• Welcome to Religious Forums, a friendly forum to discuss all religions in a friendly surrounding.

    Your voice is missing! You will need to register to get access to the following site features:
    • Reply to discussions and create your own threads.
    • Our modern chat room. No add-ons or extensions required, just login and start chatting!
    • Access to private conversations with other members.

    We hope to see you as a part of our community soon!

Compartmentalisation

w00t

Active Member
Some fundamentalist Christians are very intelligent people, they have degrees and work in the professions, teachers, doctors, lawyers etc. Yet they come out with the most complete tosh when it comes to the Bible. How anyone can possibly believe the creation story, Noah's flood, the Tower of Babel etc to be anymore than fables told to illustrate a point, beggars belief. On top of that many of them believe that that earth is only a few thousand years old. I can only assume that these people have the ability to compartmentalise their brain in such a way that logical reasoning doesn't impinge on their faith!
 

Sola'lor

LDSUJC
I believe in somethings that probably go against common scientific understanding. But I believe that if I make it to heaven I'll be able to research everything and gain a perfect understanding. I believe that it will all make sense in the end.
 

Sunstone

De Diablo Del Fora
Premium Member
On Saturday, a man will display precise, rational thinking when fixing his lawnmower. On Sunday, the same man will go to church and fantasize the universe was created in six days.

I believe the key to understanding the difference between the Saturday man and the Sunday man is to first recognize that both are looking for results. Different kinds of results but results nonetheless.

The Saturday man wants his mower to run, while the Sunday man wants emotional assurance of salvation. To get his mower to run, the Saturday man is forced to display precise, rational thinking. But to obtain the result he wants on Sunday, he is forced to cast aside precise, rational thought, and indulge in fantasy. He does this willingly because he wants the emotional result he gets from doing it.

In other words, for most people, rational thinking in itself is not nearly as important to them as whatever results they happen to be looking for. If they are looking for results that happen to be best brought about by rational thought then they will prefer rational thought. But if they are looking for results that happen to be best brought about by fantasy then they will prefer fantastic thinking to rational thought.

It is therefore quite often a mistake to think that a person is either rational or irrational. Most people are both -- switching from one to the other depending on which best brings about the results they want.

By the way, this is one of the more subtle reasons why so many Eastern sages recommend people approach thinking about things without regard for the outcome of their thoughts.
 

Phasmid

Mr Invisible
By the way, this is one of the more subtle reasons why so many Eastern sages recommend people approach thinking about things without regard for the outcome of their thoughts.

But why? If it brings about positive results then surely it should be encouraged?
 

crystalonyx

Well-Known Member
Some fundamentalist Christians are very intelligent people, they have degrees and work in the professions, teachers, doctors, lawyers etc. Yet they come out with the most complete tosh when it comes to the Bible. How anyone can possibly believe the creation story, Noah's flood, the Tower of Babel etc to be anymore than fables told to illustrate a point, beggars belief. On top of that many of them believe that that earth is only a few thousand years old. I can only assume that these people have the ability to compartmentalise their brain in such a way that logical reasoning doesn't impinge on their faith!

It just goes to show that brainwashing at an early age works on anybody, maybe better on "intelligent" people.
 

MdmSzdWhtGuy

Well-Known Member
Some fundamentalist Christians are very intelligent people, they have degrees and work in the professions, teachers, doctors, lawyers etc. Yet they come out with the most complete tosh when it comes to the Bible. How anyone can possibly believe the creation story, Noah's flood, the Tower of Babel etc to be anymore than fables told to illustrate a point, beggars belief. On top of that many of them believe that that earth is only a few thousand years old. I can only assume that these people have the ability to compartmentalise their brain in such a way that logical reasoning doesn't impinge on their faith!

My dad has a master's degree in education, as does my mom, and both are Southern Baptists, go figure, and I also have two very good friends in my office, both of whom are lawyers that are Southern Baptists as well. When confronted about this dichotomy, one of them replied, "I don't believe because I understand, I understand because I believe."

Seems to me that these people have found a way to put on a thinking hat during the week, and a feeling or hoping hat on Sunday's, but that is just my guess from the outside looking in.

B.
 

ChristineES

Tiggerism
Premium Member
I just wrote out a very, very sarcastic response and at the last moment decided not to post it. I thought I would let you know that. ;)
 

ChristineES

Tiggerism
Premium Member
But, to be fair, this thread isn't as demeaning as some of the other active threads against my faith that I refuse to read. :D
 

Rystefn K'ryll

Smiter of Infidels
Human beings are capable of remarkable internal contradictions. The creative mind can rationalize almost anything given sufficent motivation, and the desire to not have been wrong about our beliefs is one of the most powerful motivators.
 

Sunstone

De Diablo Del Fora
Premium Member
I just wrote out a very, very sarcastic response and at the last moment decided not to post it. I thought I would let you know that. ;)

Go ahead and post it, Christine -- I will at the very least listen to you (since I think you've got a good head on your shoulders) and who knows -- I might even change my opinions somewhat.
 

Wandered Off

Sporadic Driveby Member
If they are looking for results that happen to be best brought about by rational thought then they will prefer rational thought. But if they are looking for results that happen to be best brought about by fantasy then they will prefer fantastic thinking to rational thought.
This seems to imply that you can choose your beliefs, which you have disputed elsewhere. Have I misunderstood yet again?
 

Somkid

Well-Known Member
I worked as a hospital chaplain for such a person in the USA (7th Day Adventist) needless to say when my 3 year contract expired she fought tooth and nail to NOT have my contract renewed her reasons were I was too charismatic (charismatic Buddhist thats funny) I did not meet the spiritual needs of 95% of the patients, this is true but we had 3 hospitals I had to travel between for a total about 10,000 patients meaning I was taking care of 500 patients by myself per week and still pulling 32 hours of trauma duty minimum per week. Well, it goes on and on. The president of the hospital was Jewish and quickly offered me a nice award for out standing service, a bonus and a 5 year contract with a nice salary increase when he found out what I was dealing with. All fine and well but I could no longer stay where I was not wanted and I couldn't work with someone that was contrary to reason so that was the proverbial straw that broke the camels back and I moved to Thailand.
 

Guitar's Cry

Disciple of Pan
Different jobs require different tools. People believe in things according to their life's experience, and this leads to some hypocritical things. It's a beautiful thing, really.

As Walt Whitman wrote: " Do I contradict myself? Very well, then I contradict myself, (I am large, I contain multitudes.)"
 
Top