Why do so many have such a strong need to believe?

[Petr87]

Not necessarily in God, but in other things like the afterlife, reincarnation, aliens, and every other unprovable concept you can think of. Is it just so they don't feel so alone? Is it an ego-boost, a way to feel special? Is it a fear of the oblivion of death? A combination of various factors?

[purplepoppy]

I have, what I call the wall theory.

There is a high wall that's impossible to see over. People speculate what's on the other side. One person claims its an elephant because he had a dream. People disagree but know one can prove it's not an elephant. Their inability to discredit the elephant proves in his mind the elephant must exist. People quite like this logic and since they can't disprove the elephant or think of another reason why you'd need a high wall they assume the elephant must be real. Obviously anyone
who doesn't believe in the elephant is a fecking weirdo that needs a good kicking. Despite the lack of evidence and ridicule more and more cling on to the elephant until one day they buy a ladder and discover its actually a herd of elephants

And that's the thing with god, ufo, goblins, nessie etc. As long as there's the tiniest possibility they're true people would rather look foolish now in the hope they're the smug ones tomorrow.

[Petr87]

"Their inability to discredit the elephant proves in his mind the elephant must exist", which isn't logical at all. Yes, unfortunately there are many who think this way.

[Gummy_Cluster]

This is a standard conversation with an atheist:

Fred: I can't believe people believe in God. There's no proof.

Gummy: Do you have any proof God doesn't exist?

Fred: I don't need proof, I just know God doesn't exist.

Gummy: Yeah, that makes perfect sense.

[Petr87]

What many atheists fail to realise is that atheism is still a belief, the belief that God doesn't exist. I'm more of an agnostic myself, open to the possibility of God's existence, but just not sure about it.

[Gummy_Cluster]

I'm the same as you. Arguing about the unknown is quite goofy. Both sides think they're right. Yesterday someone said that God doesn't want people to masturbate. lol
My nephew wants to go out with his dad and catch a big foot. I told him his chances are slim, but you never know. Maybe they'll get two. :)

[Kaneki05]

By such logic I'm actually a chicken who's capable of typing. But because you don't have proof I ain't I might be telling the truth. That's just called you been dumb as hell.

[Petr87]

@Kaneki05 There's no need to be rude.

[Kaneki05]

It's not rude it's just a true statement if you follow that logic I could be a chicken who's capable of typing.

[Petr87]

@Kaneki05 You accused her of being "as dumb as hell". That's an insult, and don't try to deny it.

[Kaneki05]

Then what's the word good for if we can't call anyone it?

[Petr87]

@Kaneki05 Don't behave like a petulant child. Respect others, even when you don't agree with them. You can criticise what she said, and point out all its flaws, but don't make it personal.

[Kaneki05]

So what would you call it? Smart? That's funny. You think the logic of me been a chicken capable of writing is what a smart one would think?

[Kaneki05]

Tbh your even more dumb if you think that.

[Petr87]

@Kaneki05 What the hell is your problem? Do you have autism or something? Why all the anger?

[Kaneki05]

Interesting so it's not rude to poke fun of out autism? A hypocrite we see in the wild.

[Petr87]

@Kaneki05 No, it isn't rude to ask if someone has a debilitating mental condition that prevents them from seeing the blindingly obvious.

[Kaneki05]

So whenever someone argues with you, you just assume they must have a mental condition causing it? You must not react well to people just disagreeing with you. Plus people who are neurodivergent often are the ones who think more logical and the best minds in the world are often neurodivergent so tbh this would just be hurting your point.
I

[Kaneki05]

It's funny how much a big deal your making this hell not even gummy cares that much which is showing herself to taking the smart option here.

[Petr87]

@Kaneki05 No, wrong again. I don't make that assumption, but I do know enough about the condition to be able to spot some of the signs in others. Whether or not they actually have autism isn't something I can determine, but if they do then it often explains their behaviour. Like yours right here.

[Kaneki05]

I maybe but wrong but somehow in someway I just hmm feel like just calling someone dumb online is not an indication that could tell you anything about that person.
By that logic we all are because I really doubt there is anyone who has never once called a person dumb online before.

[Petr87]

@Kaneki05 I'm not calling you "dumb"! People who have autism are generally much smarter than those who don't. It is not an insult, and if you knew anything at all about the condition you wouldn't have made that silly connection.

[Kaneki05]

I literally said "Plus people who are neurodivergent often are the ones who think more logical and the best minds in the world are often neurodivergent so tbh this would just be hurting your point." I never said people who have autism are dumb.
So you really confused right now with your whole entire point lol

[Kaneki05]

How about in the future don't just assume people have autism just because they called someone dumb. Because that's just called you been dumb as hell.

[Petr87]

@Kaneki05 Go away! You're being ridiculous.

[Kaneki05]

Say's go away to the guy he replied to. Right back at ya.

[jshm2]

They don't.

A lot of people believe they believe, but they are in fact stuck in their own conjectures and bubbles, and don't believe anything.

You cannot believe without understanding first and experiencing it. Think of it in terms of IQ - the individual has the ability and understanding for facts and figures but needs to learn how to express and portray that understading. That is in a nutshell what "gifted school" is.

But when it comes to belief, it's little to do with the physical. Just as you cannot physically prove you love someone, or they love you. It's about learning to experience and how to portray it meaningfully.

[captain_voidwalker]

I think it's because despite humanity's best efforts to explain things, there are still a plethora of phenomena that we can't. A good example is the hundredth monkey experiment. Basically they taught a large group of isolated monkeys on a island to crack open coconuts using sharp rocks. And spontaneously monkeys on the mainland with no contact with the island money's started using the same technique enmass.

[Petr87]

I've heard about this story. It turns out to have been apocryphal, and totally unsubstantiated.

[exitseven]

I know we are not alone. I have been abducted by aliens several times. I can tell I had been taken if I have a sore under my thumbnail because that is where they harvest my DNA.

[Fuentes]

What if sleep paralysis are the times were being abducted?

[exitseven]

@Fuentes I just wake up with a sore thumb.

[xoxosilentgirl]

some people experienced something that cannot comprehend by human. That’s what makes me believe something greater than human being does exists. Something that programming this whole universe, you call it god or whatever

[Petr87]

It's POSSIBLE that a greater intelligence exists, but you shouldn't "believe" that until you're absolutely sure, or at least reasonably certain.

[Kaneki05]

It's just a coping method that's all. Some people need there to be more rather than face the reality.

[Keishio]

But how are you so sure there isn't more?

[Kaneki05]

@Keishio Because if you see none-evidence as a fact then facts mean nothing. Then if facts are nothing who's to say what is what? What's to say if I claim to be god that I'm wrong? At that point is everything is nonsense. So follow the evidence to find the facts and facts are there is no evidence suggesting to such thing be correct.
In fact there is more evidence suggesting other possibilities and unless something else changes that you can be certain.

[Keishio]

But facts change. What was fact in the past isn't now. Methods change so it's difficult to be sure just due to lack of evidence

[Kaneki05]

@Keishio That's a pointless argument when there is no evidence and then religion it's self is founded on belief by definition so it will never have evidence.
If we go by the logic of uncertainty we might as well think leprechauns exist or anything else clearly mythical but that's backwards logic. The logic should always be if there isn't evidence you must think it does not.

[Keishio]

What evidence would you need to think otherwise?

[Kaneki05]

@Keishio Well we can see and figure out what causes reactions to happen so for a evidence of god you would need that reaction only answer to be god. You would have to prove a miracle was 100% a miracle and could only be an act of god.
If something effects the universe there will be evidence of it's reaction it had in it which would lead back the origin point. But as time goes on anything that we considered an act of god has been proven to just be chemicals reacting with each other and use figuring how they do that, not the answer of god doing it.
People in the past used to think natural disasters and disease were god doing but when you follow evidence this became quickly noticed as people just trying to rationalise why they happened.

[Anonymous]

Everyone has a belief and worships something. The modern pseudo-skeptic movement people like to pretend they're pure beings of truth but at the end of the day they have faith in a lot of things they can't prove.

I think too many people get an ego boost out of pretending they don't use faith.

[Petr87]

"Everyone has a belief and worships something" - Yeah, I don't.

[Opinion Owner]

Lmao, caught a live one. You seem quite insecure in your beliefs to feel the need to justify it to yourself..

You (worship) yourself and (believe) your worldview is "right" but you cannot prove that, you're in denial.

[NostalgiaSenpi]

People have the mindset that there has to be something else besides the here and now, in addition to there must be more to discover and that we can't be the only intelligent life out there (at least in terms of human intelligence).

[Petr87]

But that's just it - there doesn't have to be anything else at all. Many people just assume that, because the alternative is just too horrifying for them.

[NostalgiaSenpi]

Yeah.

[Stressyalaire]

Without faith many would lose their minds. I like conspiracy but just want to believe. But the arguments and proof provided is disappointing.

[Iron_Man]

I don’t believe in reincarnation, I believe in God the heavens and life

[Petr87]

Why?

[Fuentes]

Have to beleive in something there has to be more to life then we think.

[Petr87]

There does? Why?

[Fuentes]

You just believe mother nature and humans and animals are the only thing that exist and that's it? No way theirs more out there. Most of the ocean hasn't even been discovered yet, so we still have no idea what's even under our waters and we haven't seen app of space so we still have no idea what's really out there. We can't just say everything is the same as earth because that's simply not true.

[Petr87]

No, I don't believe that at all. Why? Because I don't know. There could be more to reality than just this, but at this stage in my life I have no reason to believe that. Why is it so hard for people to just admit they don't know, they don't have all the answers?

[Fuentes]

That's the issue we don't have all the answers. So is all the ocean been searched NO so how can you doubt anything?

[Petr87]

Your logic here is limp and lame, because you've got it backwards. "Belief" implies certainty, an emotional and intellectual commitment to a certain proposition, but that should only ever come after all alternatives have been exhausted, and the only logical solution left is the one you adhere to.
How can I doubt anything? It's easy, it comes naturally. Uncertainty and lack of belief is the default position, the starting position, and for "believers" it's incumbent upon them to convince the rest of us that they're right.

[Fuentes]

So you discovered the ocean and all of space? And every species and bene in this world? Right your on it buddy 👍

[Petr87]

I didn't say that. Of course there is much we don't know about the reality we live in, but that doesn't therefore mean I should just accept every insane idea that comes along. I reserve judgement, I neither believe nor disbelieve. Why is that so hard for you to understand?

[Fuentes]

Cause I clearly said we don't know and by your response you agree that we don't know so now your just arguing to argue or maybe theirs a language barrier. Not sure.

[Aiko_E_Lara]

Same reason why so many have such a strong need to disbelieve.

[NamerOfStars]

Basic experiential deduction, silly.

[Petr87]

That's not enough, silly.

[chilldude33]

Consciousness likes to create and explore ideas

[Petr87]

Yes. And?

[Wise4myage]

Its all about proof for me.

[La_isla_bonita23]

Aliens are exist

[Petr87]

How do you know?

[La_isla_bonita23]

I have many experiences.

[Dinosaursandanime65]

Mind failure

[In_Trance]

You tell us