What motivates Fundamentalists to repeatedly display their poor understanding of Science?

Question

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Assuming that people don't do something for no reason whatsoever, there must be a pay-off. What's the benefit of showing such ignorance?

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MYFRENZ: You are simply proving my point. Every well educated person knows that it is impossible to prove a negative. What you can do is produce probabilities, and the probabilities indicate that it is extremely unlikely that any God exists.

And as for my motivation, it is simply to learn. That's why I was a religion major, spent a year in a Methodist seminary, and have made science reading a hobby for my entire life.

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DARWIN LIED: Again, you simply prove the point. Science has never had a zeal to disprove the creator. Had it not been for the continued scientific process, no new understanding about the origins of the universe would have emerged and via study of the cosmic microwave background, etc., evidence gathered to support the big bang theory.

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Answer 1

Their poor self-assessment of that understanding. It seems pretty clear that most of them honestly believe that they do understand.

Numerous times here someone has said something on the order of "I have an excellent understanding of evolution. I just don't believe that we exist by pure chance", in apparent blissful unawareness.

It's paralleled by their arrogance - look at the believers who thought they could turn your question around and accuse you (or us) of ignorance as well, despite the fact that atheists haven't displayed the kind of consistent ignorance that characterizes the religious fundamentalist. Typical religious fundamentalist utter disregard for the truth.

Answer 2

The thing is, they actually believe it. To them, their god must exist... why else would their parents and cult leader alike tell them so? To sat such blatant heresy as "Look at the facts, look at other cultures, they've instilled un-necessary fear in you for that god doesn't exist..." they figure that the burden of proof should be on us. They're in a safe system with circular arguments and total truth right now- if they're going to do something scary like leave the cave and play in the sunlight, we better show them that we have an absolutely safe, correct system too. Since ours is one of questioning though, they just assume we must be wrong and stay in their facts calling us stupid and wrong. This helps them feel better about themselves.

Answer 3

Very exciting and concept scary question. thank you. technology isn't anybody's difficulty - it is easy to be attracted to it. that's an infinite difficulty with considered one of those different theories, that are complicated for a basic individual. anybody isn't made a similar. some like technology and a few like paintings or another difficulty. subsequently, you won't be able to assume anybody to understand technology. each physique is pleased with the certainty that the earth is going around and existence is going on, without bothering to understand how that occurs. I accept as true with various the solutions that technology isn't taught real in college with the consequence, not many scholars take interest in this difficulty and learn it in user-friendly terms to bypass the tests.

Answer 4

Martin Luther, describing Copernicus' ideas about the Sun being the center of the Solar System:

"This fool wishes to reverse the entire science of astronomy. But sacred scripture tells us that Joshua commanded the Sun to stand still, and not the Earth."

They use the Bible as a science book, and these are the results they get.

Answer 5

The payoff comes in the form of sticking by the party line.

Within the current evangelical structure, as long as you parrot what is accepted as common knowledge (ignorant anti-science statements).....you get to be a member of a club.

Since a large part of religion is to fulfill a need for "community" in our increasingly hectic lives..it is important for people not to alienate themselves from this community.

Answer 6

If I couldn't read, I would not jump at every opportunity to display my illiteracy. They obviously don't know that they have been brainwashed and that their factual knowledge and understanding about science is just garbage. They are probably getting social reinforcement from their peer group, and their leaders who exploit and control them.

Answer 7

They will get some one on their side. That is why they want children, the poor and those totally down and out to be born again. Those people who can't or don't think then they don't have to explain their lack of knowledge since no one is supposed to question faith.

Answer 8

I don't know what this question is in reference to, other than blowing off steam, but it is possible to prove a negative.

There are no Japanese letters in this sentence is a provable existential negative.

Answer 9

I'm not a "fundamentalists", but I say just be straight about it; if you don't "understand" it, then say so. Myself, I understood it, I just could not cultivate any appreciation for the subject and hence, no manifest interest.

Answer 10

They think that if they say it enough people will believe them. That typically works for a while, then they wind up looking really bad just like that whole flat Earth thing a few years back.