Q&A: Do I believe because it’s more "comfortable" for me?
Do I believe because it’s more "comfortable" for me?
Question
Hello and blessings,
As someone who grew up his entire life in a Haredi home and received a Haredi education, and as a believing person out of recognition/probability who, like many good people, struggles with doubts in matters of faith, I’m troubled by the question of whether it is possible to neutralize the natural bias toward the comfort zone of belief, which stems from the very fact that I was born and raised my whole life as a believing person who observes the commandments. Instinctively, in any inquiry into matters of faith, it will be more "comfortable" for me to accept the "proofs" for the existence of God and Torah from Heaven, etc., than the "proofs" that lead to the conclusion that I have lived my entire life in falsehood. And on a personal note, if I may, I’m curious to know whether the honorable Rabbi can say about himself now (with all the insights in matters of faith that have crystallized over the years) that even if he had been born and raised as an atheist or as a gentile (thirsty for knowledge and curious), he would sooner or later have become a believing Jew who observes the commandments?
More power to you.
Answer
You cannot be certain that all biases have been neutralized, and still there is no other way except that you make decisions for yourself and try to do so to the best of your understanding. What is the alternative?
I really cannot testify about myself. But of course that does not mean I am dissatisfied with my current view. I have dealt with this question quite a bit on the site. Try searching.
Discussion on Answer
If there is a high probability (and apparently there really is) that in a different upbringing the Rabbi’s belief system would have had a completely different structure from the one he holds today, why doesn’t that undermine the real value of everything the Rabbi says today?
First, the fact that I cannot testify about myself does not mean that there is a high probability. All a person can do is try his best to examine his path. There is always concern about biases resulting from one’s upbringing or from anything else.
This is somewhat related to columns 244 and 247, although of course it is a bit different.
We have a living example of a parallel universe in which Rabbi Michael Abraham was born an atheist! Well, it’s a super-intelligent philosopher dealing with questions of theology, science in general, and the issue of will, all with vigorous humor and a long, flowing beard that hints at nothing: Dan Dennett! (Dan Dennett)
P.S. Look him up on YouTube and TED.