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Religious beliefs are not linked to intuition or rational thinking, according to new research by the universities of Coventry and Oxford. Previous studies have suggested people who hold strong religious beliefs are more intuitive and less analytical, and when they think more analytically their religious beliefs decrease.
But new research, by academics from Coventry University's Centre for Advances in Behavioural Science and neuroscientists and philosophers at Oxford University, suggests that is not the case, and that people are not 'born believers'. The study -- which included tests on pilgrims taking part in the famous Camino de Santiago and a brain stimulation experiment -- found no link between intuitive/analytical thinking, or cognitive inhibition (an ability to suppress unwanted thoughts and actions), and supernatural beliefs.
Instead, the academics conclude that other factors, such as upbringing and socio-cultural processes, are more likely to play a greater role in religious beliefs.
[Abstract]: Supernatural Belief Is Not Modulated by Intuitive Thinking Style or Cognitive Inhibition
Would you agree with this conclusion or do you believe that there is something else that influences people's religious beliefs ?
(Score: 3, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday November 09 2017, @06:35PM (26 children)
Such belief is just a way of tying conviction to identity, so that it's easier to motivate oneself to act in a certain way.
That's why it's religious people who tend to blow themselves up, or to cut up the sexual organs of completely healthy boys and girls.
(Score: 4, Interesting) by NewNic on Thursday November 09 2017, @07:20PM (16 children)
I believe that the reason religious people fight wars or blow themselves up is that they believe in an afterlife. If dying is not the end, then why fear death?
That is, IMHO, the most dangerous aspect of most religions.
lib·er·tar·i·an·ism ˌlibərˈterēənizəm/ noun: Magical thinking that useful idiots mistake for serious political theory
(Score: 1, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday November 09 2017, @07:27PM (15 children)
"What is life after death? The same as life before birth. Nothing." —Atheists.
If anything, only the religious fear death; they fear hell. Buddhists fear having to live again, don't they? Nirvana is the escape of the virtually endless cycle of reincarnation, especially reincarnation as a lower form of life.
If the religious are motivated by the "afterlife", then it's probably out of fear of what is to come, not longing. Indeed, that's why it's so important to cut up the sexual organs of completely healthy boys and girls; you have to signal your virtue and conviction to the creator of the entire universe, amirite?
(Score: 5, Interesting) by NewNic on Thursday November 09 2017, @07:43PM (9 children)
You ignore that most people have genetic programming to avoid death (there are some people who are without fear).
Religion weakens this programming.
Almost everyone believes they personally are righteous, and religion teaches that the righteous have nothing to fear from death. It's the other people who are going to hell, not them.
You ignore the "72 virgins" concept that is used to motivate suicide bombers and others.
No, religion makes it easier for people to risk their lives, not harder. Religion allows and motivates people to risk their lives in far off places where there is no other reason to fight there. For example: the Crusades.
lib·er·tar·i·an·ism ˌlibərˈterēənizəm/ noun: Magical thinking that useful idiots mistake for serious political theory
(Score: 4, Insightful) by c0lo on Thursday November 09 2017, @08:36PM
Can't stop to note that all your examples are drawn from Abrahamic religions.
It may or may not be the same for all religions.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
(Score: 5, Insightful) by ilsa on Thursday November 09 2017, @10:58PM (1 child)
Correction. Most people believe in some kind of *spirituality*. In other words, they feel a sense of connection with the environment around them, people, the universe, what have you.
IMO Religion is a method of brainwashing people into doing whatever the controllers of that particular religion want. Sometimes religion abuses that sense of spirituality to give itself additional legitimacy, but not necessarily.
(Score: 1) by pdfernhout on Friday November 10 2017, @03:13AM
For a more nuanced view of cost/benefit: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evolutionary_origin_of_religions [wikipedia.org]
The biggest challenge of the 21st century: the irony of technologies of abundance used by scarcity-minded people.
(Score: 2) by AnonTechie on Friday November 10 2017, @09:50AM (5 children)
Why Call Him God?
Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent.
Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent.
Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil?
Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God?
- Epicurus
Albert Einstein - "Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former."
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday November 10 2017, @10:09AM (4 children)
> Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent.
this is when an average intellect guy should have put Epicurus in chains
"it is right, epi, there is no way you can commit crimes if the chain prevents you to move, freedom is not important compared to fighting evil, you implied it, remember?"
but of course let's not ruin non sequiturs on simple stuff like the existence of god.
(Score: 2) by Wootery on Friday November 10 2017, @11:47AM (3 children)
Except that god is generally held to be the creator of good and evil, happiness and suffering. If god is indeed all-powerful and all-good, why did god create suffering?
(Score: 1) by MindEscapes on Friday November 10 2017, @03:57PM (2 children)
Would you know good was good without suffering to compare it to? It would just be what is and no longer good.
Need a break? mindescapes.net may be for you!
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday November 10 2017, @04:34PM
Sure, you can have gradations of goodness without having evil to compare it against. For example, allowing people to starve is evil, not sharing when they would otherwise be fine is neutral, sharing delicious food is good. You can know that sharing is better when compared against not sharing, you don't need to have the people starving to death to know that.
(Score: 2) by Wootery on Friday November 10 2017, @05:05PM
The proposed god is all powerful. That has to include the ability to create a universe in which pleasure can exist without pain.
Whether us humans can know pleasure without pain, is hardly the point. The whole system can be blamed on god.
(Score: 2) by tangomargarine on Thursday November 09 2017, @07:43PM (4 children)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pascal%27s_Wager [wikipedia.org]
--
From what I remember of the article on female genital mutilation, it's more of a cultural thing than religious (the creepiest part is that it's actually the *women* who are doing it to their daughters). Presumably you're also referring to circumcision.
"Is that really true?" "I just spent the last hour telling you to think for yourself! Didn't you hear anything I said?"
(Score: 2) by Grishnakh on Thursday November 09 2017, @08:00PM
the creepiest part is that it's actually the *women* who are doing it to their daughters
That just reinforces my personal theory that "every group of people is its own worst enemy".
(Score: 3, Informative) by mrpg on Thursday November 09 2017, @09:53PM (2 children)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Female_genital_mutilation [wikipedia.org]
The practice is rooted in gender inequality, attempts to control women's sexuality, and ideas about purity, modesty and beauty. It is usually initiated and carried out by women, who see it as a source of honour, and who fear that failing to have their daughters and granddaughters cut will expose the girls to social exclusion.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday November 10 2017, @06:11AM
If gender inequality is the source of this, why is it that these cultures also mutilate males? If anything, I have to say there is MORE equality when both are getting mutilated. I think you're just seeing a random accidental correlation that isn't meaningful, but that happens to suit your anti-traditional agenda.
The idea of control is a bit better, fitting nicely with the fact that women mutilate women and men mutilate men. The younger people of the same sex are a threat to the grey and shriveled old people. This method is horrible, but control isn't bad: spreading STDs and fracturing families is harmful to the continuation of society.
(Score: 2) by Wootery on Friday November 10 2017, @11:50AM
Ok, but these are orthogonal to tangomargarine's point. Some people wrongly think FGM is particular to Islam. In fact it's particular to Africa (in both non-Islamic regions, and Islamic regions like Egypt).
(Score: 0, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday November 09 2017, @07:56PM (4 children)
Such a stupid statement it is baffling. First of all it's not religious people, it's one PARTICULAR religion. After that the next ideology that comes NOT EVEN CLOSE, but stands out, is COMMUNISM.
Then you talk about cutting up sexual organs and I am aghast at the projections, where it be the anti-religious ultra-liberal LEFT that pushes SEX CHANGE TO CHILDREN. Motherfucker.
(Score: 2, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday November 09 2017, @08:21PM
Communism != religion
Every major religion has sponsored extreme violence.
There are cases where gender reassignment would be a good thing.
Given that your rabid ranting is so easily undermined with some pretty basic knowledge I'm just gonna file you away as "wacko with an axe to grind" along with "I hope the FBI keeps tabs on THAT AC". One small step from angry rhetoric to shooting up some evil ultra-liberal LEFTISTS! You, you are the type of person that actually scares average people, not mooooslims or dude's with titties.
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday November 09 2017, @08:22PM (1 child)
1/10. Obvious troll is obvious. Nobody is THAT stupid, even the alt-right conservatards.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday November 09 2017, @10:21PM
SN is becoming a treasure trove for Poe's Law.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday November 09 2017, @08:36PM
Yeah, those fucking Luterans!!! Especially the Missouri Synod. And is is the ultra-reactionary right that is afraid of paying for sex, and getting something other than what they expected, so they try to force people to stay their birth-gender, against their wills, so they can just check id cards before things get funky!! And Even with CHILDREN! Will no one think of the Children? Besides Roy Moore, will no one think of the Children?? I ask.
(And I only ask because just recently, it struck me. Conservative, Southerner, Religious, claiming law is based on some Hebrew text. . . . What are the odds that Roy Moore's [washingtonpost.com] online persona is MikeeUSA? )
(Score: 4, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday November 09 2017, @08:04PM (3 children)
At first glance, you might suppose that people would pick non-demanding religion, but this isn't the case.
The more you are doing, the more you have committed yourself. Spending time and money, or proclaiming a nonsensical belief, are forms of commitment. Public display, and a punishment for leaving, help to keep people in.
So, things found in a winning religion:
Multiple times per day, you must interrupt what you are doing. You might have to stop a factory production line. You must perform a strange ritual in a relatively public way. For example, you have to wash your feet and then get down on the floor.
You are required to ostracize or even kill the nonbelievers, particularly those who were formerly believers. You of course believe that your own family would do this to you if you were to leave, so you have to at least pretend to believe. Of course, if you pretend to believe, this encourages other people to believe and it also commits you via your time investment.
There is a command to produce children. There is a command to spread into other lands, and to convert or kill the non-believers. Polygamy can help by creating an excess of unsatisfied young males who can be sent off to fight. Additional motivation can be had by letting those young males take wives or sex slaves from the non-believers, or at least rape the non-believers. To defend against this tactic from other religions, it is essential to maintain tight control over women.
The religion must affect all aspects of life. There can be nothing untouched by it, because that would allow a temporary escape that might lead to greater escape. There can be no legal framework superior to the religion, and no government can be acknowledged as supreme. No education or discovery may be permitted to contradict the religion.
(Score: 4, Informative) by DeathMonkey on Friday November 10 2017, @01:18AM
Agreed, this is why I try to avoid Utah.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday November 10 2017, @06:47AM
They are the world's most successful chain letters. Bob broke the chain and suffered eternal punishment but Julie stayed faithful and lived happily ever after.
(Score: 2) by marcello_dl on Friday November 10 2017, @12:18PM
An interesting post. Of course it starts from the implicit premise that all religion is about social control, to conclude that all religion is about social control, through a post-facto analysis of a selected sample of popular religion based power structures, but there is something to be said nonetheless.
A big problem I see is "The religion must affect all aspects of life" spoken as if it were not a natural and inescapable result of being religious with no hypocrisy. Even if your religion is no-religion, your no-religion is about the meaning of your existence (random existence with no meaning, or adhering by choice to a system of values chosen according to your preferences), so everything you do should takes that into account.
It is funny you speak about no temporary escape because the atheist consumerist society with its 24/7 culture is the one which implements just that, while the most religion accepting culture, which has been pre christian Rome, had more holidays than work days.
Another big problem "No education or discovery may be permitted to contradict the religion" because if your religion is indeed about the supernatural creator, there is no way educations or discoveries can contradict it, given that no discovery can prove anything outside the domain where it has been defined and no education can discriminate between beliefs none of which is provable.