[An old friend] tells you everything changed for him the day he realized he was destined to marry Angelina Jolie. It might occur to you to ask, why does he believe this? Angelina Jolie is, after all, one of the most beautiful and famous people on the planet. She’s not incidentally married to Brad Pitt. They have something like 27 children. What if your friend, sensing your skepticism, said, “Clearly you don’t understand. This belief gives my life meaning. I now know my purpose in life: it’s to be Angelina’s husband”? What if your friend said, “This belief has made me a better person. I’m now incredibly kind to children, anticipating having to raise Angelina’s once Brad leaves”? Or what if your friend said, “You can believe whatever you want, but I wouldn’t want to live in a universe where I don’t marry Angelina Jolie”? It should be quite clear that your friend has lost his mind and is probably a dangerous person. Yet this is precisely the type of talk that so often passes for wisdom in religious circles, and may attempt to pass for wisdom here. Beliefs are not like clothing. Comfort and utility and attractiveness cannot be our conscious criteria for adopting them.
Reblogged from the [blog] remains the same
