Reasons for believing?

[northcity4]

Right: and it shouldn't be. Treats religion more like a lottery than truth  which is what serious religious people want. People argue that God is real, but then you find out the reasons they believe are terrible reasons such as 'it's a safe bet.' That provides no evidence.

How about this one: 'I find relief when I do religion.'

My issue is: again you are not saying it is real. You are convincing your mind to be hopeful of things such as afterlife and stuff (depressing to think about death).

Will the religious person argue that it is God giving relief? yes...but I find it more in my experience that I see religion as an alternative when things get bad.

Example: boston marathon explosion: no one there was really religious...OH, but of course when people die and you really start to think about how your life can end, you get together and pray...treats religion as a stress/mental reliever in my opinion as opposed to treating it as real.

[TheAccuso]

Don't take it personal, but we have tons of thread like this and those types of discourses can be done there.
Lot of lot of them, really.

[OldTrees]

1) Based on the way beliefs develop during maturation, I extremely doubt that there was a reason for the initial belief.
2) Once people have a belief they tend to stick with it until they consider another belief to be better.
3) There is little (no?) reason to move from one non harmful non useful but self consistent belief to another non harmful non useful but self consistent belief.
This is the skeleton of why people have/don't have religious beliefs and why people are extremely resistant to adopting/letting go of religious beliefs.

[northcity4]

That makes sense.

But I think the bigger reason is either:

a) (the biggest) people choose religion because they find purpose/mental release/comfort/etc
b) family/friend ties.

1) Based on the way beliefs develop during maturation, I extremely doubt that there was a reason for the initial belief.
2) Once people have a belief they tend to stick with it until they consider another belief to be better.
3) There is little (no?) reason to move from one non harmful non useful but self consistent belief to another non harmful non useful but self consistent belief.
This is the skeleton of why people have/don't have religious beliefs and why people are extremely resistant to adopting/letting go of religious beliefs.

1) agree
2) Do you consider religion being a hoax as a belief (skepticism/atheism)?
3) True...as there are 2 main ones I can think of and none else.

I don't think people are resistant really based on what you said, although what you pointed out is correct.

[OldTrees]

1) Based on the way beliefs develop during maturation, I extremely doubt that there was a reason for the initial belief.
2) Once people have a belief they tend to stick with it until they consider another belief to be better.
3) There is little (no?) reason to move from one non harmful non useful but self consistent belief to another non harmful non useful but self consistent belief.
This is the skeleton of why people have/don't have religious beliefs and why people are extremely resistant to adopting/letting go of religious beliefs.

1) agree
2) Do you consider religion being a hoax as a belief (skepticism/atheism)?
3) True...as there are 2 main ones I can think of and none else.

I don't think people are resistant really based on what you said, although what you pointed out is correct.

2) I do not understand what you said.
3) I can detail 20 easily and know many more exist.

Since there is no reason to change belief when there is no reason to change belief, people change belief only when there is reason to change belief. Since there is usually little or no reason to change belief, people are usually resistant to changing belief.

[northcity4]

Since there is no reason to change belief when there is no reason to change belief, people change belief only when there is reason to change belief.

Correct

Since there is usually little or no reason to change belief, people are usually resistant to changing belief.

Wrong: there are plenty of reasons.

Examples:

1) More people are turning to mormonism because it makes people think they can be a God when they die.
2) Changing religions can benefit you more mentally.
3) Religion is 'too much work' and/or 'I don't believe it is true' so people stop following the religion.
People are resistant to changing beliefs, but not because of incentives. Studies have shown it is usually more a truth-value thing.
Tons of teens today are leaving religion because they don't believe it is true is also another example.

[OldTrees]

@north
You skipped over the word "usually". Either that or you have a skewed perspective on how often conversion occurs.

[northcity4]

Nah...wouldn't matter.

Why?

Usually there is little incentive has 3 meanings:

a) literally saying there is little incentive in total

or

b) extremely common

or

c) when people are resistant, it's pretty easy to tell why

a + b=same meaning and are at opposition with what I last said.

c= agreeing with what I said.

Clarify please?

[OldTrees]

Usually there is little incentive has 1 meaning:
Most of the time,
people are extremely resistant to change,
because there is no reason to change at that time,
because there is rarely a reason to change.

[northcity4]

I disagree with your first premise.

You are saying there are rarely any reasons to change, therefore, there is no reason to change at all.

I think it is more correct to say: there are many reasons someone would change beliefs, but at that moment, the person does not comprehend them at that moment. I think we may agree on a change over time?

[OldTrees]

I disagree with your first premise.

You are saying there are rarely any reasons to change, therefore, there is no reason to change at all.

That is not what I said.
I said:

Most of the time,
people are extremely resistant to change,
because there is no reason to change at that time,
because there is rarely a reason to change.

Taken piecemeal:
Most of the time, people are extremely resistant to change.
     Why are people resistant most of the time?
Because there is no reason to change at that time.
     Why was there no reason to change at that time?
Because there is rarely a reason to change.
     What does it mean for there to rarely be a reason to change?
It means that most of the time there is no reason to change.
     What is the consequence of this?
Most of the time people are extremely resistant to change.

[northcity4]

No trees. You need to see your logic. Each time you say because, you are saying the first thing as your conclusion and each thing after a 'because' is your premise so what I pointed out is exactly what you said.

Also, your last post is circular logic.

Just follow what I say and you'll be logically fine (I specialize in logical form)

1) here is what you said:

Most of the time, people are extremely resistant to change.
     Why are people resistant most of the time?
Because there is no reason to change at that time.
     Why was there no reason to change at that time?
Because there is rarely a reason to change.

2) Let me put in logical format: (categorical syllogism)

p1: People who don't change beliefs are people with rarely an reasons to.
p2: People who don't change beliefs are people who have also have no reason to change at the time.
C: Therefore: All people who don't change beliefs are people who are extremely resistant to change.

Unfortunately this is fallacious since you fail to have 2 middle terms and your minor premise is illustrated twice as well as your major premise is not displayed at all.