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Author’s Note: Special thanks to Amy, Brad, Mike, and the Free-Thought Society at Clemson University.
I declared myself an agnostic in 1983 and stayed that way until I declared myself an atheist in 1992. The road from Christianity to atheism and back to Christianity was – with my apologies to Beatles fans – long and winding. It took many years to travel.
The decision to major in psychology was one of many factors that led to my decision to leave the church. Not many psychology departments have more atheists than the nearest philosophy department. But many come close. And the way the discipline of psychology approaches religion is likely to lead some students astray.
I recall quite well my first exposure to Freud and his ideas about the Oedipus complex. I became well-schooled in his ideas about man’s compelling psychological need to create a God in his own image – to resolve various feelings of guilt flowing from childhood trauma. I was so captivated by these ideas that I read “Moses and Monotheism,” “Totem and Taboo,” and “The Future of an Illusion” in my spare time. Each took me further away from God.
B.F. Skinner had a similar impact on my thinking. The principles of operant conditioning were not always used to explain religion away. Strict behaviorists seldom have a compelling need to “look inside the black box” or, in other words, analyze unobservable thoughts. But these principles do provide a ready explanation for those convinced that man created God, not vice versa. I was so captivated by Skinner that I read “Walden Two” and “Beyond Freedom and Dignity” in my spare time. These books pushed me further in the direction of atheism.
The notion that psychology might provide an explanation for atheism – rather than theism - never really occurred to me during my years as a psychology student (from 1983 until 1989 when I received my M.S. in psychology). But, in March of 1989, a woman named Martha Hamilton – the mother of my “second mother” Lisa Chambers – responded to my praise of B.F. Skinner and the behaviorists with the following comment: “It just sounds like a bunch of people trying to get out of serving God.”
I must confess that I thought Mrs. Hamilton was just a simple-minded fundamentalist. Now, I realize that she was right and I was wrong.
If psychologists were really interested in the fair and balanced treatment of religion they would see the obvious connection between cognitive dissonance theory and atheism. And, of course, they would discuss it in their classes in conjunction with the application of Freudian and Skinnerian theories seeking to explain religion away.
In the 1950s and 1960s, psychologists like Eliot Aronson began to suggest that behavior sometimes causes attitudes rather than vice versa. In the wake of this discussion, cognitive dissonance became a popular psychological theory. Put simply, it spoke to the issue of how beliefs sometimes emerge from a tension between certain cognitive elements.
For example, if a person is cognizant of the fact that smoking causes cancer, he will experience dissonance when he thinks about the fact that he is a smoker. He may be inclined to adopt other beliefs like “They will probably find a cure for cancer before I get it.” He may develop powerful, even silly, rationalizations like “I’ll quit next year” or “It does not matter because the world could end tomorrow in a nuclear holocaust” or “I could be hit by a car tomorrow so I might as well smoke today.”
Because Christianity is sometimes a demanding religion, it, too, may create a good deal of cognitive dissonance. For example, the declaration “I am a Christian” can sometimes clash with the awareness that “Christians are supposed to tithe” or “Christians are supposed to love their enemies.”
I have seen people who began tithing to the church and loving their enemies upon converting to Christianity. But that is not how it always ends for the converted Christian. Like me, many other Christians have resolved the tension by, at least temporarily, deciding to abandon the Way. Sometimes it is simply easier to say “I am not a Christian.”
Those who become agnostic or atheist often say that it was due to an intellectual journey or an intellectually honest re-appraisal of childhood faith. But, as my mentor David L. McMillen used to say, “People rarely understand their own motivations.”
I believe that cognitive dissonance theory helps people better understand their own motivations. I believe it has helped me to understand my fall from Christianity, which, thankfully ended with a return to the church.
But the theory might also explain why it took me so long to get back to church. I abandoned atheism on March 7th of 1996. But I did not return to the church until October of 2000. The reason for the delay was simple: I was ashamed.
As I imagined myself walking back into a church, I also imagined people thinking and, perhaps, even saying “What is Mike Adams doing here at church?” But I made it back and my life continues to be blessed as I walk further with Jesus every day.
I can understand the dissonance that is felt by the young woman who wrote to me last week telling of her multiple suicide attempts in the wake of a battle with manic depression. She says she cannot seem to get out of bed on Sundays because of the shame she feels for the harm she has tried to inflict upon herself. She needs to hear from confessing and humble Christians who say they desperately want her back regardless of what she’s done.
I often wonder why we speak of the atheists as if they are our enemies. And I wonder whether that should matter if we call ourselves Christians. I hope this column will inspire some cognitive dissonance, for the writer and the reader alike. And I hope the tension will be resolved with love, which the best cure for dissonance, or, for that matter, anything else.
__________________ God Bless Those Who Choose To Protect Our Freedom !
He makes interesting points on the subject, but spirituality is such an individual journey for people, its hard to make sweeping generalities about it. Also, you can clearly see the viewpoint that he's pushing, and he fails to present certain logical counterpoints to the idea. An example is, if you can explain atheism through cognitive dissonance, ie, cannot reconcile desire to be Christian with demands of Christianity, isn't it equally logical to say that Christianity in itself is just mankind's way of reconciling other factors, ie, fear of death and lack of concrete knowledge about the experience of death?
Cognitive dissonance definitely gives an interesting perspective on the phenomena of religion and mankind. It personally makes sense to me, and, with the interpretation I took above, actually supports my views of religion and its relationship to mankind. As for his interpretation, while that might be true for him, I personally never thought of Christianity as a particularly demanding religion, because I was never particularly active in it, and his reasoning seems to only apply to atheists who adopt atheism later in life, rather than those who were never true believers in the first place.
But as the author says, the point is to encourage thought, and for me at least, the points he presented were interesting enough to do so. Good article.
Well I got a long ways to go,before I can understand where atheists are coming from in terms of their beliefs or lack thereof.
I see their choice as a means to escape all guilt and to run away from their sins,I see no humility in them,towards anything or anyone and I'd like to know how they determine that someone is so much more superior to them,that they'd trust them with their life and their family's lives as well.
It seems to me,that they have turned their backs on their hearts and souls and have chosen to live a two-dimensional existance..bereft of any hope..nothing to strive for,except personal aggrandizement.
A famous atheist,can't recall who,once said that it was the most liberating thing that he'd ever done..to become an atheist..that he felt indescribable joy at freeing himself from a life-time of feeling guilt..and was finally free to revel in hedonistic pursuits..the only restraint,being the laws of Man. Free'ed from the constraints of morality,free'ed from humility and self-lessness and free'ed from giving a dang about anything or anyone.
Have a good one ...
__________________ God Bless Those Who Choose To Protect Our Freedom !
"Well I got a long ways to go,before I can understand where atheists are coming from in terms of their beliefs or lack thereof.
I see their choice as a means to escape all guilt and to run away from their sins,I see no humility in them,towards anything or anyone and I'd like to know how they determine that someone is so much more superior to them,that they'd trust them with their life and their family's lives as well."
You're right about one way, you have a long way to go to understand atheism.
I, of course, can only speak for myself, so bear in mind that any description of generalization of atheism itself that follows only references myself and those who share the specifics of my belief.
I am personally an agnostic atheist, which means among other things that due to a lack of evidence, I choose to not believe in god. I identify myself this way because because I fully accept that I may be wrong in this belief. but I believe it all the same. I also do this to separate myself from 'traditional' atheism, which tends to seem more like 'anti-theism' to me, and I'm not against religion, I just choose to separate myself from it. The way I see it, if other people want to lie to themselves, thats their business, but I'm not interested.
As for 'escaping guilt and sin', atheists have guilt too, but they don't feel guilty for things they aren't responsible for or that don't make sense, such as 'original sin'. Its not running away from responsibility, its merely choosing to focus on the the concrete. As for humility, humility is present, and lacking, in religions and non-religious people alike. Remember, just because Christianity says 'you should show humility' doesn't mean all Christians do so, or do so properly. I've seen arrogance all across the board. Also, your last point there doesnt make any sense(I'll assume its a referance to elected officials such as the president, even though that isnt even too clear), as you continue to ignore the fact that this country isnt supposed to be run by any one person. 'Fair and balanced' isn't just the joke that Fox News makes before they tell you something completely biased, its actually what government is supposed to be, with power split between the 3 branches.
"It seems to me,that they have turned their backs on their hearts and souls and have chosen to live a two-dimensional existance..bereft of any hope..nothing to strive for,except personal aggrandizement."
Again, this is a very biased and incorrect point of view. First off, denial of organized religion is by no means a denial of the spiritual facet of human existance, atheists just find fullfillment in differant ways. As for 'striving only for personal aggrandizement', well, thats just ignorant. Atheists have all the hopes and dreams of the rest of humanity. They can be artists or scientists, they can strive for love or the good of humanity. Saying they strive only for personal success is insulting.
"A famous atheist,can't recall who,once said that it was the most liberating thing that he'd ever done..to become an atheist..that he felt indescribable joy at freeing himself from a life-time of feeling guilt..and was finally free to revel in hedonistic pursuits..the only restraint,being the laws of Man. Free'ed from the constraints of morality,free'ed from humility and self-lessness and free'ed from giving a dang about anything or anyone."
Good for him, but judging all non-religious people by what abandoning religion meant to one man(no matter how famous he was) is ignoring the other millions of atheists worldwide and what it means to them.
Spirituality is an individual experience, and to generalize as such cheapens it. You probably have different reasons for being a Christian than other Christians, and just the same, motivations also differ among atheists.
that article had to be one of the most simplistic, pro-theistic, pseudo-intellectual pieces of trash i've ever read. atheism as an escape from our duty to god is the sunday school version of the typical religious propaganda that the faithful have been shoveling out since before the inquisition. such drivel really doesn't deserve a reply, but i'll give you this response from my small section of the atheist community.
atheism isn't about escaping responsibility, but embracing personal responsibility and denying the myriad excuses for our own shortcomings. while religion (and psychology for that matter) attempts to justify the faults in us all, atheism leaves no way of escaping this burden. the atheist has no scapegoat but his own humanity and nowhere to lay the blame but at his own doorstep. where religion places mankind firmly above the rest of creation, atheism places us as equals to the rest of nature. where religion forces upon us a set of unchanging guidelines, atheism allows for morality to evolve as mankind evolves. where religion gives us eternity, atheism forces us to realize that these few short years are all we have. the atheist acts morally not in pursuit of some heavenly reward, but for the obvious reason of the common good. the atheist does what is right not out of fear of divine retribution, but merely because it is right.
the above article is a just a chronicling of one man's journey from the insanity of religion to the insanity of psychology's voodoo science and back again. he made no stop in reality, he merely exchanged one set of mythologies for another. it has no relevance except to those who require the acceptance of some greater authority (whether it be god, accepted psychological theory or their peers) in order to develop their way of life.
__________________ But what is Hope? Nothing but the paint on the face of Existence; the least touch of truth rubs it off, and then we see what a hollow-cheeked harlot we have got hold of.
Undertheice - it seems that you don't believe in spirituality at all..is that so ?
spirituality is a rather broad term, so to say that i believe in no spirituality would be taking things a bit far. i believe that certain forms of spirituality are often used as an excuse for peoples' faults and as a justification for prejudice and inequity. it is far too easy for the faithful to commit inhumane acts under the protection of their cult's dogma. war, genocide and persecution have been natural by-products religious elitism through the ages and always in the guise of piety and devotion to some imaginary higher power.
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Also,I wanted to ask both of y'all, why do atheists think that they should tell Christians how to be Christians ?
don't confuse atheism with immorality. many of the basic philosophies behind christianity are just as valid to the atheist as to the christian. it is the idea of an omnipotent ruler and creator that differentiates us from the believers. basic human ethics were long ago co-opted by the church and turned into "christian ethics". for an atheist to suggest that christians actually adhere to those standards is not totally out of line. few atheists would ask christians to be more christian, but more moral.
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Why do atheists feel that the First Amendment guarantees them freedom from religion-rather than freedom of religion ?
is atheism a religion? since the existence of god can be neither proved nor disproved, is disbelief merely another form of faith? these questions must be considered when discussing the implications of the first amendment. in the broadest sense; the answer to both questions would have to be yes, so the atheist is entitled to the same protections that any other religious minority would be entitled to. this includes protection from the bias and persecution of members of the majority religion. i realize that in our litigious society this leads to some rather frivolous lawsuits and seemingly petty complaints. the blame for such foolishness should be laid at the feet of fanaticism, not heaped upon atheism in general.
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Also..I was wondering if y'all would object to me using the label of 'Christophobe' for y'all ?
a phobia is a fear and i have no fear of fantasy. as i have previously stated, there is much to be admired about christianity's underlying philosophies. the only frightening aspect of religion is its believers' tendency toward fanaticism, the rest is merely childish musings and self-important rhetoric.
you might call me a fanati-phobe.
__________________ But what is Hope? Nothing but the paint on the face of Existence; the least touch of truth rubs it off, and then we see what a hollow-cheeked harlot we have got hold of.
Last edited by undertheice; 10-31-2007 at 01:35 PM.
Reason: 'cause i got high?
Halffoot-it sounds like ya believe in spirituality,is that so ?
Absolutely I believe in spirituality. It would be silly not too, considering the large spiritual heritage of mankind and the role it plays in modern civilization. Just because I don't believe in god doesn't mean I don't believe in spirituality.
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Originally Posted by Torog
Also,I wanted to ask both of y'all, why do atheists think that they should tell Christians how to be Christians ?
Because, in many instances, Christians seem to think that they should tell others how to be people. By creating laws or trying to take political action against things like gay marriage and abortion(lets ignore for minute the specific arguments of either of these two issues in favor of the point I'm making here, please) christians are attempting to impose their viewpoints on others, so its only natural that others should respond in kind.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Torog
Why do atheists feel that the First Amendment guarantees them freedom from religion-rather than freedom of religion ?
In short, because of the principle on which that amendment was made. Religious freedom means the freedom to choose to be religious or not.
If, however, this question was meant to be about instances such as the ban on god in the flag folding or other removals of god from public political places, then that falls more under the separation of church and state.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Torog
Also..I was wondering if y'all would object to me using the label of 'Christophobe' for y'all ?
Can you describe me as a 'Christophobe'? Absolutely not. I am in no way afraid of religion or Christianity, so the term doesn't make any sense. Even if you took a more literal defenition of the -phobic suffix to mean it repelled me, the term still wouldn't apply, because I am not repelled by Christianity, I just don't practice it(I've actually been to church fairly recently, I went to a Sunday service at my brothers church when my nephew was christened not too long ago).
live and let live. believe what you want. thats my view on it.
Thats a good philosophy to have, and one I basically hold as well. The real question is, how do you reconcile that with people who try to impose their religious values on others?
Thats a good philosophy to have, and one I basically hold as well. The real question is, how do you reconcile that with people who try to impose their religious values on others?
I think the answer is you can't reconcile it and thus the ongoing debate for all eternity.
Fantastic thread you all have going here, but still a topic I chose to not get involved with, but I enjoy reading what you all have to say.
oh, come on and put in your $0.02 (why doesn't my keyboard have that little cents sign?). this thread is a bit stagnant and needs a little new blood.
__________________ But what is Hope? Nothing but the paint on the face of Existence; the least touch of truth rubs it off, and then we see what a hollow-cheeked harlot we have got hold of.
Understanding Atheism 
God Bless Those Who Choose To Protect Our Freedom ! 
Fantastic thread you all have going here, but still a topic I chose to not get involved with, but I enjoy reading what you all have to say. 
DON'T WORRY ABOUT A THING... COS EVERY LIL THING IS GONNA BE ALRIGHT