Religion provides emotional appeal. People want their beliefs to be true in order to validate this appeal to emotions. If believers accepted the idea their religion was false or possibly false, as other religions are false in their view, this would be admitting that their faith is a placebo and nothing more. Also keep in mind many people are raised with religion which is very hard to shrug off. It becomes their way of life before many are even capable of understanding what they believe or why. It becomes part of the individual as much as the culture they are part of. Also consider many hold religious commentary and other figures as authorities even when such people are no more educated than the people they hold authority over. Believers have enable a system of authority which has various forms of education and requirements which is not standardized. Hence a pastor or cleric can claim the Earth is flat or 6k years old while other claim it is spherical or 4.5 billion years old. We have enabled people to claim authority for reading a book or set of books on one subject and we idolized them for the ability to read a book to people and talk about it.
Bogart, I am aware of this because I am stuck on the emotional appeal of religion right now, but my rational mind seems stronger than my emotions (which surprises me).
Josephus, you make some good points, I guess all written scripture can be over analysed and interpreted in different ways, I guess the difference is we don't take Jane austen and Shakespear literally.
I was just reading a study on the history of afterlife beliefs starting right from the beginning when there was actually no interest or belief in an afterlife and how this came into being. What strikes me is that their are SO many different belief systems and all claim to be the truth. But being a muslim (I think lol) I know that in Islam muslims believe that any religion that denies Mo as the last prophet, therefore denying Islam is in error. What strikes me suspicious here is that so many jews and christians lived through the time of Mo but didn't take to his message, what does that say? It's all rather suspicious. Isn't seeing believing? If ppl witnessed the 'miracles' of mo why would there b disbielvers?
But that's going of topic here, I get your guys points, thanks
, I started a degree on Islamic studies two years back and looking back at what I learnt I am know more then doubtful, Have youl heard the story of Allahs convent with Adam, where he shows adam all of his creation like little lights before they are 'placed on earth'
And he makes his creation take an outh that Adam is there father, so on some level all humans 'KNOW' that Adam is their father, I can't believe I fell for that
Topic: Forgive my ignorance