Choosing What to Believe in Shouldn’t Be Like Choosing Where to Eat

Religion ain’t dinner!

Illustration generated by the Author via Ideogram

When my wife and I decide to go out to dinner, we often have the same indecisive conversation that’s become cliche in American households:

• Where do you want to go?
• I don’t know. What do you want?
• Well…I’m not sure. Maybe a burger?
• Nah, I’m not feeling like a burger.
• Okay, maybe Italian.
• No. Not Italian.
• Okay, how about…

You get the idea. And yeah, I’m usually the one making the suggestions with Jane shooting them down like clay pigeons. :-)

It’s okay. I’m used to it. And wouldn’t trade her for anything.

Like you, though, we don’t choose restaurants based on a deep examination of science or philosophy. We choose based on what we feel like—what we’re in the mood for.

Sadly, many people pick their religious and political beliefs the same way.

When emotions shape how we see the world, we start filtering out anything that doesn’t fit our narrative. We stop searching for truth and start searching for comfort.