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 An exhibit of Rodin's "The Thinker."
April 27th, 2012
04:01 PM ET
Study: Analytic thinking can decrease religious beliefBy Becky Perlow, CNN (CNN) - When was the last time you sat down and questioned your decision to believe in God? According to a new study, that simple act could decrease your religious conviction – even if you’re a devout believer. In the study, published Friday in the journal Science, researchers from Canada’s University of British Columbia used subtle stimuli to encourage analytical thinking. Results from the study found that analytical thinking could decrease religious belief. “Religious belief is intuitive - and analytical thinking can undermine intuitive thinking,” said Ara Norenzayan, co-author of the study. “So when people are encouraged to think analytically, it can block intuitive thinking.” CNN’s Belief Blog: The faith angles behind the biggest stories Some of the more than 650 Canadian and American participants in the study were shown images of artwork that encouraged analytic thinking, while another group was shown images that were not intended to produce such thinking. One of the images used to trigger analytic thinking was of Rodin’s statue “The Thinker.” A previous study showed that such images improved performance on tests that indicate analytic thinking. In addition to the artwork images, the religion study used other stimuli to promote analytical thinking. After exposure to such stimuli, researchers gauged participants’ religious beliefs through a series of questions. Subjects who had performed analytical tasks were more likely to experience a decrease in religious belief than those who were not involved in such tasks. That included devout believers. “There’s much more instability to religious belief than we recognize,” said Norenzayan, noting that life’s circumstances and experiences, from traumatic events to joyous occasions, can lead people to become more or less religious. “Religion is such an important part of the world and we have so little understanding of it,” he added. “So regardless of what you think about religion, it’s important to understand it because it’s so important in the world.” Norenzayan is quick to mention that the experiments did not turn devout believers into total atheists. But he speculated that if people habitually think analytically, like scientists or lawyers do, it would lead to less religious belief in the long run. Robert McCauley, director of the Center for Mind, Brain and Culture at Emory University, and author of "Why religion is natural and science is not," found the study particularly interesting because he thought it was difficult to make even a minimal change in religious belief. “It’s not likely you would argue someone out of a religious belief very often because they don’t hold those beliefs on argumentative or reflective grounds in the first place,” said McCauley, who believes religious beliefs rely primarily on intuitive thinking. Analytical thinking alone does not necessarily lead to a decrease in religious belief, emphasized Norenzayan. “There’s a combination of factors [as to] why people become believers or nonbelievers - this is only one piece of the puzzle,” Norenzayan said, explaining that his team doesn’t think analytical thinking is superior to intuitive thinking. “It makes the story we need to tell about religion and religious belief all the more complicated,” said McCauley. “That’s what great scientific research does – ask more interesting questions.” soundoff (3,468 Responses)« Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 Next »
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The CNN Belief Blog covers the faith angles of the day's biggest stories, from breaking news to politics to entertainment, fostering a global conversation about the role of religion and belief in readers' lives. It's edited by CNN's Daniel Burke with contributions from Eric Marrapodi and CNN's worldwide news gathering team.  |
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If there is a God, it gave me the ability to analyze intelligently. To not do so would be insulting to it. Would it be better for me to base decisions purely on fear (which is what intelligent 'believers' choose to do)? And who is to say that your definition of true God, is correct. There are other large cultures just as certain about their definition. And who knows.. maybe the true God wants us to throw young virgins into volcanos? It's all so confusing, so I'll choose to believe only in what can be confirmed with FACTS. God would want me to do that, otherwise I would not be using the brain I was given. Is it ironic that the 'believers' in this world are frequently a principle ingrediant in major discourse between nations? They're easily riled up by corrupt rulers. I don't dislike all 'believers', but witnessing all you Christians march to an unnecessary illegal war and actually approve of torture... not to mention predominanty NRA advocates.. it's all very obnoxious to me. Be like Jesus and I have no problem with you. Vote for money grubbing war mongers (Cheney/Bush) and I see you as a defective being that is a threat to us all. And fanatic Muslims are exactly just as bad.
Ya I approve of torture. Oh, so does my mother.
Oh ya and I got dem guns! You aint takin dem away frum me!
Grist,
You hit the nail right on the head. You believe that mankind can solve the world's problems. Has 6,000 years of human history taught you anything? All the so called "progress" in science and everything else and neighbour cannot live in peace with neighbour. It's time you realize that it's going to take something or someone much greater and smarter that mankind to fix the worlds's problems.
Actually there are many more than 6,000 years of human history.
Because you assume it to be so?? Also, just because there is a need does not dictate a supply.. There's plenty of little children starving to death right now for want of some "tea and a slice" yet they don't get it..
There's surely a lot more peace today than back when religion dominated the world.
J Anthony,,,,,,,,,,,, ,.,.,,..
Imagine if you will, a country with almost 2 billion people! What kind of problems would you know of in just such a country's/nation's ongoing ways? How do they do it? Ask the Chinese just how they manage 1.2 billion people with little to almost no baclashings from their citizenry!
Ancient example of critical thinking: Neanderthal thinker, a true faithful believer in god: Bear attacking. Me, oops, I soiled myself! God help me!
Proven again and again and again and again.
Wait, thinking makes people less likely to believe in fairy tales? NO WAY!
You meen like evolution?
Arguing with a Christian about religion is like arguing like explaining fairy tales to a child who firmly believes in pixies.
You: "Fairy tales are made up stories that became popular in the absence of tv."
Child: "Except the ones about pixies."
You: "No...all of them."
Child: "Don't go crying for pixie help next time you're in trouble. Just because you can't see them doesn't mean they aren't there."
Arguing with arrogance, on the other hand, is futile.
Which is why you should stop doing it.
You are going to spend eternity wallowing in the great Pixie Lake Of Jello for that blasphemy, anthony! You will be cursed with interesting company, and they also have an excellent selection of fine wines and gourmet delectables. Admittedly, pixies are not as good at extravagent tortures as Christians are, but they have never believed in the "do what I say or I'm gonna hurt you bad" thing that The Amazing 3-In-1 God is into.
Pixies say that that God used to be a Russian mobster who had his manhood slowly torn off then shoved down his throat before he ascended to Godhood, and that is why he is so into pain and suffering and obedience and totally arbitrary rules, and especially why he demands to be worshipped, which is the sign of an insecure, needy human.
Momoya.....quit taking yourself so seriously.
I mean, who died and made you God?
It would be great if all of us who post comments stop trying to be "smarter" than the other person and realize that none of us are really that smart. The problem with religion – I am a christian – is that the so called religious people know less about God and Christ than the non-religious. The arguments so called christians put forth only give the others reason to redicule. Religion as we know it is the worst thing that has happened to mankind. There has been no pure christian doctrine since the first century C.E. What's preached in the churches today does not come close to the message that Jesus taught when he was on the earth. The greatest of those messages were humility and to love your neighbour as yourself. To get caught up in all the heaven and hell nonsence does not serve any purpose. Unfortunately, that's all most christians are taught in their churches.
I wonder what calling yourself "christian" really does for you.. You pretty much just told the truth: that that word has become meaningless.
Wow, that was actually a great post JA. Thanks!
How embarrassing it is that in 2012 people believe in the god depicted in a book which says the laws of physics were changed after a great flood in order to explain why there are rainbows. A world-wide flood never happened and rainbows did not suddenly begin to appear. We need to get real people if we are going to solve the problems the world faces. We need to use logic rather than religious dogma in order to solve our problems. Ok to pray in a closet, but don't use religious ideas to make important decisions.
how true.. Do you vote for the guy who wears magic underwear or believes in talking snakes?? It's lose-lose!
Observer and all readers,,,,,,,,,,,, ,.,.,,..
DeeCee1000, wrote me on Friday, April 27, 2012 at 9:46 pm, "Really? So when we see real human beings suffering, we should think about your "god"? I thought your "god" was supposedly in "heaven". Does your "god" actually suffer what millions of starving babies suffer on a daily basis? Or is your "god" in his heavenly bliss? Which is it? Inquiring minds wanna know!"
I see God suffering in His residency, the buildings which are our bodies! I see in other's faces of forlornments, God's heartaches! I see in your words the bitterness of your living a life unworthy for Godliness Beings! I know well my brother's needs for alcohol and yet I am his ride to the liquor store! I cry in repentence for my sins mostly all the Time I am alone and in silence to I tell our God to be merciful to me and my soul when I become deadened to this world! I am torn between the matters of humanists and matters of Godliness issues! Yes "our" God does very much suffer as we do when millions of starving babies suffer the dues of their country or nation! In Life's fairness does mankind commit the unmentionable sins!
Observer wrote to me on Friday,April 27, 2012 at 10:37 pm, saying, "Plain,,,,, If there is a God, he must know the sincerity in your heart and spending all your time crying is not going to convince God of what he already knows. Think about the fact that God might prefer that you spend your time exploring the wonderful world that you believe he gave to you to use. It's hard to believe that God would enjoy watching you so upset."
Oh Observer, if only you really knew me and my sinfulness past! I committed Acts against my only brotyher when he was but 2 or 3 years young and I in my sinfulness did do to his body! I did tell him a good many years ago of my sins against him! He was bitter with me when I told him! Our parents noe deceased, we cling to each other! I in my ever repentence to him and he in his needs for me to be our money tree! You see Observer, I had a nervous breakdown when I was 33 years of age! My job back then was that of a concrete finisher! My employer wasn't taking out my taxes and such and then I so stupidly did fill out what I thought was a tax form but yes it was,,,,, a 1099 form for a sub-contracter which I was not! I totally lost my senses of reality back then! I have been a ward of the U.S.A.'s social security disabled list since then!
When our Mother Mary and our Father Joseph did pass on, I was left holding the bags of prosperity due my monthly check coming! My brother has not worked for a good couple of years! He has physical disabilities but he has no proof, hence he cannot collect anything except food stamps! I do so love this country I was born in! She has been ever so kind to my needs and I will ever love her, this country of my birthed and nakedness sakes! Some here may call me a user of socila security's wantonness but I tell you all, I was deranged for many so many years before I was finally given the most righteous medication for my condition! At over $800.oo for a 28 day supply, I would not be able to afford it if it weren't for Humana prescription drug insurance and medicare and the great state of Florida all chipping in for my medication needs!This is why I cry in my aloneness times and why I sense a need to be apart of socialisms' here upon this blog provided by CNN for the ways and means for practically anyone to share their Life and their thoughts with!
It's not the belief in God that is silly. It's the belief in the God you learned about when you also learned about the tooth fairy and Santa Claus. The God lives in the sky, is old, bearded and wears a white gown story is for kids who can't handle complex , big picture, paradoxical, mystical, inclusive, non-dual ideas.
Religion is nothing but simple brainwashing of children, who have to accept everything told them by adults as they have no ability and knowledge to differentiate between facts and fiction. That's where religion makes its inroads, and sticks. Stop teaching religion to kids, and for them as adults it becomes a laughing matter, not a matter of delusional philosophy.
I never understood teaching religion to kids. Sure, the concept of a loving god and heaven is cool... but unfortunately religions often have the bad side too... satan, demons, and hell. As a kid I was frequently freaked out that a demon was going to get me... or that I would never be good enough to get into heaven, cause you know the bible says the gates to heaven are narrow. Maybe so narrow only priests and nuns get in...
@momoya: I don't have the thread (sure wish cnn would let us keep our 'Belief' posts for awhile like they do in the regular news section), but it must've been a momoya impersonator (another criticism i have of cnn for allowing that).
Thanks for answering anyway.
Btw, what denomination or sect were you with during your years of belief?
I hope mono tells you to blow yourself. If she doesn't, I will.
Mostly non denominational, but some more "baptisty" and some more "spirit-led 'word'" churches.
Every single year, without fail, for the last 42 years my mother has taught, she has had at least one parent of a 7th grader tell her that she should not be teaching critical thinking skills. My mother always counters that she isn't teaching children what to think or even how to think but to weigh things carefully and develop their own minds. Seems each year she hears the same refrain from these certain parents (who are always fundamentalist christians) that they don't want their children to know how to think. Instead, they want them to simply obey what they are told unquestioningly.
By the way, my mother is a deacon in the Presbyterian church but she and my dad (a biology professor) taught us to think for ourselves. That was one of the greatest gifts they gave us.
Perhaps you can teach your mother some critical thinking?
Perhaps she could teach them something along these lines:
10 Commandments that every child should be taught.
1. DO NOT automatically believe something just because a parent, priest, rabbi or minister tells you that you must.
2. DO NOT think that claims about magic, miracles and the supernatural are more likely true because they are written in old books. That makes them less likely true.
3. DO analyze claims about religion with the same critical eye that you would claims about money, political positions or social issues.
4. DO NOT accept it when religious leaders tell you it is wrong to question, doubt or think for yourself. It never is. Only those selling junk cars want to prohibit you from looking under the hood.
5. DO decouple morality from a belief in the supernatural, in any of its formulations (Christianity, Judaism, Islam etc.). One can be moral without believing in gods, ghosts and ghouls and believing in any of them does not make one moral.
6. DO a bit of independent research into whatever book you were brought up to believe in. Who are its authors and why should you believe them in what they say? How many translations has it gone through? Do we have originals, or only edited copies of copies of copies– the latter is certainly true for every single book in the Bible.
7. DO realize that you are only a Christian (or Hindu or Jew) because of where you were born. Were you lucky enough to be born in the one part of the World that “got it right”?
8. DO NOT be an apologist or accept the explanation “your mind is too small to understand the greatness of God,” “God is outside the Universe” or “God moves in mysterious ways” when you come upon logical inconsistencies in your belief. A retreat to mysticism is the first refuge of the cornered wrong.
9. DO understand where your religion came from and how it evolved from earlier beliefs to the point you were taught it. Are you lucky enough to be living at that one point in history where we “got it right”?
10. DO educate yourself on the natural Universe, human history and the history of life on Earth, so as to be able to properly evaluate claims that a benevolent, mind-reading god is behind the whole thing.
Quebee,
My mother is a product of her times. She was reared in a fundamentalist denomination and has become a liberal Presbyterian. I think she's evolved rather well. She and our dad taught us to be skeptical. They also refrained from teaching us to think exactly like they did about any subject, preferring we make up our own minds. Most of us have done the same with our children, with the exception of one.
Are you saying that Neanderthals were wrong?
No, they were just Neanderthals.
Applying a little cricial thinking to the mythology of Christianity, I would challange any believer in [the Christian] god to take issue with any point below, which is an utline of the reaosns I and many others are atheists.
The concept of an immortal being makes no sense to us.
The concept of an all-powerful being makes no sense to us.
The concept of an all-knowing being makes no sense to us.
We tend to have a good working knowledge of the age, size and history of the Universe and the idea that a being would create the entire thing – with 400,000,000,000 galaxies, EACH with 100, 000,000,000 starts and even more planets, then sit back and wait 13,720,000,000 years for human beings to evolve on one planet so he could “love them” and send his son to talk about sheep and goats in Iron Age Palestine makes no sense to us.
The answers usually proffered for what we see as basic logical flaws in Christianity – “you have been blinded by your lack of faith” “God moves in mysterious ways” “God is outside the Universe” or “our minds are too small to understand the greatness of God” are never satisfying to us. We see a retreat to mysticism as the first refuge of the cornered fool.
The common argument, “well, what caused the Big Bang?” with the implication that, because we have only theories and no iron clad explanation for the Big Bang yet, [the Christian] god must have caused it – does not make sense to us. “I don’t know” does not equal “god” to us, much less the Judeo-Christian god. We feel the answers to such a question are much more likely to be found in Einstein’s equations, quantum physics, large particle accelerators and radio telescopes than in Genesis Chapters 1 through 20. We’re crazy aren’t we?
We do not see miracles in things like tornadoes missing a certain trailer in a trailer park, cancer going into remission or Tim Tebow winning a football game.
We understand that Christianity is one of many, many religions in the World, and we don’t think that we were lucky enough to have been born in the one part of the World that “got it right”.
We tend to have a basic knowledge of history and know that there is nothing magical or special about the supposed history of the Jews, gospels, letters, apocalyptic story (Revelations) and other materials that found their way into the Bible, in that they are largely indistinguishable from the other mythology and religious writings of the time and region.
Human beings are terrified of their own deaths and we see the various religious beliefs that try to “wish it away” such as reincarnation, living happily ever after in Heaven with Jesus, having your own Mormon planet etc. as nothing more than stories for the more timid minds among us to cope with the difficulties of life and the inevitability of death.
We do not see morality as predicated upon a belief in the supernatural. We accept that one can be moral without believing in the supernatural and that doing so is no guaranty that one will conform to the norms of society that people call “morality”.
“You can’t prove God doesn’t exist” is not a convincing argument to us, as in inability to disprove something is a far cry from it being true. We cannot prove that the Hindu gods Shiva or Vishnu do not exist either, nor Santa Claus for that matter, but that is hardly a reason to believe in them. It is almost always impossible to prove a negative in this sense.
When one looks at the various Christian beliefs that were once firmly believed – Adam and Eve, Noah’s flood, people living to be 700 or 900 years old, the Red Sea splitting, water turning into wine, talking snakes, a man living in a whale’s belly, people rising from the dead, Jesus driving demons out of people and into pigs – but which are now acknowledged by most thinking people to be mere mythology, it is pretty hard to give a lot of credibility to what’s left.
It is hard not to consider Christianity as based on circular reasoning. Most Christians believe in God because the Bible says so, then turn around and say they believe the Bible because it is the word of God. To draw an analogy, “I believe Obama is a great man because his biography says so, and the reason I believe his biography is that it is about Obama, who is a great man.”
In short, the more one comes to understand mother nature, the less reason there is to believe in a god and the more one understands human nature, the more one sees why so many of us still do.
So,to any Christian, I would say the following. The next time you proudly proclaim that you know the secrets to life, death, the origins of life on Earth and the origins of the Universe, because your parents or priest taught you some comforting stories from late Bronze Age Palestine, you might like to consider where your beliefs fit into the bigger picture.
Bravo, Colin.
Second that.
@beth: Bravo? So I guess you agree with this statement too?
Qubee: "Perhaps you can teach your mother some critical thinking?"
absolutely brilliantly said - probably one of the best posts I have ever read.
Call Sylvan, bfarticus. They can help you, yes, even YOU, with reading comprehension skills.
So sad you're learning impaired.
Wow ! ! ! Well put!
Colin: believe it or not, you are not far from the kingdom of God. Actually, everything about life is wonderful, miraculous and, if you will, supernatural. Is not the sun the exact distance it should be from the earth? etc, etc. So is the Son of God the perfect religion, the true reality and morality, life and liberty; equality; and God's new and perfect and living law to judge all men and nations, Jews and Gentiles. God bless America and all who love Him.
jabby. If the sun wasn't the distance it should be from the earth, you wouldn't be here. What about all the other planets in the Milky Way? How about the rest of the universe? What if we are part of a multiverse? This "we evolved here, so we must be super-special, so must have been created for a purpose" nonsense is getting horribly old. Please pick up a book on chaos theory.
And here's the ironic and charmingly joyous truth about this debate.
After death, the only ones who will ever know if they were right are those with faith.
I wish you could post something that makes logical sense.
Good! I will have no comprehension of you... can't wait.. Kill me now!
There's nothing but logic in that statement, Dee Cee....examine it instead of reflexively insulting.
Define "logic" RickyL.
Ricky L. wouldn't know how to tie his own shoelaces.
Because your god punishes people that do not believe in him. What an arrogant "man" he is.
Logic works like this, Dee Cee.
Because, if there is no God, if there is no ever-lasting life.....after death no-one "knows" anything....they're all dead, atheists and believers alike.
On the other hand, if there is a God....after death the true believers will crow, "I told you so......I was right."
The atheists will be saying, "I'm glad I was wrong."
You can believe that all you want, but you cannot know it.
Well then, how did you feel before you had no existence as a human being? Were you mad, angry, scared, sad? All those billions of years before your human mind formed, how did you feel about not having existence as a human being?
Uhhh.....did you notice the word, "if"?
What if the person sitting next to you in heaven singing kumbaya is someone that rap.ed and killed your daughter? How charmingly joyous and ironic would that be? Sounds more like hell.
Surely you mean "After death, the only ones who may ever know if they were right are those with faith in the correct religion."
RickyL, the atoms, the energy that makes everything existed long before your mind was ever formed and in fact those ancient atoms, created because stars exploded somewhere in the universe billions of years ago, have probably created countless other things. So yes, the atoms that make up your body will move along to build other things after you have taken your last breath. You owe your existence to these tiny little things.
Tired of this nonsense, too. Where are you taught this garbage?
After death, no one knows ANYTHING. Your brain dies with your body. You can no longer think, therefore, you know NOTHING "after" death!
Hey Ricky, by your logic, you can tell us how you know this? Has anyone you know personally come back from the dead, other than your mythical Hey-sus?
I would rather be created by a Supreme Being than to have crawled out of the slime! The latter does little for my ego!
People who pick religion to pieces have not applied the same scrutiny to man's "knowledge." Never forget that the world use to be FLAT!
Like it all not, you are a slime ball.
yes agent007, and I would prefer to be a 23 year old international millionaire athlete with millions of adoring female fans, the body of a Greek god and the $exual capacity of a rutting rhino, but I don't go through life trying to convinve myself I am.
Actually that atoms that now make up your body and mind were created in a star or stars millions, probably billions of years ago. The universe doesn't revolve around this tiny tiny rock, nor does it revolve around human beings.
Unfortunately, this very article contradicts any common sense and the Bible itself. WITHOUT analytical thinking – that is, just believing because one has an inate need to believe in something (which we pretty much do – money, sports, dreams, God, govt...) is NOT faith – that is, by definition "Credulity." The acceptance of something based on its seeming factuality – it seems "credible" so it is accepted.
That is NOT "Faith." Oh, maybe many people and churches say it is, but the Bible clearly says, "Faith is the ASSURED expectation of things hoped for; the EVIDENT reality of things though not beheld." Thus, faith is based on EVIDENCE, although one may not be an eye-witness to the evidence (like believing that a e=mc2 because the evidence was presented to us even though we didn't come up with or witness the emergence of the formula.) Thus faith is ASSURED by evidence.
Anything less, and what this article is saying faltered when analytical reasoning was brought in, was "Credulity" – it faltered in the light of "evidence" of analytical thinking / critical thinking. Christians were told to love God with their "WHOLE heart, soul, MIND and strength." Therefore, analytical / critical thinking, and deep thinking (the WHOLE MIND) must be used to gain true faith. Thus true faith will only be enhanced by deeper thinking. Credulity may well be broken.
Anyone who tells you otherwise is disregarding the very words of the God they claim to love and worship. That make the person (or the church) the false Christian/religion, NOT real Christianity a false religion.
*EVIDENT DEMONSTRATION of reality, though not beheld." My seriously too-quickly-typed sentence! 🙂
Religion is nothing but simple brainwashing of children, who have to accept everything told them by adults as they have no ability and knowledge to differentiate between facts and fiction. That's where religion makes its inroads, and sticks. Stop teaching religion to kids, and for them as adults it becomes a laughing matter.
I have re-read your post a few times now and it still makes no sense to me - maybe you try explaining whatever it is you are trying to say another way
Are you saying that because we did not all prove e=mc2 but it was proven, then anything in the bible must be true (because we also did not witness them). Huge stretch and falls a long way short.
Anyone "doubting" that E=mc^2 is anything more than a "belief" needs to look no further than Hiroshima, Nagasaki, the Bikini Atoll, or their local nuclear power plant for evidence.
I always though that the statue was about a guy sitting on the toilet. "Uncanny" resemblance!
OMG
Believing in God is absolutely silly and very, very primitive. There's evidence that Neanderthal believed in God about 200,000 years ago. Call it one of the first human examples of non-critiacal thinking.
And can you blame them? Imagine how horrible life must have been back then with all types of animals wanting to eat you or kill you, enduring nature and natural disasters with very very primitive shelter. Even not knowing what the star in the sky or the stars were must have been absolutely torturous to the heavy thinkers back then.
Heavy Neanderthal thinker: Bear attacking. Me, oops, I soiled myself! God help me!