So…is gullibility a prerequisite, a logical result of, or unconnected to religious faith?

Question

Care to elucidate?

How is my thinking faulty?

Answer 1

Unconnected. There's been a LOT of gullibility on here from ALL sides, even the atheists. I'll admit that some of my fellow Christians can be quite gullible, and that I myself have been a bit gullible every now and then, but I've seen plenty of atheists do the same.

Example: Sixteen Dying and Rising Gods. Funny, that book is discounted by REAL scholars who have studied mythology for a lifetime. In all the mythology I've read, there is nothing that comes close to the fallacies in that book. Yet people believe that ONE BOOK, instead of educating themselves by reading something else, like say, an encyclopaedia of Egyptian mythology, or a dissertation on Mithraism, or ANYTHING like that.

And then there's the people who believe Zeitgeist, which pretty much stole its idea in the first twenty minutes from the aforementioned book...and people tout it as FACT.

And there are the people who believe every word that comes out of Michael Moore's mouth without even THINKING about studying anything Moore's opponents have to say. And they believe Loose Change without researching the other side...

I could go on and on. No, I think gullibility is a HUMAN trait, regardless of religion or lack thereof. I challenge everyone to do the same thing I've challenged myself to do: When you hear something from one side, READ THE OTHER SIDE. Read both The Blind Watchmaker by Richard Dawkins and Darwin's Black Box by Michael Behe. Read The God Delusion, and then read The Dawkins Delusion (both are available on Amazon). Read Sixteen Dying and Rising Gods, then read other books about the mythological content that's in that book.

THEN make up your mind. Sorry for the long answer, but this is how I feel about it. Education is key to ANY belief or lack thereof, and not one of us has the right to base our conclusions off of one source, and then consider ourselves educated. Doing that is laughable.

Only a fool would read one side and consider themselves educated.

Answer 2

Elucidate-to make lucid especially by explanation or analysis.
Ok, just checking.
I don't think its gullibility since most people are raised by their parents to believe in whatever it is they believe. I think it stems from an inability to question authority. Kids are unable to question their parents so their parents beliefs become theirs. It takes an extreme amount of energy and will power to break free from the clutches of a parental brainwashing. I find that most (and I stress most) religious people are intelligent and can make smart decisions on a daily basis. For some reason they never stop to think if their religion has any logic to it. Perhaps fear or insecurity stops them. Its ok to have faith in something as long as you don't think it makes you better than everyone else.

Answer 3

Gullibility is a facet of an uninformed intellect.

A person can be knowledgeable in some aspects of conceptual minutia -- be they secular or religious and know nothing of others.

If they do not recognize their level of informed competence they are subject to being duped in matters appertaining thereto.

Gullibility is irrelevant to religion one way or another.

For example, I am religious and about as far from naive as a person can get. The content of my education and character provide for discernment and perception of facts and logical fallacy as well as perception and suspiciousness if I feel it's warranted -- turning to disbelief and lack of trust should the facts warrant such handling of any given situation.

My attitude pretty much 'fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me' and I don't suffer fools nor charlatans who would try to make a fool of me.

Therefore I am not gullible and the indications are it is not connected to any aspect of my religious life nor my faith.

Answer 4

So disrespect and insensitivity is a logical result of Atheism? At least not all Atheists are rude like you. We believe in something you don't. So going by your question, we could say ignorance must be a prerequisite of Atheism, since you don't know God. Instead we try not to insult others.

Answer 5

Unconnected to. It's very cynical to assume that religion is only for the weak-minded. Certainly leaders of many religions do prey upon the weak-minded, and keep power by manipulating the gullible, but it's unfair and cyncial to assume that is the defining feature of religion. Religion, and faith, offer incalculable benefits to many people, and can challenge the best and most logical minds to higher levels of faith.

Answer 6

Gullibility is believing that a billion years ago, lighting struck the atmosphere under certain conditions which made amino acids that turned into primordial ooze, that turned into single cell organisms, that turned into little fish that turned into amphibians, that turned into reptiles, that turned into birds and mammals, that turned into a mouse, that turned into a monkey , that turned into me. Oh and the plant life too, that just so happens to be necessary to develop at same time line for any of this other stuff to happen..

Sorry i am not that gullible. I do not have enough faith to be an atheist or belong to the religion of false science.

Give me the Bible anytime, it just makes more sense.

Answer 7

I think it's unconnected. Religious faith is too complicated to be explained away with gullibility.

Answer 8

No, I concur. I believe that organized religion is in place to control the masses, mindless masses. It does not work very well though. I wonder if we could move them all on to an island. They could save each other, and lave the rest of us alone. Ooops, I went off on a little tangent.

Answer 9

Religious faith is taught to children, who yes are quite gullible.

Answer 10

God isn't any respecter of persons and so if with the aid of "drawn to alterations of opinion" you recommend the persons or Peoples espousing the opinion, the respond isn't any, God isn't drawn to alterations of opinion. inspite of the shown fact that, if what you recommend is the custom being endorsed, the respond if a diverse confident! God is somewhat involved interior the retaining of a particular custom and so alterations of opinion, with the aid of the cultures, do count. immediately what's called "Christian" is the authentic "Jew" (be conscious i did no longer say Judaism for that's no longer the custom God is merchandising). God's artwork is calling for to exalt the "Jew" -- people who worship Him in spirit and in certainty. For He suggested, interior the manifesed form of Jesus Christ, "Salvation is of the Jews", yet Judaism as all of us be conscious of it immediately would not renowned Christ with the aid of fact the Messiah and /or God interior the flesh. 'How do we are saying one culturally inspired interpretation of religion is greater effective to a various?' we are in a position to declare it with the aid of fact no longer purely does the single authentic and residing God sell it in His word, yet in addition the author of the universe may be a fool to exalt guy or woman who faithfully operates in a Godless faith or a faith of many diverse gods. To do such might have sufficient funds the author actually NO glory. it relatively is like plagiarism or psychological aspects violation: yet another gets the credit for the author's artwork might you create the Grand Canyon or a wonderful daybreak and have your proper creations exalt yet another as their author? you're able to say confident, yet God does no longer. it relatively is with the help of the fact His creation is "dulled" while it operates "falsely" or while it "misses the mark". The creation SHINES while it relatively is "authentic" or while it hits the "bullseye". At such circumstances, God, the author is glorified. His purely purpose is that His creation SHINES for while it does, He does. purely one might nicely be authentic. he's the way, the actuality and the existence.