The Cheerleader Effect

by Saethydd 3 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  Saethydd

  The cheerleader effect is a cognitive bias that causes people to appear more attractive in a group. I'm no expert on psychology, but I have a theory that a similar phenomenon exists for beliefs. By compiling a list of beliefs you make them appear more reasonable, however, if you actually break one away from the herd and really break it down you can easily discover what an illogical mess it truly is.

  I first noticed this when I debated with my father on the subject of the Bible, oftentimes when I would make a valid argument against the Bible he would say something along the lines of, "and that is enough to make you forget about such and such" (usually the "accuracy" of Bible "prophecy" or the good effect the Bible has on people's lives). I think that phenomenon may be part of what is responsible for allowing religious groups like the Jehovah's Witnesses to survive so long in an era where information is so readily available.
  
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  Finkelstein

  Religious cults thrive on repressing knowledge, in a way the lesser the better, that way they can mentally infuse their own contrived knowledge which inevitably leads toward supporting their own power and control over people.

  Place that knowledge in a frame work of fear or compelling dangerous consequences in repelling that expressed knowledge and you have an environment of behavioral thought control. .......cultism
  
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  Vidiot

  Saethydd - "The cheerleader effect is a cognitive bias that causes people to appear more attractive in a group..."

  Alcohol does that, too.

  Or just hanging out with ugly people.

  
  
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  scratchme1010

  I first noticed this when I debated with my father on the subject of the Bible, oftentimes when I would make a valid argument against the Bible he would say something along the lines of, "and that is enough to make you forget about such and such" (usually the "accuracy" of Bible "prophecy" or the good effect the Bible has on people's lives). I think that phenomenon may be part of what is responsible for allowing religious groups like the Jehovah's Witnesses to survive so long in an era where information is so readily available.
  

  I grew up noting that in the congregation I grew up in. The four elders in that congregation, my father being one of them, couldn't stand each other. They were constantly looking for ways to "get" the other. Once one of those elders showed up in our house unannounced (and it was heavily raining) to see if he could catch us doing something wrong, so he could have something on my father (yes, it was that bizarre).

  Anyway, that relates to the point you make, Saethydd. The one and only thing that all those 4 idiots cheerled for each other was when they wanted to punish their children. All 4 of them were wife and children beaters, domestic violence people who believed in constantly punishing and never encouraging their families to anything. During the meetings, every time that the topic was about family or the youth, all the comments were made by them, one reinforcing the comment of the other. It was just disgusting.

  That's how I learned about that cheer-leading thing, in that case to make the person who was making the point look better.