QUESTION: Can you choose what you believe?

[edpower]

QUESTION: On a show I recently binged, a priest character says to an atheist "Why you would choose to believe something horrible, when you can choose to believe something wonderful?"

So here's my question...Can you CHOOSE what you believe???

[your_name_here]

Yes. Everything is a choice.

[jetengine]

Depends. Not everything is down to interpretation.

[Kusanagi]

While not everything we believe is a choice. We can definitely choose what we believe.


I believe EA is a terrible gaming company, I believe Megamind was an underrated gem. I don't believe in God. All of these beliefs are choices I've made based on the evidence presented towards me.

[The Whovian]

Everyone's eternal destination is exactly where he or she has chosen to be.

[Starter Set]

Why you would choose to believe something horrible, when you can choose to believe something wonderful?"

Haha, so typical.

Yeah, why having an opinion based on what you actually think instead of just believing in a cute litlle fairy tale?

Silly me.

[Jack Dracula]

QUESTION: On a show I recently binged, a priest character says to an atheist "Why you would choose to believe something horrible, when you can choose to believe something wonderful?"

So here's my question...Can you CHOOSE what you believe???

After a point you do make a choice based on your natural inclinations and the environment you've grown up in.

[John Ossie]

Yes. Everything is a choice.

Quoted in agreement.

[foxley]

Belief cannot fly in the face of facts. If I choose to believe that the sky is green, then my belief will be shattered every time I look at the sky.

[Personamanx]

Belief cannot fly in the face of facts. If I choose to believe that the sky is green, then my belief will be shattered every time I look at the sky.

Unless you choose to believe that blue is green.

[Güicho]

Everyone's eternal destination is exactly where he or she has chosen to be.

Is that just what you choose to believe?
Or do you know that doesn't make it verifiable true, for you or anyone?

Unless you choose to believe that blue is green.

Like the same for Whovian does that make it verifiable true?

So here's my question...Can you CHOOSE what you believe???

Choose what you believe? Yes. However does that make it verifiable true?
Choose what is verifiable true? No, not without verification?

[Kirby101]

No you can't. You can choose not to question your beliefs, but the beliefs you arrive at are not deciced before hand.

I can't decide to believe in things I know are not real or true.

You can't go see Transformers, The Last Knight" and hate it for the hot mess it was. And then choose to believe it was a great movie.

[Personamanx]

Choose what you believe? Yes. However that doesn't make it verifiable true.

Look at the thread title. Whether it's true or not is irrelevant to the question, you can choose to ignore all objective reality contrary to a belief in order to carry on with it. Almost anyone can justify anything to themselves.

[Kirby101]

Look at the thread title. Whether it's true or not is irrelevant to the question, you can choose to ignore all objective reality contrary to a belief in order to carry on with it. Almost anyone can justify anything to themselves.

Yes, but I don't think you choose the initial belief.

You can say I belief something because of this and that, but you are explaining why you arrived at the belief.

You wouldn't say I know this and that , but I choose to believe the opposit, even though I know it isn't true.

[Personamanx]

Yes, but I don't think you choose the initial belief.

You can say I belief something because of this and that, but you are explaining why you arrived at the belief.

You wouldn't say I know this and that , but I choose to believe the opposit, even though I know it isn't true.

People can, and do exactly that. One can know something, and consciously lie to themselves enough about it to believe in what's contrary to it. Or at least close enough as to make the distinction meaningless.