EdenOne

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Posts by EdenOne

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  59

  How the human mind processes facts and faith differently

  by EdenOne in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i found this very interesting article by t. m. luhrmann in todays edition of the new york times (i've highlighted a few parts i 've found most interesting):.

  it seems weird to deny them.. and yet a broad group of scholars is beginning to demonstrate that religious belief and factual belief are indeed different kinds of mental creatures.

  people process evidence differently when they think with a factual mind-set rather than with a religious mind-set.

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  EdenOne

  
  

  
  

  from the article: "Legare said the findings contradict the common assumption that supernatural beliefs dissipate with age and knowledge."

  It appears to me that the authors of the study (from the University of Austin, Texas) didn't simply verify that the older generation is more prone to supernatural thinking. One could argue that older generations weren't exposed to science, had less education, etc. But seems to me that the study, rather than taking a static 'snapshot' , observed a dynamic trend in the observed population. I would argue that greater ailments and the proximity of death that come with old age prompt a stronger propension to supernatural thinking.

  Eden
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  37

  Apostasy Trial - Part 2 - Satan is Using Google

  by berrygerry in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=373zbncuuoq

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  EdenOne

  Did someone had a sheppherding call from Hank Marvin? ;-)

  Eden
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  59

  Kendrick " Letter of Introduction " from Elders regarding Candace Conti Case

  by flipper in

  1. watchtower
  2. child-abuse

  as many of us saw in the pbs news hour program and the abc news nightline program the elders from one congregation failed to communicate properly to the elders in another congregation concerning the child molester jonathan kendrick when he moved to a new congregation.

  i have parts of this " introduction letter " from the fremont congregation to the oakley congregation elders so you can read it for yourself and decide how irresponsible these wt appointed elders were.

  dated 1/16/98 it opens : .

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  EdenOne

  That particular letter is interesting in that it exposed some of Kendricks misgivings but stop short of revealing his most heinous behavior of pedophilia.

  Exactly. Kendrick's "outbursts of anger" merit a cautionary word from the elders in the letter of introduction [no concern for protecting his privacy here] but there's a deafening silence about his not-so-distant-past as a convicted child molester. Here one can see where the elders' priorities are. "Outbursts of anger" from a member don't exactly tarnish the reputation of the Watchtower and its flock at large. But paedophilia does, and thus, best expunge it from any official record. It's clear to me and anyone honest about this.

  Eden
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  59

  How the human mind processes facts and faith differently

  by EdenOne in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i found this very interesting article by t. m. luhrmann in todays edition of the new york times (i've highlighted a few parts i 've found most interesting):.

  it seems weird to deny them.. and yet a broad group of scholars is beginning to demonstrate that religious belief and factual belief are indeed different kinds of mental creatures.

  people process evidence differently when they think with a factual mind-set rather than with a religious mind-set.

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  EdenOne

  Don't forget, Nic, that we're here because we all came from the same place, not all of us are on the same trajectory out of it, neither are all of us at the same distance from our point of origin. Our mileage may vary, and so do our cognitive methods to achieve certain answers we're looking for.

  Eden
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  94

  Disowning the God of the OT is not an Option

  by cofty in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  it's to their credit that many modern christians prefer the jesus of the gospels to the god of the old testament.. ot god is an embarrassment.

  i am not going to list his multitude of moral crimes here but my personal favourite is his brilliant idea that a girl who is raped must marry her rapist.

  it's not his biggest crime but it demonstrates a disregard for human feelings that is beyond the comprehension of every moral person.

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  EdenOne

  Oubliette: It seems to me a fundamental dishonesty and a fundamental treachery to intellectual integrity to hold a belief because you think it's useful and not because you think it's true.

  It may not make rational sense, of course. But you're not taking into account that belief is also a way that our brain has to cope with physical and mental pain. See this article.

  Eden
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  59

  How the human mind processes facts and faith differently

  by EdenOne in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i found this very interesting article by t. m. luhrmann in todays edition of the new york times (i've highlighted a few parts i 've found most interesting):.

  it seems weird to deny them.. and yet a broad group of scholars is beginning to demonstrate that religious belief and factual belief are indeed different kinds of mental creatures.

  people process evidence differently when they think with a factual mind-set rather than with a religious mind-set.

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  2. 
  3. 
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  EdenOne

  Nicolaou: Obfuscation and sophistry are such unneccesary and tiring pursuits.

  Why are you accusing me of such things? Because I just don't take things at face value? Because I want to understand what's behind the process of belief? If you were a social scientist, you would be very interested in raising these questions.

  Eden
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  59

  How the human mind processes facts and faith differently

  by EdenOne in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i found this very interesting article by t. m. luhrmann in todays edition of the new york times (i've highlighted a few parts i 've found most interesting):.

  it seems weird to deny them.. and yet a broad group of scholars is beginning to demonstrate that religious belief and factual belief are indeed different kinds of mental creatures.

  people process evidence differently when they think with a factual mind-set rather than with a religious mind-set.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  EdenOne

  Oubliette: Or do we simply need to take it on faith?

  Here's your empirical evidence. Just because some people don't experience this themselves, that doesn't become the norm.

  Eden
• 
  59

  How the human mind processes facts and faith differently

  by EdenOne in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i found this very interesting article by t. m. luhrmann in todays edition of the new york times (i've highlighted a few parts i 've found most interesting):.

  it seems weird to deny them.. and yet a broad group of scholars is beginning to demonstrate that religious belief and factual belief are indeed different kinds of mental creatures.

  people process evidence differently when they think with a factual mind-set rather than with a religious mind-set.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  EdenOne

  nicolaou: More avoidance EdenOne? Answer me plainly, did Jesus walk on water?

  Based on what I know on the properties of water and technology available in the 1st century, I can say with a great degree of confidence that such feat never took place, therefore the account, as it exists now, is legendary.

  Happy now, Nic?

  Eden
• 
  59

  How the human mind processes facts and faith differently

  by EdenOne in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i found this very interesting article by t. m. luhrmann in todays edition of the new york times (i've highlighted a few parts i 've found most interesting):.

  it seems weird to deny them.. and yet a broad group of scholars is beginning to demonstrate that religious belief and factual belief are indeed different kinds of mental creatures.

  people process evidence differently when they think with a factual mind-set rather than with a religious mind-set.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  EdenOne

  It would be interesting to see if faith claims are processed by the brain in the exact same manner that statements of fact. Only by analyzing results from that experiment one could come up with a theory.

  Eden
• 
  59

  How the human mind processes facts and faith differently

  by EdenOne in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i found this very interesting article by t. m. luhrmann in todays edition of the new york times (i've highlighted a few parts i 've found most interesting):.

  it seems weird to deny them.. and yet a broad group of scholars is beginning to demonstrate that religious belief and factual belief are indeed different kinds of mental creatures.

  people process evidence differently when they think with a factual mind-set rather than with a religious mind-set.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  EdenOne

  I know the difference between objective evidence and subjective evidence; what I'm curious about is what brain mechanisms are at work behind the choice each individual makes to look at an objective fact and then one builds a belief / opinion about the significance of that fact ( evidence of X) and another individual makes a completely different judgement over the subjective value of the same fact ( not evidence of X).

  Eden