Our beliefs are stronger if we believe there is a moral basis...

[beenherebeforeagain]

Article on study that sheds light, perhaps, onto why so many of us hold so tightly to our religious, political social, etc., beliefs...

http://esciencenews.com/articles/2016/05/31/to.strengthen.opinion.simply.say.it.based.morality

The researchers find an association between strength of beliefs and our belief in morality related to those beliefs...

Your thoughts and reactions?

 

[Quetzal]

Absolutely, to add to it, if our beliefs align with a deity. That adds unquestionable support that reinforces it further.

 

[Raahim]

It's a good article, I agree with it.

 

[beenherebeforeagain]

Absolutely, to add to it, if our beliefs align with a deity. That adds unquestionable support that reinforces it further.

Certainly, the deities of many religions include moral teachings and instruction, so that would help reinforce our opinions or beliefs.

But surely, simple belief in morality can't be enough for strong beliefs, though can it? I mean, if people have different moral belief systems? (Not necessarily directed to you, Quetzal...)

 

[Quetzal]

But surely, simple belief in morality can't be enough for strong beliefs, though can it?

I think it is rooted in tradition. We are a tribal people, if we attribute strength and belonging to a tradition linked to our tribe/church/family, we are much more likely to adopt it. I would be willing to put a few dollars down to say that is one of the larger driving factors. (Don't hold me to it, you all know my financial insecurity. The check would bounce.)

 

[Riverwolf]

It does make sense.

As I understand it, on a psychological level, being regarded as a "bad person" by society means being rejected by, and subsequently isolated from, said society. In the old days, that typically meant death because survival alone in the Wilds is next to impossible except for trained solo survivalists. Therefore, we have a very primal need to be accepted by society, which leads to having a strong need for that society to think of us as "good."

Therefore, having morality tied to beliefs will naturally lead people to passionately hold on to the "morally upstanding" beliefs, out of an instinctive (and probably unrecognized) fear of being rejected by society. Eternal Punishment, after all, is rejection from the society of the "morally upstanding believers."

 

[beenherebeforeagain]

I think it is rooted in tradition. We are a tribal people, if we attribute strength and belonging to a tradition linked to our tribe/church/family, we are much more likely to adopt it. I would be willing to put a few dollars down to say that is one of the larger driving factors. (Don't hold me to it, you all know my financial insecurity. The check would bounce.)

lol! mine too!

 

[metis]

This is why my wife and I felt it important to bring our kids and encourage our grandkids to be brought up in some sort of religious faith. Even if they don't stay, at least morality is being taught and reinforced as their personalities are being formed.

 

[Quintessence]

Huh. I think someone like me would have been the screwy outlier they'd then have to explain in the discussion section.