Psychology of Belief, Part 10: Summary and Conclusions

[philopolymath]

YOU need to FIND your ignorance...I KNOW MINE.

[philopolymath]

Ah death by selection exclusion and concision..

So now you have SELECTED a DISCREET data set to support an argument that STILL HAS no relationship in evidencing GOD.

FYI there are COPIOUS data sets that include the POSITIVE efficacy of prayer,shapes crystals other ill understood mechanisms which EFFECT health crops animals plants water MANY anomalies.

The VALUE of the DATA is OFT REFUSED acceptance for POLITICAL reasons NOT empirical

ROYAL RAYMOND RIFE KILLED ALL DISEASES..PAST TENSE DONE FACT.

[QWieke]

Just watched these 10 videos (over the course of a day) and I love the moment you go "consider the following experiment". Your cognitive/psychological approach to explain religion is very interesting. (And love the link to the flow chart, flow charts ftw.)

[Aeythvaenn]

Thanks for the series! :)

[FaganRoberts]

I doubt Obama is going to lead any charge for science and reason. He's a fucking Christian.

[HaploidCell]

Not only does it have no purpose - prayer can have a NEGATIVE impact.

You can divide the patients that are being prayed for up into 2 categories:

One group you TELL that you are praying for them with a group of very faithful people.

The other group, you don't.

Guess which group will manifest the most complications withing those 30 days?

That's right. The group that knows it's being prayed for.

Pitty = attention = people want it and want more of it.

[AntiCitizenX]

@HaploidCell

Check out 5:03 in the video.

[HaploidCell]

@AntiCitizenX LOL - goes to show I should really watch your stuff TWICE.

Everyone should do that anyway :D

[GohModley]

Fuckin' A

[kempion]

OK, so when the universe Milkway, Solar system, Sun, planets, moons and the Earth stop moving, we will finally have atomic clocks that are even more accurate?

[AntiCitizenX]

@kempion

The clocks are perfectly accurate already. It is time itself that changes.

[MultiMooseProduction]

Never mind, just watched the end :D

[MultiMooseProduction]

Nice stuff. But I inquire, where did you learn all of this? A book, many books, etc.?

[PachucoDesigns]

@MultiMooseProduction He cited all of his sources. I'm pretty sure that's a good start to understanding where he learned it.

[DodoPandemic]

Congratulations on completing your series. This is such interesting stuff, I've learned a great deal from it.

[IShallNotSubmit]

Amazing. I really loved the ending by Carl Sagan,

[FlackerMan]

Nice series, very well done. Thanks for sharing.

[17secret]

Thank you for this great work.

[un2mensch]

Thanks for these excellent vids! I've already begun using them in discussions about credulity and supernatural beliefs. Hope you find time and inspiration to make more!

[dstachon2002]

Fascinating series ...well done! There are so many videos out there exposing why religion is ridiculous, but you beautifully illustrate as to why people believe it, which is far more interesting, and more important.

[AntiCitizenX]

@dstachon2002

Thanks for watching. I'm glad you enjoyed the vids and found them educational.

[stevehayes13]

Belief is the greatest threat to our species.

[markaurelius61]

@stevehayes13 I don't believe that.

[stevehayes13]

@markaurelius61 :)

[markaurelius61]

How can you talk about truth vs religion while showing a scene from Inherit the Wind, one of the most devious examples of propaganda from the US that is still shown approvingly in schools.

[AntiCitizenX]

@markaurelius61

"How can you talk about truth vs religion while showing a scene from Inherit the Wind..."

Because it had scenes of a bunch of religious wackos marching around and making a pointless anti-science fuss. And really, do you honestly think that a simple film reenactment of the Scopes Monkey Trial is "propaganda?"

[markaurelius61]

@AntiCitizenX The fact that you call Inherit the Wind a reenactment is very telling. If you google "The Scopes Trial vs. 'Inherit the Wind'" the first article from beliefnet compares fact with fiction. The 2010 film Alleged was much more careful with the facts.

[AntiCitizenX]

@markaurelius61

First off, no one ever said it was a "perfect" reenactment. It does, however, reasonably depict many events that genuinely did occur. Secondly, what is your beef against Hollywood's exercise of creative license? How does this magically translate into propaganda? Thirdly, what does any of this have to with the underlying message of the video?

[markaurelius61]

@AntiCitizenX If you read that beliefnet article you'd see that the purpose of that film is to produce the very anti-religion prejudice that you are expressing here. Practically all the distortions of the film are to put religion and religious people in a bad light. That prejudice is too facile. There is much wrong in religion that needs to be criticised, but it's not religion itself that is wrong. Human ignorance and prejudice can flourish quite well without it. More discernment is needed.

[MomoTheBellyDancer]

@markaurelius61

"all the distortions of the film "

What distortions? The video refers to actual studies that show certain psychological mechanisms at work, all of which can readily be found in religions.

"it's not religion itself that is wrong."

Except in that there is no justification for religious claims.

[markaurelius61]

@MomoTheBellyDancer "all the distortions of the film" meaning the film Inherit the Wind.

[AntiCitizenX]

@markaurelius61

"Practically all the distortions of the film are to put religion and religious people in a bad light."

The fundamentalist Christian creationists are the definite antagonists in the Scopes Trial. How is that a distortion? And if you actually watched the film, you would know that it ends on a positive note with regard to God and religion in general. So it can hardly be considered anti religion in any diret sense.

[markaurelius61]

@AntiCitizenX I heard an interview with the maker of the movie Alleged and to explain why such a biased film as Inherit was made he said that it seems that the intellectual élite of the US had decided that it was time to move on from a romantic view of country people and their simple faith and move things to a more "rational" mentality. H L Mencken was one of the main agents of that change.

As for who the antagonists were, it was in fact that ACLU that set the whole thing in motion.

[AntiCitizenX]

@markaurelius61

"As for who the antagonists were, it was in fact that ACLU that set the whole thing in motion. "

Do you really think it was unethical for the ACLU to challenge a grossly unconstitutional law? If anything, it was the Tennessee legislature that set it in motion by passing such an absurd law.

[boydslittlefactory]

Another informative video - I always look forward to seeing your productions.

[redmarioproductions]

Wow. Some powerful stuff. MAEK MOAR!

[jeffgoin]

Very nicely done! Oh if only we could get this sort of information in the hands of everyone... Spot on, education on rational, critical thinking is our only way out.

[GiveCourage]

@AntiCitizenX Thanks for the series! You're a phenomenal presenter and have a natural way with words. Bias Bingo is superb, and Dallin Oaks is an asshole :D

[pmyou2]

I just watched the full set of 10 videos. I am impressed and appreciative. In bringing together so much information with documentary references if a significant service. I have subscribed to your channel and will be looking forward to future videos.

In hearing all your information and reasoning, though, I am confronted by the frustrating knowledge that the belief in religion is not easy to dispel in those who have even the smallest need for their delusions. I will need to be patient and gentle.

[JemyM]

Thankyou. I once contacted you about one of your videos and I wanted to tell you that you have inspired the future of my research.

[Forkroute]

This is self-refuting. You cannot test your test the way you standard something as justified.

[charkopolis]

@Forkroute "test your test the way ..." ???

[Forkroute]

@charkopolis

It sounds that you are requiting that we take ideas only to be valid if they can be tested, and are tested good. this is self-refuting, since you cannot test the test/.

[lautz73]

@Forkroute It's not about the test but the results and what they tell us. They tell us certain things. And since the tests are repeatable and have given close to the same results everytime it means that they information gathered from the tests are valid.

[charkopolis]

@Forkroute Ah! I was just confused on your grammar. Thanks for the clarification.

[doublestrokeroll]

Great series! One of the best things I've seen on youtube.....

I hope you keep making more vids on whatever interests you.

[Kariakas]

Awesome video. You make good rational points without being aggressive. Carl Sagan at the end is like teh cherry on top. I'm subscribing.

[managarm1349]

tld sent me, you are awesome ;]

[stiimuli]

very well done. I was starting to think you weren't ever going to make another vid =P

[DeathofSpeech]

Doesn't 50,000 people in Texas praying for rain and Texas bursting into flames count?

...and that it finally began to rain as soon as the Tim Minich concert started in Dallas and continued through the Freethinker's convention in Houston that weekend.

I mean, it's just "common sense," that god hates fundies but loves atheists.

/sarcasm (because it's almost inevitable that someone will take this seriously)

[SpinachSalad01]

Excellent summary and conclusion to an even more excellent series. Please don't end it here. Would love to see you cover more areas that you mention weren't covered here in this vid.

[AntiCitizenX]

@SpinachSalad01

I may in the future. I was just running out of specific material that was being targeted at religious conversion and arguments. Plus there are others things I want to do as well. A really good one is what I call "Ted Haggerd Syndrone." The more anti-gay someone is, the more likely it is that they harbor latent homosexual arousal. And yes, we can prove this experimentally. ;)

[xSilverPhinxx]

@AntiCitizenX

Would Fred Phelps also fall in that categorization?

[Cyrathil]

@AntiCitizenX Even if you don't go back into psychology (which I will admit, I have a special place for, since if I had the money I would be going to school for psychology), I did enjoy your "miscellaneous" videos, like your video on falsification.

[AntiCitizenX]

@Cyrathil

Oh good! At least somebody likes that stuff. I have been thinking about making more.

[VvDOPAMEANvV]

Excellent work, sir!

[bhoustonfx]

Clear, concise, well thought, well researched and very well presented. You take your place among the YouTube giants.

[bjjolley]

This is a masterpiece!

[bjjolley]

Where can I get that flowchart?!

[AntiCitizenX]

@bjjolley

Check the crotch bar.

[sasirut]

I'd rather hoped you would continue with your series. What you said was/is really informative, please don't stop!

Also, is the flowchart available somewhere?

[libalchris]

finally! You are one of my favorite youtubers I've been waiting for another video from you. I hope you'll make more!

[FetFnask]

Thank you for a fantastic series!

[TheLivingDinosaur]

Nice to see you back. Your videos are truly outstanding.

[JediMasterRadek]

You are back, I beg You for more videos. If You are bored about psychology of religion, then do some videos about psychology of sexual atractivness. You dont have to stick to one topic, You can be multisubjectal like AmazingAtheist

[mtanti87]

This is the end of the series? What a shame! It was one of the most informative and entertaining video series I've ever seen, including documentaries.

[exmo74]

"This, above all else, is the ultimate crime against humanity committed by religion."

[Minipolce]

Excellent work! I really enjoyed this series. Please keep up the good work.

[Rogi1988]

You sir, are brilliant! I really loved this series and as I study psychology myself, it was even more interesting to see how these basic theories can be applied to a field like religion. Thank you!

BTW: What better way to close such a series is there than with Carl Sagan? ;)

[AntiCitizenX]

@Rogi1988

"What better way to close such a series is there than with Carl Sagan? ;)"

I had a feeling it would go over pretty well with this crowd. :)

[MonotonePeanut]

I love you.

[farvision]

pubmed search: "around the world atomic clocks observed relativistic time gains" Around-the-World Atomic Clocks: Observed Relativistic Time Gains. Hafele JC, Keating RE. Science. 1972 Jul 14;177(4044):168-70. PMID: 17779918 Around-the-World Atomic Clocks: Predicted Relativistic Time Gains. Hafele JC, Keating RE. Science. 1972 Jul 14;177(4044):166-8. PMID: 17779917 COOL!!

[ozmoroid]

An excellent conclusion to one of the best series on Youtube. Thumb'd 'n fav'd.

[AntiCitizenX]

@ozmoroid

A nice tie-in at the beginning with your relativity videos, too. :)

[soulinite]

Great video!

[nichtmuttersprachler]

I love your videos, especially this video series! I'm really interested in understanding how it's so easy for us humans to hold beliefs so strongly even if they have no justification, whether it's prayer, homeopathy, psychics, or any other unfounded idea. I'm actually majoring in neuroscience and really want to research the biological basis for many of the psychological phenomena discussed in this series. Just out of curiosity, do you practice psychology professionally in any way?

[AntiCitizenX]

@nichtmuttersprachler

"Just out of curiosity, do you practice psychology professionally in any way?"

Nope. I'm an electrical engineer. This is all amateur research done part time. I just have easy access to research journals, so this is relatively easier for me to do than others.

[TheRatsmith]

Wonderful cap to a great series. Kudos dude.