There is a phenomenon that psychologists call "cognitive dissonance." It happens when a person holds two opposing beliefs at the same time. Such as, "I'm a patriot and I love my country—therefore, I must go to the nation's Capitol and murder as many duly elected legislators as I can."
Or, go to a pro-life rally and find someone carrying a sign or flag that says, "God Is Pro-Life." Ask them, "Didn't God kill every person on earth except for one man's family and some animals on an ark?" You may get a strange look, but you won't get an answer.
Okay, that was long ago and maybe God has changed. After all, He promised that He wouldn't do it again. But then, how about the 2,996 innocent people who died in the attacks on September 11, 2001? Where was God then?
I'm just asking. Because it's confusing.
Here's why it's confusing: it's that cognitive dissonance. It causes discomfort, so we seek to reduce the dissonance. One way that people achieve that is to simply choose to believe whatever they want to believe, regardless of all evidence to the contrary, regardless of the reality plainly in front of them.
We have to get at the truth, whatever that truth may be. We may not like the truth, we may deny the truth, but what is true will still be true. You can't change the truth by refusing to believe it. Likewise, if something is not true, then believing and insisting that it's true won't make it true.
There is also a phenomenon that psychologists call "motivated reasoning." People are biased in favor of the things they want to be true, whether it's politics, UFOs, space aliens, stolen elections, or whatever. But these things require really, really, really good evidence. Claiming something is true based on bad evidence or, worse, based on no evidence, will ultimately not have a good outcome.
I think America has been running a social experiment. What happens if you give people a sub-par education? What if the population decides to reject their education? Can they still think effectively? Will they still make good decisions? I think that in these current times, we're seeing the outcome of that experiment.
1 comment:
Greetings
Wow--this is a very deep subject for such an early morn !!
Will the cat catch the mouse?
Will the sun rise in the morning?
Will the mail come?
Will it snow in Alaska?
Will the steak taste great?
There are zillions of things we take for granted with no proof that they will happen --yet they happen without fail.
God is definitely mysterious to us --- believing without proof is the ultimate respect shown.
There are those who spend their lives questioning things and searching for the truth --only to find more questions!!
There are searchers and there are acceptors !! And some that are in be tween !!
Great points in your post -- I don't have all the answers --but I'm an acceptor and a believer !! I do expect that one day I'll get the answers.
You are an excellent writer and provoker of thoughts and ideas !! Keep up the good work !!
You have a great and awesome mind and your readers are lucky to gain from your wisdom!
May God Bless you today and always !! Without fail !! Without question !!
Ease up and know that He is God and has a plan for you !!
Best, LL
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