Does anyone here actually think their beliefs can be changed?

Do I think my beliefs can be changed? Not currently, no.

Do I think it is possible to change my beliefs? Yes, I do.

First, I think people on and offline need to calm down. There are many things in which I agree with it that are overlooked because of a fundamental disagreement, usually a controversial one. One that drives an audience searching for answers themselves. In a way, this is good, it leads to a intelligent discussion, if both parties are respectful and honest. However, the sole existence of an audience sometimes may motivate either party to treat the debate as a competition.

Most of the people I live with are atheists. My girlfriend and her entire family is made of PHDs on engineering, biology and neuroscience. They are very intelligent and educated people, who mostly don't get to talk to religious people, sometimes because they refuse to or because they simply see no purpose or gain. Partially, they're right, a large amount of the population will use religion and its references as more of an outlet or moral Foucault pendulum. The majority of them have good relationships with me, despite my Christians beliefs, because those things are a small detail of our interaction and not a fundamental concern regarding behavior. My girlfriend is an atheist and she and I have an amazing connection. There can be a healthy dialogue between people who possess opposite views. Matter of fact, there should be. The more opposite views, the more we all learn. If we think the same way, nobody gets anywhere.

I believe the best way to debate is to teach someone something they don't know that works. I, for one, love to learn. Specially about things I know nothing about. For that matter, I studied evolution, the big bang and many other theories that contradicted my personal beliefs. I can enjoy the science behind it and the thought and sincere effort made into finding a different perspective, or simply put, the truth. That's the same thing I'm trying to accomplish. The truth, the actual knowledge about our universe, which I believe to be the most important thing for a intelligent creature.

When it is assumed by another person that my intentions are not as pure, that I have no desire to find the truth and that my intention is to spread misinformation, demonstrate confirmation bias, cognitive dissonance or deny logic, I immediately regard their following arguments as an extension of that assumption, an accusation against my dignity and intellectual integrity, rather than an opposite view. From then on, I seek no further discussion and respectfully bring the conversation to an end. Is there really a point in discussing a topic for the favor or learning with someone that doesn't believe you'll learn in the first place? With actual teachers, this might motivates the student to learn, because he feels challenge to overcome difficulties, but in this particular case, there are no difficulties, but what is being asserted as worthless is my intellect and dignity.

When that is not assumed, what can be assumed is that I do not have all the facts, an ever present possibility. I always invite anyone who presents an opposite view of any matter to refer to any evidence, scientific study or argument that further analyzes the issue. And I do look for it. I reckon I have read more about opposite views than I have read about my own views.

More often than not, I'm not provided with those things. What happens is:

-> Present your beliefs [I do it.]

followed by

-> This is why they're stupid [With no reasons to support the opposite belief, but an actual denial/rejection/disproof of some part of mine.]

I refrain from "attacking" Evolution because I believe that there is no such thing when it comes to the scientific method. Otherwise, scientists, of which I'm not a part, would probably have found a better explanation. I cannot scientifically disprove evolution, in the same way that science cannot spiritually disprove God, but obviously for very different reasons. Science works because it relies on empirical evidence to form theories, not the other way around. This deductive way of solving problems works really well, specially for mechanical issues related to our physical world, such as, how to send a message to the other side of the country or how to lift a 10 ton material. There are other types of questions and problems that are just as important that relates to humanity, to life itself. These questions can be tackled scientifically, but they are not as straight forward and easy, such as, why are we here or why do we die? So far, we can't even agree on whether those questions are as relevant as relating Relativity to Quantum Physics.

These questions may hold relations to hunger, violence, greed, love, sorrow and a million other features of human existence that are more significant than the technology behind the new IPhone or whether or not dinosaurs had feathers. I find better to have a balanced view of the world when it comes to knowledge. I study evolution and acquire as much information related to it as I can, without any prior consideration of its validity. Once the facts are proposed, I ask myself question and look for the answers. To me, the most important questions are not answered, or are simply regarded as irrelevant. This doesn't make me reject evolution as a scientific fact, rather it makes me label myself as "still learning about it", but currently not believing it.

Which brings me back to my first two questions. Currently, based on the information I have been exposed, I see no reason to doubt my beliefs and therefore I do not constantly think about changing my beliefs. So far, I regard them as the truth.

However, I recognize that I can be wrong. Therefore, I do not state that my beliefs will never be changed. I state that so far, they haven't and I still see no reason to change. Just like any reasonable and sincere atheist, if provided with the answers I am looking for, I will change my beliefs.

This is what I think it is forgotten. Some of us do want the same thing, regardless of being religious or atheist. We sincerely want the truth. However, way too often, the people who possess opposite views, religious or not, focus more on a personal statement about the nature of our intellect and intention instead of focusing on the information itself and how to teach it in a clear way.

TL;dr: The reason why I usually seem like I do not reconsider my beliefs is because my nature and my intellect are usually the things being attacked instead of my beliefs. I'm ready to have them challenged and actually welcome it. The more I learn, the better.

/r/DebateReligion Thread