View Full Version : Is belief a choice?
Someone once told me, that belief is not a choice. You either believe something, or you don't.
I've never been able to answer this question. I think my belief that God exists is simply my belief, but I also partly believe that my belief is a choice, as it is for others. I for one don't like the idea of a God not existing, so that makes it harder for me to accept the alternative, meaning my perspective must be biased. But at the same time, believing in God seems to be in my nature.
I'm hoping some of you can shed some light on the matter and/or provide thoughtful insight.
What is belief really? Choice or not?
Scorpio1991
21-12-11, 16:36
Belief, is complicated...
But, yes I would say it is a choice because we choose to believe in whatever we believe in ;)
I think it can depend on how you're brought up. If, for instance, you have parents who have strong beliefs, then you're more likely (perhaps) to have the same beliefs. But beliefs can change as you get older too, so yes, it is a choice. I was brought up by parents who didn't try to force any particular belief (or non belief) onto me or my sisters and we were left to make our own choices which I am very happy about. I tried to not impart any of my personal beliefs onto my son as well. Likewise, if parents have no strong beliefs a child may learn or choose differently.
I don't think this is really a Yes / No answer question.
For instance, I knew a guy who insisted that atheists are people who just chose not to believe in God, which is untrue. I have never seen anything that would make me believe in a God, so I didn't really "choose" either way at all.
You may be brought up in a religious household, and have never known any life different so you follow that out of habit - did you really "choose" it? Not necessarily.
I think it can work both ways. People can be in denial.
Also choice could be an illusion couldn't it? Like free will.
I agree with Admles. You can't really answer it with a yes or no because it varies from person to person. I was brought up in a semi religious household, my mother being religious and dad agnostic, so I have rather open views on everything. I didn't choose to believe in God, and I still am not sure if there is one God or not, but I do have have my beliefs which I've either taken over from my mother or I've started to believe in them by life experiences.
So I guess my answer would be: Through life you acquire certain beliefs or disbeliefs.
The Great Chi
21-12-11, 17:21
From the religious point of view of belief.
Yes, you do have a choice when you are more adult.
When you are a child you are brought up with the believes of your parents and grand-parents, but as you get older and hopefully lucky enough to see and learn the numerous religions of the world, you begin to wonder why am I stuck to this one belief system just because of who I was born to, and even due the region and location of my birth, which affects my religon.
I was lucky, I moved around the world as my life progressed, seeing all religions, Eastern and Western and the one point that makes sense of them all, is to try and do good in the world, be good and try to conquer evil in all its manifestations.
I believe in life after death, but I do not like one of the eastern pholosphies of my grandparents that you return to part of the whole when you die, I like the western ideology better of being an individual spirit or soul, that retains individuality as you return to the spirit. So I have modified my own belief system to that of the West.
I just hope I am right or I will have to write a split-personality letter of complaint to God, if I am no longer an individual :vlol:
knightgames
21-12-11, 18:05
Belief without sustained growth and reason isn't belief, but memorization or indoctrination. Belief is fostered by understanding what it is you are presented.
I don't think I could simply say "okay, now I believe in God". There are reasons why I don't believe in him, and as long as these reasons remain, I would always doubt myself if I said "I believe". I think the only way I could ever believe in any deity would be if my understanding of the world was drastically altered.
So, on a fundamental level, I don't think you can choose to believe (or not to). You have an idea what the world is like, what it should be like, and whether you believe or not follows from that.
I think that some of a belief is a choice, a choice to accept a piece of knowledge versus another piece of knowledge or versus the option of not having that knowledge at all.
However, if you don't know anything but that belief, then it's all there is, and theres nothing to contradict or question the belief, so in that case it is not a choice.
:/
If you specify this to religion, than it's a choice. Your parents' choice which was "pressured" on you.
Belief is not a choice. Disbelief is. It takes a mature decision to abandon a religion.
Good point. I guess this answer is more accurate than mine. :p
Belief is not a choice. Disbelief is. It takes a mature decision to abandon a religion.
But what if your choice isn't to 'abandon' religion as you were never religious in the first place?
patriots88888
21-12-11, 22:09
If you specify this to religion, than it's a choice. Your parents' choice which was "pressured" on you.
Please explain to me how beliefs can be pressured/forced upon anyone. Only you come to that conclusion whether you truly believe or not, it is something which is ultimately yours and yours alone. Case in point: there is no way to know for certain that those who say they believe do in fact truly believe... we can only assume that they do.
Please explain to me how beliefs can be pressured/forced upon anyone. Only you come to that conclusion whether you truly believe or not, it is something which is ultimately yours and yours alone. Case in point: there is no way to know for certain that those who say they believe do in fact truly believe... we can only assume that they do.
Statistically speaking, people are far more likely to believe if their parents believed, too. Not a big surprise: Children are hard-wired to trust authority persons like their parents, and when they say that there is a god watching over everyone, the children will have no reason to doubt that (yet).
Of course, for adults, it becomes a lot more complicated, but I think the initial question whether God is an actual possibility and a serious topic of discussion, or just another myth that is part of our culture, is something that is heavily influenced by what our parents told us.
patriots88888
21-12-11, 22:27
Statistically speaking, people are far more likely to believe if their parents believed, too. Not a big surprise: Children are hard-wired to trust authority persons like their parents, and when they say that there is a god watching over everyone, the children will have no reason to doubt that (yet).
Of course, for adults, it becomes a lot more complicated, but I think the initial question whether God is an actual possibility and a serious topic of discussion, or just another myth that is part of our culture, is something that is heavily influenced by what our parents told us.
As I already pointed out, just because someone says they believe, that does not necessarily mean that they do believe. I believe it's only fair to assume that even children can have their doubts and only say that they do as to not disappoint their parents. So I stand by what I said about not buying into the claim that true belief can be forced or pressured.
Romantics Inc.
21-12-11, 22:31
That's actually hard to say...I really can't say that I CHOSE to believe in some things, because I never made the conscious decision one day to just BELIEVE in something. I just DO. So I can't really give a straight answer.
As I already pointed out, just because someone says they believe, that does not necessarily mean that they do believe. I believe it's only fair to assume that even children can have their doubts and only say that they do as to not disappoint their parents. So I stand by what I said about not buying into the claim that true belief can be forced or pressured.
Hm. That sounds reasonable, but at the same time it is very vague, because: How do we know that someone truly believes? In fact, how can a person tell whether he himself truly believes? I imagine it can be difficult in some cases.
patriots88888
21-12-11, 22:43
Hm. That sounds reasonable, but at the same time it is very vague, because: How do we know that someone truly believes? In fact, how can a person tell whether he himself truly believes? I imagine it can be difficult in some cases.
As for whether anyone else truly does or not, there isn't any way to know for certain. I can only hope that those I care about are true to those beliefs. As for my own belief(s), I know who I am.
How do we know that someone truly believes? In fact, how can a person tell whether he himself truly believes? I imagine it can be difficult in some cases.
By whether their heart is in it.
Everything is binary and all binary is is choice switches.
I don't think it's a choice.
Ward Dragon
21-12-11, 23:41
I think it's a little of both. There's the rational component where a person chooses to research the topic (or not research it) and tries to analytically weigh the alternatives and decide which explanation seems to be the most credible. So in that sense there's definitely some choice involved. But there's also an emotional component and generally people don't control how they feel, just what they do about their feelings. But belief is more along the lines of thoughts and feelings, not necessarily actions, so depending on how strong the emotional component is for a person they might simply believe or not believe without it really being a deliberate choice.
knightgames
21-12-11, 23:54
Hm. That sounds reasonable, but at the same time it is very vague, because: How do we know that someone truly believes? In fact, how can a person tell whether he himself truly believes? I imagine it can be difficult in some cases.
By their fruits you will know..... in both cases.
Greenapple968
22-12-11, 00:06
I used a dictonary to get the technical definition of the word but it wasn't a lot of good. I don't think there is a choice, I think we are the way we are; for example I didn't choose to be in favour of Capital Punishment, I just simply am in favour of it.
I used a dictonary to get the technical definition of the word but it wasn't a lot of good. I don't think there is a choice, I think we are the way we are; for example I didn't choose to be in favour of Capital Punishment, I just simply am in favour of it.Of course you chose to be in favor of it. You weren't born in favor of it.
Greenapple968
22-12-11, 00:13
Of course you chose to be in favor of it. You weren't born in favor of it.
I think you misunderstood me.
I think you misunderstood me.How?
I chose to be in favor of capital punishment and against abortion.
I might change my choices though if I were a death row inmate or a woman pregnant via rape.
It's all a choice, influenced certainly, but in the end its a choice on some level.
Greenapple968
22-12-11, 02:38
How?
How do I word this simply?
I have always been in favour of Capital Punishment, I didn't choose to be that way, I just naturally am.
The point I was trying to make is that certain beliefs just come naturally.
How do I word this simply?
I have always been in favour of Capital Punishment, I didn't choose to be that way, I just naturally am.
The point I was trying to make is that certain beliefs just come naturally.You still decided to be in favor of it for your own reasons. That's a choice.
Sometimes I don't think people have a choice if they have been brought up with pushy parents.
My dad used to drag my to church until I was 12 and said 'No more!'
I don't think it's a non-choice as in, biologically inherited. Much like Ward Dragon said, everyone makes a conscious decision to research and build their own opinion based on it.
Just like I'm pretty sure Greenapple968 informed himself about Capital Punishment first and (maybe subconsciously) outweighed pros and cons before "naturally" deciding to be in favor of it.
The upbringing does have a huge influence on it, but doesn't necessarily dictate what you will believe as an adult. I even know about a woman who is strictly religious as an adult, even though brought up by atheistic parents.
Sometimes I don't think people have a choice if they have been brought up with pushy parents.
My dad used to drag my to church until I was 12 and said 'No more!'Of course they do. You can't force someone to think a certain thing. Eventually when people mature they make their own decisions.
Most of my family (including) my parents yet I still decided one day that I believed in Christanity (albeit I'm not an active Christian). It can work in the opposite direction too.
Of course they do. You can't force someone to think a certain thing. Eventually when people mature they make their own decisions.
Most of my family (including) my parents yet I still decided one day that I believed in Christanity (albeit I'm not an active Christian). It can work in the opposite direction too.
I was pretty much forced into believing in Christianity until my older sister explained to me that I can believe in whatever I want to.
It's different for everyone.
I was pretty much forced into believing in Christianity until my older sister explained to me that I can believe in whatever I want to.
It's different for everyone.Surely that just proves my point? You've clearly decided for yourself whether or not to believe at some stage in your life.
I grew up not giving a **** bout anything hay~
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