Scot Bastian Ph.D.
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Are You Suffering Religious Cognitive Dissonance?

7/26/2015

3 Comments

 
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A few days ago I put the following quip on Facebook:
I find it interesting that what many call a "faith crisis" is what I consider a "reality epiphany."
Based on the number of "likes" it has been receiving, this is a pretty popular sentiment. I wonder how many of my fellow skeptics, atheists, ignostics, agnostics, humanists, freethinkers--whatever you in what I think of as the rational community--are often annoyed when we are told we "lack faith" as if it is some kind of deficiency? "If we only would try to believe." "If only we would pray." "If only we would open the door to ask God's grace." The torrent of condescension seems to never end.  Even worse, is when we're told that "atheism is just another faith." Ridiculous. Somewhere I've seen the sentiment that atheism is another faith the way that baldness is another hairstyle. Yes, science has it's assumptions, such as reproduciblility. Yes, scientists rely on mathematical and physical laws. But that's a far cry from inventing unicorns, angels,talking snakes and virgin births.
   I guess this blog entry is more of a rant than I originally wanted it to be when I started writing. 
   But, occasionally, there is a news item that gives me hope that humanity, however slowly, is turning away from the supernatural ghosts of the past. Here is a link to a news story of a group of a hundred people who en masse resigned from the Mormon Church. Welcome fellow realists. Turning away from supernatural deities and beliefs can lead to some uncomfortable conclusions, not the least of which is facing mortality rather than some kind of fake transition into a netherworld, or heaven, or some form of reincarnation. But, really, if you have any respect for the truth, isn't that, in the end, more satisfying than a comforting delusion?
 
3 Comments
Carl Nelso
7/27/2015 11:46:32 pm

Praying for you.

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Carl Nelson
7/30/2015 10:28:36 pm

Still praying... Is it having any effect? A little feedback please.

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custom paper link
5/1/2016 02:12:54 am

I believe that the faith is individual for each. Religious discord has always been and it will be. After all, everyone decides whether there is something that is beyond the material world.

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    Scot Bastian Ph.D. is a scientist and artist who lives in Seattle WA.

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