A Belief in Belief

I have observed that evidence is inconsequential, one might even say irrelevant, to religious believers. When confronted with facts that appear to contradict their belief, I have observed people exhibiting a whole range of reactions. On the extreme 'accepting' end, my favorite type of comment is the mind-bending "this only serves to deepen my faith." On the extreme 'rejecting' end, my favorite comments are the ones that claim it is all the result of a conspiracy.

The common factor is that no evidence, however high the quality, however great the quantity, however reliable and disinterested the source, would ever suffice to alter the person's convictions.

This is because, at its root, religious belief is an epistemological approach to life where the conclusion is concrete and the facts are malleable. So, when confronted with a fact or claim, a person with this approach to belief will do whatever it takes to ensure that the conclusion is not ever jeopardized. Any claim, however incredible, that supports the conclusion will often be accepted with total credulity. Any claim that contradicts the conclusion, will be subjected to the utmost skepticism or simply rejected out of hand, or rationalized away, or treated as a lie, or disposed of in some other way. Or the presenter of that fact will be discounted as evil or 'anti' or having some other characteristic that nullifies his credibility.

This approach is the opposite of the scientific method, in which facts are concrete and the conclusion malleable.

When interacting with religious believers, then, if your aim is to persuade them that their conclusion is incorrect, the stating of facts or evidence does not advance your purpose. Every fact will ultimately end up supporting their conclusion either because it directly favors it or because it reinforces the notion that contrary facts must be the inventions of detractors.

To have any hope of success in curing people of belief, you must help them realize that their epistemological approach to life is faulty and ultimately harmful. The key is to help them start to wonder why 99% of their life is governed by the scientific approach, but the religious aspects are not. Many people don't see this until it is pointed out to them. They must start to wonder why it is necessary for them to suspend the faculty of reason and the standard rules of evidence in order to maintain their belief. They must ask themselves what type of person stands to benefit most from unquestioned belief: an honest one or a charlatan.

Only when one willingly accepts and embraces the notion that the epistemology of belief is faulty will one be amenable to altering one's conclusion to fit the facts and not vice-versa. It is at this point and only at this point that it becomes a productive exercise to introduce actual facts, evidence and logical reasoning. Of course once that epistemological shift occurs, the person usually no longer needs you to point out your evidence. He or she will seek it with more avidity and hunger than even you have.

 

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