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Permalink Reply by Gila Guerilla on July 4, 2011 at 9:28pm

I can see that the article and video tells the truth about human psychology and truth/belief/denial etc. Let's not forget that we are ALL humans, atheists too, (oh no). So we're all possessed of the same tendencies to keep hold of our our beliefs and to try to defend what we have decided is right, rather than keep on analysing.

 

I hope that I and my fellow atheists are really sceptical as much as possible, and will analyse the bejeezers out of ideas, and only settle on best explanations, after that, with a tentative willingness to change in the light of new, (better), arguments or evidence.

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Permalink Reply by Wanda Wilson on July 5, 2011 at 9:32pm

Oh for sure.  Applies to more than just religious conviction.  A level of skepticism is always healthy.:)

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Permalink Reply by Tom Sarbeck on July 6, 2011 at 4:49am

...possessed of the same tendencies to keep hold of our our beliefs, .... True.

Unhappily, many of us, especially elders such as I and with whom I live, hold so tightly to comforting beliefs that I can see why our offspring don't want cluttering their lives.

Happily, I'm not the only skeptic/atheist in this retirement community.

 

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Permalink Reply by Torkoal (Gotta catch 'em all) on August 6, 2011 at 8:28pm

I've read about motivated reasoning before-a useful defense tactic that unfortunetly can backfire.

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