Is Belief a Choice?

[Breathe]

I don't think belief is a choice, as such, but belief is a consequence of experiences, or lack of, and reasoning.

Because things in my life have caused me to come to the conclusion that there is a God, I believe in God. Not believing in God, from my experiences, doesn't make sense.

Now if something changed and my reasons to believe in God were gone, I couldn't choose to believe in God -- but I could find things, through research or experiences -- that would satisfy my reasons to believe in the existence of God or gods -- then I'd have to believe again.

 

[Draka]

How can one not? I've never experienced belief as something that just happened to me, a passive acquisition. Beliefs are things I cultivate.

Because, I don't sit and choose which life experiences affect me in profound ways. Heck, a lot of times I don't even choose which life experiences to have. Those life experiences, the affects they have on me, combined with many other things like my own intelligence, ability to learn, reason, rationalize, and so on, are what form my beliefs. If something which flies in the face of all of that is presented to me I can no more choose to believe it than I can simply choose not to believe something which I have been shown evidence for time and time again. It's a matter of convincing, not choosing. the only way in which you can choose something is when the evidence for the options available are practically equal.

 

[Falvlun]

Because, I don't sit and choose which life experiences affect me in profound ways. Heck, a lot of times I don't even choose which life experiences to have. Those life experiences, the affects they have on me, combined with many other things like my own intelligence, ability to learn, reason, rationalize, and so on, are what form my beliefs. If something which flies in the face of all of that is presented to me I can no more choose to believe it than I can simply choose not to believe something which I have been shown evidence for time and time again. It's a matter of convincing, not choosing. the only way in which you can choose something is when the evidence for the options available are practically equal.

Perhaps "choosing" is a bit of a misleading term to apply, in an effort to make it appear that we have no control over what we believe.

From the above, it appears that you do believe you have some control over the things that will influence and direct what you end up believing. And that's all I mean.

 

[Thief]

If it was not a choice we would all be believers....and this forum would not exist.

But try standing under a clear night sky and say again.....no God.

 

[idav]

the only way in which you can choose something is when the evidence for the options available are practically equal.

A lot of times evidence can be strongly against faith at which point it is even more a choice to believe.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

I find it impossible to choose to believe something that I don't find true, or disbelieve something that I do find true. Others may have a greater capacity for self-deception and inconsistency than I do though.

 

[idav]

I find it impossible to choose to believe something that I don't find true, or disbelieve something that I do find true. Others may have a greater capacity for self-deception and inconsistency than I do though.

Faith is the counter to doubt. We can't always know when we are putting too much into either. Though willful ignorance is another story.

 

[Draka]

A lot of times evidence can be strongly against faith at which point it is even more a choice to believe.

I think in cases like that you have a deficiency somewhere. That is, a person lacks something so greatly in their life, they NEED to believe in something so strongly, if even on an unconscious level, that they will vehemently deny anything that may put that belief at risk. They are broken. So damaged at some core level are they that, in their struggle to remain ignorant of reality, they only damage themselves further.

 

[George-ananda]

Some feel that Belief is a choice. Some don't. I personally don't to a degree. For example can any of your choose to believe in Santa? Truly really believe? Can you choose to believe in any god in particular?

You can lie to yourself and to a degree believe something by Choice. However this is denial.

So if you truly believe in a Religion or god is it really a choice? And if your an Atheist is it really a choice? I know we can always re-evaluate the evidence but can we really chance how we look the world as easily as switching sides? I know opinions can change over time but is it possible to simply change ones view on the basis of "choice"?

Good point, you can't really believe something your rational mind tells you is wrong.

But with some issues like religion and God the rational mind can not comfortably get its arms around. The rational mind seems better at describing what it DOESN"T believe rather than what it does believe.

For me a believer in spiritual things, the starting point was things I could wrap my rational mind around; certain paranormal phenomenon that just showed consciousness could not be explained by the seemingly most rational explanation, atheistic-materialism.

 

[Thief]

Good point, you can't really believe something your rational mind tells you is wrong.

But with some issues like religion and God the rational mind can not comfortably get its arms around. The rational mind seems better at describing what it DOESN"T believe rather than what it does believe.

For me a believer in spiritual things, the starting point was things I could wrap my rational mind around; certain paranormal phenomenon that just showed consciousness could not be explained by the seemingly most rational explanation, atheistic-materialism.

Would that include dogmatic applications?

And shall we assume God considers religion as ....rational?

 

[NIX]

Belief/Believing is an action. (Verb)

People Do all kinds of things, for all kinds of reasons.
(choice, habit, conformity to expectations, rebellion, enjoyment, obligation.... etc etc etc....)
This is no different.

 

[Thief]

Belief/Believing is an action. (Verb)

People Do all kinds of things, for all kinds of reasons.
(choice, habit, conformity to expectations, rebellion, enjoyment, obligation.... etc etc etc....)
This is no different.

You included ....'choice'.
Is that choice by observation followed by intelligent guess?
Or choice of trust?.....someone told you so.

 

[NIX]

You included ....'choice'.
Is that choice by observation followed by intelligent guess?
Or choice of trust?.....someone told you so.

I believe/suspend disbelief for pragmatic or asthetic/experiental reasons mostly.
It's like throwing wide the doors of possibility. The air feels so good!
Though most often I close them again when I am done there.

Each individual has their own reasons for and ways of doing things.
Including 'chosing things'.

 

[Thief]

I believe/suspend disbelief for pragmatic or asthetic/experiental reasons mostly.
It's like throwing wide the doors of possibility. The air feels so good!
Though most often I close them again when I am done there.

Each individual has their own reasons for and ways of doing things.
Including 'chosing things'.

Yeah.
But if I assume you believe in God....
What would be the reason.....and was that a choice?

Or was the observation beyond denial?

 

[NIX]

Yeah.
But if I assume you believe in God....
What would be the reason.....and was that a choice?

Or was the observation beyond denial?

I thought I just clearly addressed and explained that in the post you quoted.

 

[Thief]

I thought I just clearly addressed and explained that in the post you quoted.

So God is only a possibility?

 

[NIX]

Why do I believe in gods?

I invoke the presence of (persona) gods because they embody things that I need connection with.
Mostly that is it.

They inspire me, and engage me in a deeper understanding of my own Self and Life.
With them I throw open the doors of limitless possibility, and I do things that can't be done.
Such experiences bring me healing, enrichment, creative inspiration and insight.

These are my pragmatic reasons for believing in gods.
Believing in gods is something I do for myself. Just as improvising music is something I do for myself. I choose to do these things because they enrich my life and being.

 

[NIX]

I think I cannot switch sides.

That's a very two-party system view.

 

[Thief]

Why do I believe in gods?

I invoke the presence of (persona) gods because they embody things that I need connection with.
Mostly that is it.

They inspire me, and engage me in a deeper understanding of my own Self and Life.
With them I throw open the doors of limitless possibility, and I do things that can't be done.
Such experiences bring me healing, enrichment, creative inspiration and insight.

These are my pragmatic reasons for believing in gods.
Believing in gods is something I do for myself. Just as improvising music is something I do for myself. I choose to do these things because they enrich my life and being.

Drawing what you believe to you?
I suspect the same for myself.
Especially at those moments when I deliberately...
Do unto others as I would have them do unto me.

In you list of gods.....is there an Almighty?
One most potent...most intelligent......
Can that God......create?

 

[Sir Doom]

I choose what to believe. In every moment going into the future I make a new choice as to what to believe. I don't expect that is going to stop until I die. I guess that makes me a life-long liar by the OP. Oh well.