Why fanatics can't see the absurdities in their beliefs.

Just guessing, but I came across some info on how the brain learns. As you will hear in this clip, neurons that fire together, wire together. This means that as a child experiences life, those experiences will cause the neurons to grow.



It's the same for someone learning how to play the piano. What transforms a beginner into a master piano player is the strong connections blossoming in the brain. The more we work at something (writing music, sports, cooking...) the more connections the brain makes.

So, when people allow themselves to believe in gods and religion (which usually starts in childhood), the brain makes these connections to the point where fanatics are no longer free to discern what is logical or downright insane.

When we consider the story of how all of the graves opened up during the time of Jesus being crucified and the dead roamed the city, those without the connections in the brain can see the absurdity in this claim. It's not that the religious won't see the insanity in this story, it's that they CAN'T see it. Their brains aren't wired for critical thinking when it comes to their beliefs. They can defend this story in a way that makes sense to them, but still seems very crazy to the non-believer. The religious can (and I've seen this sooo many times) simply refuse to consider that this story is beyond impossible. They don't do it deliberately, it's just a matter of brain connections preventing them from seeing the truth. They change the topic when confronted with this story, or they turn the discussion in another direction. To claim this story as false would take a major re-wiring of the brain.

Ask any sane person to hijack a plane and slam it into a building. He'll call you crazy just for suggesting it. But, take a fanatic that has been raised on the belief that there are great rewards in heaven for doing such evil acts, and they will jump at the chance.

It's all in the wiring of the brain.

Note: This has all been my opinion, with just a bit of research on the brain. Feel free to offer opposing views, or more facts to substantiate this claim.

reply to post by jiggerj


The saying: "Science flew us to the moon, religion flew us into sky scrapers" seems to apply here. I come from a deeply religious family. All of whom are fanatical to the point of insanity. If you're on the outside looking in, as I am now, you can see the insanity. When I was growing up, it all seemed normal to me. Its a lot of brainwashing and repeating the same old religious babble that does you in. Repeat the same lie over and over and people will believe it. Sound familiar?
Once the fanatical insanity of religion has taken ahold, its near impossible to make a person see how insane it is. They believe it so blindly, they'll lay down their lives for it. Its scary. Religious fanatics are some of the most dangerous people on the planet.

I like it.

It sounds reasonable to me, and it would explain why it is almost impossible to have an objective conversation with religious people.

Or democrats and republicans for that matter.

Just because you didn't see a man rise from the dead doesn't mean it didn't happen.

I don't find it absurd, Because I'm not arrogant to believe I know every mystery in the universe.

I also don't see the connection of your brain activity to an independent event almost 2000 years ago.

reply to post by jiggerj

When we consider the story of how all of the graves opened up during the time of Jesus being crucified and the dead roamed the city, those without the connections in the brain can see the absurdity in this claim.

Is it absurd? Where you there 2000 years ago to see it? No? Then it's conjecture. Faith doesn't operate on what you can see with your eyes, it operates on hope.

Now in regards to fanatics bombing buildings and car bombings, people who do that have never known Jesus nor his teaching.

If you want to take away a man's hope and leave him with nothing what kind of monster does that make you hm? Would you steal from people the only thing they can ever truly have in this world? You probably would enjoy that from your threads and posts. Such a tragic existence to waste your life here on ATS tying to rob people of the only thing in this world they can truly have that is their own. :shk:

Originally posted by randomname
Just because you didn't see a man rise from the dead doesn't mean it didn't happen.

I don't find it absurd, Because I'm not arrogant to believe I know every mystery in the universe.

I also don't see the connection of your brain activity to an independent event almost 2000 years ago.

Your comment, in my opinion, confirms and supports the OP's premise.
And to the person who said science flew us to the moon and religion flew us into buildings, that's the first time I have seen that. What a fantastic quote.

You are direct evidence for the bible verse that state that the carnal mind can not comprehend the things of God.

Originally posted by jiggerj
Just guessing, but I came across some info on how the brain learns. As you will hear in this clip, neurons that fire together, wire together. This means that as a child experiences life, those experiences will cause the neurons to grow.

It's the same for someone learning how to play the piano. What transforms a beginner into a master piano player is the strong connections blossoming in the brain. The more we work at something (writing music, sports, cooking...) the more connections the brain makes.

So, when people allow themselves to believe in gods and religion (which usually starts in childhood), the brain makes these connections to the point where fanatics are no longer free to discern what is logical or downright insane.

When we consider the story of how all of the graves opened up during the time of Jesus being crucified and the dead roamed the city, those without the connections in the brain can see the absurdity in this claim. It's not that the religious won't see the insanity in this story, it's that they CAN'T see it. Their brains aren't wired for critical thinking when it comes to their beliefs. They can defend this story in a way that makes sense to them, but still seems very crazy to the non-believer. The religious can (and I've seen this sooo many times) simply refuse to consider that this story is beyond impossible. They don't do it deliberately, it's just a matter of brain connections preventing them from seeing the truth. They change the topic when confronted with this story, or they turn the discussion in another direction. To claim this story as false would take a major re-wiring of the brain.

Ask any sane person to hijack a plane and slam it into a building. He'll call you crazy just for suggesting it. But, take a fanatic that has been raised on the belief that there are great rewards in heaven for doing such evil acts, and they will jump at the chance.

It's all in the wiring of the brain.

Note: This has all been my opinion, with just a bit of research on the brain. Feel free to offer opposing views, or more facts to substantiate this claim.

reply to post by jiggerj


jigger, you are EXACTLY CORRECT.
It's the same with language-learning. A newborn baby has the capability of learning ANY human language, FOR A WHILE. Those "whiles" are called "windows of opportunity", and once they've closed...well, they've closed. For this reason, people who had no exposure to certain sounds of a language while that window was open eventually become UNABLE to even HEAR the sounds. (The classic "Fa ra ra ra Raaaa...." phenomenon is an example.)

Later neuron connections CAN be created, but it's very difficult....
Yes, early experience and exposure becomes hardwired into the baby's brain. ....
when they are born, they are capable of learning to adapt to whatever circumstance, language, or parental "cues" are present to stimulate those bejillions of "potential wires."

Brain training and development is FASCINATING.
Thanks for the post.
S/F

reply to post by jiggerj
Do you believe in aliens? Intelligent beings either corporeal or dimensional entities?

Atheists who incessantly post anti-religious threads seem pretty fanatical, and absurd in their beliefs that they'll convince anyone but those who already agree with them, if you ask me...

reply to post by adjensen


And I feel the exact way about religious people. Always trying to push their beliefs on others.

Originally posted by JarheadFidelis
reply to post by adjensen

 

And I feel the exact way about religious people. Always trying to push their beliefs on others.

Most atheists AND religious people are not evangelists. It's just those that are who are annoying (on both sides of the equation, for the most part.)

reply to post by adjensen


I prefer to keep my opinions to myself unless Im asked about them. Its been MY EXPERIENCE that most religious people dont do that.

Originally posted by JarheadFidelis
reply to post by adjensen

 

I prefer to keep my opinions to myself unless Im asked about them. Its been MY EXPERIENCE that most religious people dont do that.

Unless you're the hyper-sensitive sort that thinks any mention of faith or God is proselytizing, you need to find new religious people to associate with -- I hang out almost exclusively with religious people and can only think of a couple of them who are constantly going on about God or religion.

Spend a bit of time on ATS, though, and one can't help but notice that the majority of those preaching to the choir are not Christians.

reply to post by adjensen

the religious people I grew up around cant go to the bathroom without praying about it first. They talk about it CONSTANTLY. Its disturbing. I thought it was normal until I got older and realized how dangerous they were.

Originally posted by JarheadFidelis
...the religious people I grew up around cant go to the bathroom without praying about it first. They talk about it CONSTANTLY.

I should probably know you.
Grew up in the same kabash.
Didn't find, until half a century had passed, that I was terrified of asking questions of my belief/s.
TERRIFIED
I had to kinda "ease" into confronting these questions.
Took almost 3 years before I finally confronted the most terrifiying question.
When I answered it, honestly...I thought "God" was going to kill me...RIGHT THERE.
...

Its disturbing. I thought it was normal until I got older and realized how dangerous they were.

Some, I consider dangerous.
Most, I still count "friends" (though they do not count me the same, anymore).
Like LoneWolf' said, though - there's a precarious line to walk in these regards - some people, if faced with having to answer these questions (being honest within themselves) will lose the only hope and/or purpose they have/find in this life.

Originally posted by lonewolf19792000


If you want to take away a man's hope and leave him with nothing what kind of monster does that make you hm? Would you steal from people the only thing they can ever truly have in this world? You probably would enjoy that from your threads and posts. Such a tragic existence to waste your life here on ATS tying to rob people of the only thing in this world they can truly have that is their own. :shk:

If you have a dog that's loyal to you, but bites kids, would you keep it or kill it?

Originally posted by JarheadFidelis
reply to post by adjensen

 

And I feel the exact way about religious people. Always trying to push their beliefs on others.

Or, what about when both are religious, and argue over details about their own beliefs. Neither is right or wrong, just what they think is right or wrong.

Originally posted by wildtimes
reply to post by jiggerj

 

jigger, you are EXACTLY CORRECT.
It's the same with language-learning. A newborn baby has the capability of learning ANY human language, FOR A WHILE. Those "whiles" are called "windows of opportunity", and once they've closed...well, they've closed. For this reason, people who had no exposure to certain sounds of a language while that window was open eventually become UNABLE to even HEAR the sounds. (The classic "Fa ra ra ra Raaaa...." phenomenon is an example.)

Later neuron connections CAN be created, but it's very difficult....
Yes, early experience and exposure becomes hardwired into the baby's brain. ....
when they are born, they are capable of learning to adapt to whatever circumstance, language, or parental "cues" are present to stimulate those bejillions of "potential wires."

Brain training and development is FASCINATING.
Thanks for the post.
S/F

The clip I posted wasn't the one I wanted. I recently watched a documentary (that I can't find now, dagnabbit!) that shows how these neurons make strong connections no matter the age of the person. If we really want to learn something, like playing the guitar, with persistent practice those neurons will bond together.

Originally posted by Jordan River
reply to post by jiggerj

 

Do you believe in aliens? Intelligent beings either corporeal or dimensional entities?

edit on 2-1-2013 by Jordan River because: (no reason given)

Do I 'believe' in them? No. I believe they are possible, but no solid facts or evidence has yet to be presented.