a God... but I was raised in church.

Also, if you guys had started talking about the weather, this same subject could have came up. Science answers all, or, does God control things?

All I know is that God is real, and lives in my life!!! :)