Is belief an intentional act?

[diver52]

I was raised in a family which was Christian and I simply assumed, as a young child, that that is what I was. But when I finally reached an age where I was able to understand what that meant it was clear to me that I was not a Christian. Despite being talked to by many, many people and reading the Bible cover to cover, I have never believed.

However, the first time I read a book on Buddhism, I understand immediately that that was what I believed. Not necessarily all of the details, but the gist of it. I don't mean to say I read and said to myself, "This is cool, I think I'll believe this." I just realized this was the name of what I already believed without ever coming across it before. I never decided to believe, I just did.

So the question to me is whether or not we actually have any control over belief. Has anyone actually sat down and decided that they were going to suddenly start believing that which they did not believe before?

 

[Meriweather]

So the question to me is whether or not we actually have any control over belief. Has anyone actually sat down and decided that they were going to suddenly start believing that which they did not believe before?

Even as a tot, I remember believing in God, and believing in Him in a way my parents did not. Growing up, I learned God is good and loving, and I believed that while wondering about some of His antics in the Old Testament. However, being Catholic, we were mostly focused in the New Testament and there was a lot of other childhood activities going on, so I did not ponder this overly much.

It was after my own adult experience with God, that I began to question Old Testament stories of God. How could anyone with the least knowledge/experience of God attribute the flood, the plagues, the wiping out cities to Him? Since the accounts were of Jewish origin, I went to Jews for answers. To my amazement, they saw the same stories in an entirely different light--and in a light that made sense. So...my beliefs about the Old Testament changed (or grew and evolved if that makes better sense).

 

[diver52]

So the question to me is whether or not we actually have any control over belief. Has anyone actually sat down and decided that they were going to suddenly start believing that which they did not believe before?

Even as a tot, I remember believing in God, and believing in Him in a way my parents did not. Growing up, I learned God is good and loving, and I believed that while wondering about some of His antics in the Old Testament. However, being Catholic, we were mostly focused in the New Testament and there was a lot of other childhood activities going on, so I did not ponder this overly much.

It was after my own adult experience with God, that I began to question Old Testament stories of God. How could anyone with the least knowledge/experience of God attribute the flood, the plagues, the wiping out cities to Him? Since the accounts were of Jewish origin, I went to Jews for answers. To my amazement, they saw the same stories in an entirely different light--and in a light that made sense. So...my beliefs about the Old Testament changed (or grew and evolved if that makes better sense).

What I am asking is can you control that? Can you decide that for the next week you will stop believing what you believe and believe something else entirely? Is it actually a matter of choice?

 

[lastword]

So the question to me is whether or not we actually have any control over belief. Has anyone actually sat down and decided that they were going to suddenly start believing that which they did not believe before?

Even as a tot, I remember believing in God, and believing in Him in a way my parents did not. Growing up, I learned God is good and loving, and I believed that while wondering about some of His antics in the Old Testament. However, being Catholic, we were mostly focused in the New Testament and there was a lot of other childhood activities going on, so I did not ponder this overly much.

It was after my own adult experience with God, that I began to question Old Testament stories of God. How could anyone with the least knowledge/experience of God attribute the flood, the plagues, the wiping out cities to Him? Since the accounts were of Jewish origin, I went to Jews for answers. To my amazement, they saw the same stories in an entirely different light--and in a light that made sense. So...my beliefs about the Old Testament changed (or grew and evolved if that makes better sense).

What I am asking is can you control that? Can you decide that for the next week you will stop believing what you believe and believe something else entirely? Is it actually a matter of choice?

One would hope you have a reason

 

[fncceo]

Can you accidentally believe in something?

 

[Meriweather]

What I am asking is can you control that? Can you decide that for the next week you will stop believing what you believe and believe something else entirely? Is it actually a matter of choice?

Not and be honest with yourself. Belief comes from within. And to be real, so must change in belief.

 

[diver52]

So the question to me is whether or not we actually have any control over belief. Has anyone actually sat down and decided that they were going to suddenly start believing that which they did not believe before?

Even as a tot, I remember believing in God, and believing in Him in a way my parents did not. Growing up, I learned God is good and loving, and I believed that while wondering about some of His antics in the Old Testament. However, being Catholic, we were mostly focused in the New Testament and there was a lot of other childhood activities going on, so I did not ponder this overly much.

It was after my own adult experience with God, that I began to question Old Testament stories of God. How could anyone with the least knowledge/experience of God attribute the flood, the plagues, the wiping out cities to Him? Since the accounts were of Jewish origin, I went to Jews for answers. To my amazement, they saw the same stories in an entirely different light--and in a light that made sense. So...my beliefs about the Old Testament changed (or grew and evolved if that makes better sense).

What I am asking is can you control that? Can you decide that for the next week you will stop believing what you believe and believe something else entirely? Is it actually a matter of choice?

One would hope you have a reason

Why?

 

[diver52]

Can you accidentally believe in something?

I would say certainly. Most people believe what they grew up with and that is a matter of accident - or at least random.

 

[diver52]

What I am asking is can you control that? Can you decide that for the next week you will stop believing what you believe and believe something else entirely? Is it actually a matter of choice?

Not and be honest with yourself. Belief comes from within. And to be real, so must change in belief.

I guess that would depend upon what you mean by "within". But whether it is a matter of genetics or life experiences, I don't think it is something which can be consciously controlled.

 

[Meriweather]

I guess that would depend upon what you mean by "within". But whether it is a matter of genetics or life experiences, I don't think it is something which can be consciously controlled.

Probably depends on the circumstances. For example, when serving on jury duty, we must believe the defendant to be innocent until and unless it has been proven beyond a reasonable doubt that he is guilty.

 

[ABikerSailor]

I was raised in a family which was Christian and I simply assumed, as a young child, that that is what I was. But when I finally reached an age where I was able to understand what that meant it was clear to me that I was not a Christian. Despite being talked to by many, many people and reading the Bible cover to cover, I have never believed.

However, the first time I read a book on Buddhism, I understand immediately that that was what I believed. Not necessarily all of the details, but the gist of it. I don't mean to say I read and said to myself, "This is cool, I think I'll believe this." I just realized this was the name of what I already believed without ever coming across it before. I never decided to believe, I just did.

So the question to me is whether or not we actually have any control over belief. Has anyone actually sat down and decided that they were going to suddenly start believing that which they did not believe before?

Interestingly enough, your journey is kinda similar to mine. I was orphaned at 8 and bounced around from family to family for a while, and every time I changed families, I also had to change my beliefs, because each family was a different denomination or religion.

So, when I grew up and went out on my own, I shunned religion completely, because of the way I'd grown up. Too many contradictions and not enough logic. I had a hard time with God because of the things that had happened to me, and talked with a friend of mine named Owen about it. He told me something that changed my life when I was complaining about how religions can be so contradictory with each other. He then told me to look for the similarities rather than the differences, and I would get a lot further. They all have some form of Higher Power. They all believe that what we do in this life influences what happens in the next. They all believe that if we do good, better awaits us in the next life. If we do bad, something worse awaits. All of them have some form of the Golden Rule. So, based on what he told me, I started to explore all belief systems.

One day at lunch, I was reading a book "What the Buddha Taught", and a friend of mine asked me what I thought about it. I told them that while I like a lot of what was there, I couldn't square myself with the belief that I would become a Buddha as well. He then went and got a book about philosophy, and told me to turn to chapter 7, and read about Taoist beliefs.

I did, and liked it even better than Buddhism, and so became a Taoist.

As far as what is a belief? I talked to another friend of mine named Ned about that one. We were talking about the differences between faith and belief, and he explained the difference between the two quite nicely....................

He said that if you see a commercial for a laundry detergent that you have never tried before, but it looks like it is better than what you are using, you go to the store and buy it on the belief that it will make your clothes cleaner.

After you've used the detergent and seen that it makes your clothes brighter? You no longer go to the store in the belief the detergent will work, you go because you have faith that it works.

 

[fncceo]

Can you accidentally believe in something?

I would say certainly. Most people believe what they grew up with and that is a matter of accident - or at least random.

You can believe what you've been taught. You can believe the wrong thing. But, the effort of believing is still a conscious act.

 

[BreezeWood]

.
Is belief an intentional act?

this was the name of what I already believed without ever coming across it before. I never decided to believe, I just did.

sight over sound ...

your example seems to be more knowing it to be true than believing it ... as instilled over intentional. an evolutionary knowledge that worked you somehow are aware of.

 

[diver52]

I guess that would depend upon what you mean by "within". But whether it is a matter of genetics or life experiences, I don't think it is something which can be consciously controlled.

Probably depends on the circumstances. For example, when serving on jury duty, we must believe the defendant to be innocent until and unless it has been proven beyond a reasonable doubt that he is guilty.

No. You must judge the evidence presented with the presumption of innocence. Not the same thing. The requirement that you believe one thing or the other about the defendant would be pointless since you are going to believe what you believe. You can't legislate thought.

 

[diver52]

Can you accidentally believe in something?

I would say certainly. Most people believe what they grew up with and that is a matter of accident - or at least random.

You can believe what you've been taught. You can believe the wrong thing. But, the effort of believing is still a conscious act.

Is it? Try believing in unicorns for the rest of the day.

 

[diver52]

.
Is belief an intentional act?

this was the name of what I already believed without ever coming across it before. I never decided to believe, I just did.

sight over sound ...

your example seems to be more knowing it to be true than believing it ... as instilled over intentional. an evolutionary knowledge that worked you somehow are aware of.

I don't think so. Just because I believe something does not make it true and it certainly doesn't constitute knowledge.

 

[diver52]

I was raised in a family which was Christian and I simply assumed, as a young child, that that is what I was. But when I finally reached an age where I was able to understand what that meant it was clear to me that I was not a Christian. Despite being talked to by many, many people and reading the Bible cover to cover, I have never believed.

However, the first time I read a book on Buddhism, I understand immediately that that was what I believed. Not necessarily all of the details, but the gist of it. I don't mean to say I read and said to myself, "This is cool, I think I'll believe this." I just realized this was the name of what I already believed without ever coming across it before. I never decided to believe, I just did.

So the question to me is whether or not we actually have any control over belief. Has anyone actually sat down and decided that they were going to suddenly start believing that which they did not believe before?

Interestingly enough, your journey is kinda similar to mine. I was orphaned at 8 and bounced around from family to family for a while, and every time I changed families, I also had to change my beliefs, because each family was a different denomination or religion.

So, when I grew up and went out on my own, I shunned religion completely, because of the way I'd grown up. Too many contradictions and not enough logic. I had a hard time with God because of the things that had happened to me, and talked with a friend of mine named Owen about it. He told me something that changed my life when I was complaining about how religions can be so contradictory with each other. He then told me to look for the similarities rather than the differences, and I would get a lot further. They all have some form of Higher Power. They all believe that what we do in this life influences what happens in the next. They all believe that if we do good, better awaits us in the next life. If we do bad, something worse awaits. All of them have some form of the Golden Rule. So, based on what he told me, I started to explore all belief systems.

One day at lunch, I was reading a book "What the Buddha Taught", and a friend of mine asked me what I thought about it. I told them that while I like a lot of what was there, I couldn't square myself with the belief that I would become a Buddha as well. He then went and got a book about philosophy, and told me to turn to chapter 7, and read about Taoist beliefs.

I did, and liked it even better than Buddhism, and so became a Taoist.

As far as what is a belief? I talked to another friend of mine named Ned about that one. We were talking about the differences between faith and belief, and he explained the difference between the two quite nicely....................

He said that if you see a commercial for a laundry detergent that you have never tried before, but it looks like it is better than what you are using, you go to the store and buy it on the belief that it will make your clothes cleaner.

After you've used the detergent and seen that it makes your clothes brighter? You no longer go to the store in the belief the detergent will work, you go because you have faith that it works.

An interesting analogy. I'm not sure I agree with it unless the faith is about the belief itself rather than the object of the belief. To put it another way, in an evidential vacuum any position is a blind guess. Given the number of options for a blind guess, the chance of any one of them being correct is slim at best. So the best thing to do is just go with what feels right. Using your analogy then, I have faith that my belief works for me.

 

[Meriweather]

since you are going to believe what you believe.

And the belief is that prior to trial, he is innocent. At least for me. Another area where belief is a choice are the stories I hear at school when mediating bickering among students.

As it concerns faith: Most of us hear or are told things as a child. Then we either hear or read other things that reinforce what we first heard--or contradicts it. We form our own belief. And if someone tries to change the belief that we form, we quickly find ourselves in the same situation as Pharaoh. The more someone tries to change our own beliefs, the more we harden our hearts.

The original belief comes through choice, and it is hard to pinpoint exactly when that belief was formed, especially when it has its roots in childhood.

 

[diver52]

since you are going to believe what you believe.

And the belief is that prior to trial, he is innocent. At least for me. Another area where belief is a choice are the stories I hear at school when mediating bickering among students.

As it concerns faith: Most of us hear or are told things as a child. Then we either hear or read other things that reinforce what we first heard--or contradicts it. We form our own belief. And if someone tries to change the belief that we form, we quickly find ourselves in the same situation as Pharaoh. The more someone tries to change our own beliefs, the more we harden our hearts.

The original belief comes through choice, and it is hard to pinpoint exactly when that belief was formed, especially when it has its roots in childhood.

That may well be the theory, but I seriously doubt it holds up in practice. We all have our prejudices and they do not disappear because we get a notice for jury duty.

As to your comment regarding faith, I do not disagree. The majority of us believe what we were taught and that just reinforces itself. Sometimes it doesn't work for the person and they find another belief. I think we are hardwired to believe (nature) but how that manifests itself is based upon what happens in our life (nurture). But once that belief is established we have little control over it. It may well mature, but it doesn't completely change.

 

[Katniss]

Yes, I believe "belief" is intentional because it falls within our freewill.

What we believe is based on our moral principles and our experiences. Those beliefs can change based on a variety of reasons.