Is it possible to teach critical thinking to indoctrinated people?

Question

I am not sure what is the best answer yet but I would like to thank Stavi for the website link.

There are seven answers here that I like and I am unable to choose between them so I am putting this to voting.

Answer 1

Absolutely.

I know I know...actually so much it hurts. People will find their own pace and develop at their own speed.

If someone acquires critical thought where they previously lacked it, they may still reach different conclusions to the ones you have, which is actually more frightening than assuming their beliefs are unthinking.

Be careful what you wish for.

Answer 2

It is entirely possible. I don't mean to put words into your mouth, but as an agnostic I can sense when a question is more or less designed to get a certain type of response from religious individuals. It seems that your question is really an attack on religious individuals' seeming inability to get away from thinking about god when it comes to logical arguments for or against.

It could very well, be that you meant the opposite pertaining to non-believers. Nevertheless, why would you think that it is not possible to teach critical thinking to "indoctrinated people?" There is no significant evidence to suggest that you cannot, and there are many individuals on both sides who's critical thinking skills far exceed the skills of you or I. So, once again, why would one think that you cannot teach critical thinking to indoctrinated people?

Answer 3

You can't make it happen overnight, but yes, I do think it can be taught to some. In other cases though, I swear some people just don't have the cognitive reasoning skills to discuss something objectively, without trying to take it on some personal level.

Remember that when people use their religion as a mental crutch (which, in all fairness, not all religious people do), you're not going to accomplish anything by kicking away the crutch. They don't start walking on their own; they cling to the crutch tighter.

As another person mentioned, there are some zealots who do seem to have very good augmenting skills, and have pretty high IQs. Though they use this to rationalize away oppositions to their beliefs. As Michael Shermer said about some of these types, along with conspiracy theorists, they're "Smart people who came to believe in something for dumb reasons".

Answer 4

Sometimes.

Many Catholics have changed to become J.W's.

As a J.W. I have yet to find a scripture where Jesus says...

I AM GOD COME TO EARTH...BUT AS A MAN...

this is what Catholics claim, based on one scripture with a single letter missing...John 1;1.

They ignore scriptures like;

(John 5:19) Therefore, in answer, Jesus went on to say to them: “Most truly I say to YOU, The Son cannot do a single thing of his own initiative, but only what he beholds the Father doing. For whatever things that One does, these things the Son also does in like manner.

Answer 5

Yes. First you have to de-program them.

Think about all the people who are rescued form dangerous cults, or returned from Northern POW camps, or former christians, jews, muslims and other religious adherents who came to start using their brain and lost their belief in "god." and the religious indoctrination they were subjected to growing up.

If religious folks really believed in their religious faith, they wouldn't force-feed it to their kids form the time they are born when they lack to ability to tell the difference between reality and fantasy, and won't be able to think critically for years to come....long after the religious "faith" forced on them has formed indelible patterns in their brains and thought patterns.

Answer 6

yes but it is all in how you approach them. I was a crazy fundementalist until my friend sat me down and took me step by step through critical thinking. Most atheists come off so mean and arrogant that Christians refuse to listen. My friend showed me that I was wrong on so many levels but he did it in just the right way. He runs the website http://pathofreason.com

Answer 7

Many and I mean many indoctrinated people have critical thinking skills. Which is way their beliefs are so puzzling. Christians are smart people how can they believe such non-sense. The answer is really simple. Belief in God "appeals" to their self interest.
I.E. Life after death, they are made to feel important etc..

This is why they abandon critical thinking when it comes to their beliefs.

Answer 8

Yes it is, if you take your head out of your *** and accept that people can come to a differnet conclusion than you without being brainwahsed.

Answer 9

Facts and realities cannot be denied!