How Cognitive Dissonance Explains Christianity
Вставка
- Опубліковано 28 лип 2024
- The New Testament talks about the "kingdom of God" as if it was in some sense already established, despite all appearances to the contrary. Most Jewish groups in that period didn't talk like that. So what accounts for this strange and surprising feature of early Christian belief? Enter: Cognitive Dissonance Theory.
For the script of this video (plus sources) see: mlhartke.wordpress.com/2022/1...
Chapters
0:00 - Intro
0:08 - The Problem of Realized Eschatology
3:37 - An Inadequate Explanation
6:25 - Cognitive Dissonance and Prophetic Failure
9:59 - Great Disappointment or Partial Fulfillment?
16:57 - Dissonance and the Kingdom
26:30 - Conclusion
At a Christian school where I used to work, one of the founding members was diagnosed with cancer. There was some sort of agreed upon spiritual sense that she would be healed (a prophecy? I don't remember how they characterized it).
When she died, all the staff gathered together and her widower described some sort of "spiritual exchange" in which she passed along her promised healing as a blessing to the school.
I knew it was weird but I was green and I kept my mouth shut. Years later, I thought it was creepy and cultish. Listening to your explanation of cognitive dissonance, I've relived all of it and it gives me shudders.
@J. M. Agreed. 'If any man comes to ME, he must first believe that I Am & that I am a rewarder of those that diligently seek me.' Pretty simple, straight & clear to this red head. Even Jesus prayed 'Not my will, but Thine.' 'A double minded man should not expect anything from the Lord.' Wonder which of these or others were the reason God did as only He knew best? I don't.
@@mrirish12many what? Did you respond to the right comment?
'Tired of seeing others blame God for their shortcomings?' You, right? These are a few named shortcomings. God told ALL who'd listen how to Reach Him. Want to try another way? Better find another god. He didn't give another plan to reach the One True God.
@@-dirk-65 I had that verse in my head at the time, and I was determined not to doubt and miss out on a miracle. It was so weird
@Darth Calculus good news and bad: These are the last days just like Jesus told us it was 2000 years ago. Better believe it won't get better but will fulfill every Jot & Tittle & accomplish every purpose for which He sent out His Word. Pray anything opposed to that goal, we are wasting our time.
This is gold! Thank you for such an excellent presentation 👏 👍 🙌 😊
Thank you for commenting on this video! This is knowledge!
Dude, the epitome of cognitive dissonance is when atheists prove the New Testament false based on the Old Testament which they claim is also false.
Whoa Derek? I'm a huge fan of your podcast!
Hey Derek! Much love from the interwebs 👊
@@chroniclesoflucifer How do you explain the end times prophesies of Daniel 12:4, being on a drastically accelerated pace since 1948 Israel's restoration to their land !
they now run flights from New York to Sydney in a day, nonstop !
Ordinary people knowing as much as the geniuses of WW2 ! Much of it may be junk, but they know it !
Found your channel from the collab with Mythvision! So happy I did. This is a gem.
Matthew, I don't know how long it took you to produce this video, but it is incredible. It's accessible, jammed packed, full of relevant citation, and IMO clearly outlines the killshot for my own faith (articulated way better than I ever could). Well done! I appreciate the closing line: it really is the best explanation for the triumph and tragedy of Christian faith.
If its just a man made book, then how is it possible it knew every aspect of Jesus birth, life, ministry, betrayal, death, burial and Resurrection centuries before He was born?
If its just a man made book, how did it know Israel would reject Jesus and crucify Him? How did it know His church would not be Jewish based but instead be based on Gentiles across the world, with most of the Jews rejecting Him and dying in their sin? Who makes up a religion where all your people end up in hell but billions of foreigners go to heaven instead? NO ONE makes up a religion like that.
The fact that Christianity became a religion outside of the Jews did not just randomly happen, the entire thing was foretold in the OT long before Jesus was ever born.
How is it that for 1500 years before His Birth, all 7 Jewish feast in the OT law so clearly pointed to Jesus and the Gospel? Are you even aware of the 7 feast of the Lord and how impossible it is that they foretold of Christ and what followed? The entire Jewish life and year was based on those 7 holy feast days for 1500 years. How is it that the Passover alone so clearly symbolized Christ as the Lamb of God and Him calling His people out of the world 1500 years before His Birth?
Why are all these totally impossible facts we can point to and illustrate unique to one and only one religion in the whole world? There is no other religion or book on earth that has this one ultimate design and thread of TOTALLY impossible evidence from beginning to end.....and spread out over thousands of years. This is totally unique to the Bible alone.
And I did not even go in to the impossible fulfillment of modern Israel 2000 years after it was totally destroyed. What other nation has ever returned 2000 years after its total destruction. What other people have even survived and come back as a people 2000 years after they were scattered across the whole earth? There is none. There is no nation and no people where this has ever happened but this one. And with the whole thing written 2500+ years ahead of time?
If its just a man made book, how is all this true, AND this one man is how time is divided on the earth, and this is the most famous man who ever lived?
Again I am only scratching the surface here.
These things are TOTALLY IMPOSSIBLE in a fake man made book.
Most life long Christians are not even yet aware of the evidence for their faith. They were never taught it in church. Just saying you grew up in church does not mean you know about any of these things. I grew up going to church and I never knew any of it either. Most Presbyterians, Catholics, Baptists, and other denominations do not. I learned these things many, many years later long after I had stopped going to church and rejected it all.
@@Orange6921 Ever heard of self-fulfilling prophecy? Those prophecies, that you mention, were studied in fine detail by the Qumran community and their "Dead Sea Scrolls", in their Wilderness redoubt, convinced that only they had integrity to convince God that Israel was worthy of God's promise. They had the same cognitive dissonance that Matthew points out, in examples since then, in his excellent video lecture here. Their "brains trust" made the same calculations that the later Millerites, Jehovah's Witness, etc, made, from the Book of Daniel. They pieced those prophecies together, into one monstrous plan, that included their actively meeting God halfway - and then they set out to make it happen. I'm sure that you can figure out the rest. Unexpected consequences develop from cognitive dissonance.
@@John-nr6gg That's literally one of the dumbest and blind excuses you could come up with. How do you self fulfill where you were born, or that Rome would rule the world centuries before it existed, or that Rome would crucify Jesus even though He was innocent?
You think Adolf Hitler was secretly self fulfilling the Bible about the 1948 rebirth of Israel when he created the holocaust and caused WW2? That has the be the single dumbest argument of all time.
I don't think you're stupid though, its just an excuse you have heard before and just accepted as fact based on blind faith, which is ironically the very thing you would accuse believers of. You've never spent even 5 second of your life fact checking any of that, its just what you want to think is true. If you actually knew anything about the dead sea scrolls you would have know they make the strongest argument for the gospel and the Bible of all. Before they were found, the oldest copies of the OT were 1000 years after Christ. The dead sea scrolls contained the entire OT and confirmed it to be centuries BEFORE Jesus was born, or Rome destroyed Israel in 70 AD. The DS scrolls proved for the first time ever all those OT prophesies were written centuries BEFORE those events happened, and it proved non of it was made up or created after the fact.
I've studied the Bible in English, Hebrew and Greek, I actually have read them and I actually do know the secular historical account as well.
Even 95% of secular historians agree Jesus was a real man who lived in Galilee, preached the gospel and was crucified by Pilate just as written in the NT. They on;ly doubt the resurrection because its an impossible miracle.
You clearly know next to nothing about any of this, but if you really are interested in truth, not just justifying your own blind faith then by all mean fact check all these details for yourself. I was a non believer for 40 years, it was studying these things for myself that changed my mind forever.
@@Orange6921 Life must be so hard when you're that dumb.
@@Orange6921 wait - circular "logic" on your part. The version of the new Testament that you read is the authority? No other concurrent tales align precisely.
And - the Jesus story parallels that of Krishna from hundreds of years before.
Of COURSE humans wrote it all. A council edited it all - tossing out tales that contradicted Patriarchal Misogyny, and ones that had Jesus getting married.
You seem dug in, so I'm not expecting you to be able to respond in a coherent way.
Your very long post was fancy word salad to me.
Great video. I was riveted by your arguments. Well done! I’ve always known that the early Christians adopted different beliefs about Jesus after he was killed. But you have put this into a whole new universe for me: cognitive dissonance. Your arguments are thorough, sound, and so well explained. It must have taken a very long time to make this video but I, for one, really appreciate it. You have a new subscriber.
i had a deconversion experience in 2010. shit hurt yo. if i could go back to cognative dissonance i would, but the pain from believing an absurdity was greater than the pain of walking away
Couldnt have said it better myself
Wow! I couldn't understand why Cypher would wanna be plugged back into the Matrix until I I apostated.
Reminds me of the Qanon crowd constantly moving their goalposts as well
Either russia stole election (2016 Trump) or elections are safe and unquestionable (2020 Biden).
I thought of that parallel too. I wonder if, when Trump finally dies without ever becoming President again, he will be "spiritualized" into a ghostly presence that is secretly directing affairs and running the government on the way to bringing about "the storm"?
This is the kind of integrity I would expect in a discussion like this, a baseless comparison to a radical group with absolutely no similarities.
It is odd how often I see Christianity being labeled as counter to intellectualism, when insults like these are commonplace from atheists.
@@afilthywarlockmain1447 They were only comparing the cognitive dissonance parts. They weren't saying that Christianity and Qanon are the same.
@@henrimourant9855 they compared the two on a fundamental basis, but didn’t say they were the same?
Not sure how to follow that.
Great video! It must have taken a decent amount of time putting this together. Well done.
This video on how belief can be strengthened when it encounters evidence to the contrary is helpful in understanding how people cling to belief systems from the past that ignore today's reality.
If belief allowed for facing the present-day realities instead of being a shield to protect one from reality, it would give the faithful something to stand on--a firmer foundation.
In the writings of Marshall Vian Summers, facing conflict is a way to deepen one's experience of Knowledge. "Use conflict today to remind yourself that there is only Knowledge and the need for Knowledge. Using this approach gives you a way to see beyond the complexities that confuse people at the outset. This will enable you to see into the deeper nature of the human predicament and your own predicament... You are sent to serve the world. To do this, you must recognize conflict...Learning how to clear the mind and to quiet the mind can sometimes seem to be a great effort because the captivation has already occurred... And though the current may be strong, you must pull yourself ashore." (MVS, Steps to Knowledge Continuation Training)
Recognizing conflict as a part of the human condition and something to be faced strengthens us if we use it to deepen our understanding and our desire for Knowledge.
Thank you.
Deep!
Be advised that it does, and that Christ and the faith are well alive now. It is not a failure of the belief but of the believer.
@@geoffstemen3652 So John 14:12 is regularly fulfilled, then?
Also, what did He say, or do, about the Inquisition, blood libel, and slave trade, within Christendom?
Meantime, much of the failing believers, often appeared to be fairly senior theologians?
Even Augustine, arguably ballsed up 1 Corinthians 10, as applied (see the 'typoi' debacle)
Plus, slavery came back. Failure of believer or not, you'd think that was - detestable - enough to get a Joshua 7:24 scale intervention.
@@geoffstemen3652 what comes between the belief and believer not allowing believer to continue to believe.it may be a failure of prophecy as depicted in this video or some new discovery or knowledge,intentions of the believer not withstanding.
Turning that bug into a feature!!
And necessity is the mother of invention!! I love it.
I’m loving this video, keep them coming. I learned of you from the MythVision Video you recently did.
Very well said! I will be recommending this video a lot in the future!
Coming here after seeing the Mythvision interview. This hypothesis makes sooo much sense! Thank you!
Absolutely excellent presentation, Matthew. A half hour extremely well spent. Subscribed.
Thank you, UA-cam algorithm, for delivering this to my recommendations! Keep doing that, this deserves a ton more than 10k views!
Illuminating vlog Matthew. Liked, subscribed, and followed on Twitter. Looking forward to more.
I think this is THE best video I've watched recently. Excellent!
Excellent video my man. I found this in my recommendation after I’ve been watching videos on pre and post Christian Rome. You got a new subscriber ❤
what videos were those? they sound interesting
@@invisiblegorilla8631 Recently one of my favorite Roman history UA-camrs Toldindtone released his latest video discussing "the last pagans of rome". Check him out, he's great 👍
After seeing this video, I watched a video about MAGA people talking about January 6. One of the comments mentioned cognitive dissonance. And it looks like it is.
Have you figured out your mistake yet? January 6th? Really get the facts.
January 6th 🤣🤣
I can tell you are well resesearched on this topic. However, here are my problems with your explanation. Firstly, your argument is correct when you say essentially "many people across many different faiths all over the world would be willing to die for their faith, that doesn't make it true." However, the apostles of Christ weren't just experiencing cognitive dissonance and here's why. They weren't giving testimony to something that they just "really really believed" to be true, they were giving EYEWITNESS testimony to His life, death, and resurrection. Cognitive dissonance requires the person to believe that they are still telling the truth, however if they were giving false eyewitness testimony, that means that they knew they were lying. Many people are willing to die for their faith, but not many people are willing to die for a lie. You are suggesting that each and every apostle, and hundreds of other disciples, all provided the same eyewitness testimony that they were willing to die for, and they were all lying. Secondly, the quote used from N.T. Wright seems to suggest that Jews from before the time of Christ had some well explained and comprehensive understanding of what would happen at the time of the coming of the Messiah. I could give you all the different passages in the Old Testament that practically unmistakably prophesize Jesus as the Messiah, but I assume biblical evidence probably doesn't hold much weight to you. The point is, Jews at the time had no idea really what the Messiah would look like. However, after the coming of Christ, everything in the Old Testament seemed to finally make sense. Much of the ambiguity and confusing prophecy was perfectly explained through Him. Thirdly, Jesus had become pretty well known amongst the people of Jerusalem. Whether they loved Him or hated Him, word had spread about his claims of performing miracles. He was so well known, that His body was removed from the cross by the Romans and thrown into a sealed cave so that none of His followers stole it. The Romans were predicting that His followers may try to steal His body and make up some lie that he was resurrected, so they guarded it to keep that from happening. If one of the thousands of people who knew Jesus at the time eventually found His body and turned it back over to the authorities, then the conspiracy is ruined and the apostles are proven to be liars. But that never happened either. Finally, you say correctly that the apostles were surprised by his crucifixion and death, but fail to mention that Jesus was not at all surprised by it. Jesus told the apostles many times that he would be killed and would rise back from the dead on the third day. And again, this is even prophesized in the OLD Testament. The apostles, by their own admission, weren't very smart, were generally pretty clumsy, and were definitely cowards during the time Jesus was alive. So much so that they couldn't even watch while he was being tortured and killed. But your claim suggests that these unintelligent, fumbling, cowards somehow because brave enough to face that same torture and death themselves, for something they know is a lie? Again, if it were just a simple case of cognitive dissonance that would make sense. But as I explained earlier, that is literally impossible because they were giving EYEWITNESS testimony.
Kinda interesting how nobody had a reply for this beautifully thought out response. I think a lot of people fail to see and recognize what the apostles where like before and after the death and resurrection. Nobody can miraculously change and become brave and devout overnight unless something extremely powerful had occurred. If only people would read the Bible in its entirety instead of cherry picking verses and try to use its own words to prove it wrong with zero context of the book as a whole
This refutes any doubts in my mind from reading other comments in this video. Good job. I never thought to take into account the behavior of the og 12. Your comment gives me reason to pay even closer attention next time I read through the gospels.
Are you equally impressed by the EYEWITNESS testimonies that Mohammed flew on a horse and Allah split the moon in two?
Why don’t you have more subscribers? This was really solid work.
He doesn't upload enough to get recognized by the algorithm. This is his 7th upload over the course of 2 years. I've just found his channel now.
As a christian believer I find your videos extremly interesting. It has a real intellectual benefit to think and talk about how Christianity itself fits into the general "laws" of how human psyche works. I personally don't think that demystification derogates faith's relevancy in one's life, but even more: you can't live even your christian life in a vacuum where results of everyday science count no more. I see in the comment section, that mostly ex-believers or non-believers leave comments. Let's have one more from the other side :) So well done, and keep posting such videos!
As a Christian it’s hard to debate the faith these days because most of the debate has shifted away from the existence of God and more just towards the failings of Christian leaders and institutions. And yeah I can’t really argue with that. It is difficult for me to understand though why many former Christian’s faith seemed to be tied to the success of human institutions and not rooted in faith in Christ himself. For me for example if it turned out that the priest at the church I went to was engaging in false teaching and other Christian leaders I respected had failed morally it wouldn’t cause me to reason that this is grounds to now deny God’s existence, but for many people that’s a trigger point.
@@harrygarris6921 Well, if you reverse the journey of a Christian, how did they become one? Most likely through the guidance/influence of institutions, leaders in the faith, and/or Christian peers. If those sources reveal themselves to be false or corrupt, what are you left with? A faith in Christ that is based largely if not entirely upon the education you received from - Institutions and leaders/peers.
What is Christianity without its believers? A mythological story with no merit. So, its believers do add or subtract validity from the faith with their representation.
@@beerboots For a nondenominational protestant I guess you could make that argument. For me personally the teaching I've received has been based in the idea a 2000 year old tradition of theological understanding that's been passed down by the church. The "core" of our theological understanding if you want to call it that is the teachings of Jesus that were passed down by the apostles. So yes if Jesus was wrong in what he taught or if the early church misrepresented what he said you would have a point, but based on the reality that it's survived for this long and the Christian understanding of the self, human nature, and morality still perfectly describes what we have seen for the past two millennia and continue to see today I'd say it's pretty rock solid.
@@harrygarris6921 I have the impression that the 2000 year old christian tradition belongs (as a prolonged version) also to the category of institution and teaching.
So i would of agree, that christian faith never occurs in a vacuum or asocial space.
That’s because you know Christ when Christ comes alive in your life, reveals himself to you in real time, it’s inexplicable, but you KNOW its real and He is True. It isn’t something that can be explained rationally, because it is truly supernatural! and thats very difficult for many people to wrap their heads around, so they react to what they can see, what is “logical” and rational and 99% of the time its seeing “christians” doing and believing in things that completely contradict what they claim to follow 🤷🏻♀️
WOW. I had just discovered the notion of cognitive dissonance a few days ago in one youtube video and then encountered this masterpiece, a complete reconciliation of the psychological with the spiritual for me. I am reminded of my college freshman class in old testament by Rabbi Cain over 50 years ago when as a naive Christian convert I encountered the pragmatism of interpretation that Rabbi Cain offered. I remember calling him on my dormitory pay phone in an existential quandary and asking him "Who was Jesus?" And him answering "A radical Jewish activist."
Matthew very interesting video. Thank you for sharing and I am waiting for more 👍
I'm starting my own channel on the impact of traumatic stress on the brain and body. Ur structure and delivery is admirable and inspires me to continue my dream. 👍
You are brilliant; clear and concise. Thank you!
Excellent video. I now have a few books to read thanks to you. Good work!
"With Us More Than Ever: Making the Absent Rebbe Present in Messianic Chabad" by anthropologist Yoram Bilu is also one I recommend. It's on how the Chabad movement reacted to the referenced Menachem Schneerson's sudden death while thinking he was the Messiah.
@@wimsweden cool. Thanks for the suggestion! I’ll add it to my list.
This is such an excellent video. I’m just discovering your channel and going back through your old videos, so I’m not a long time subscriber or anything, but if I could ask for one thing it’s more long form videos like this. It had my attention the entire time. Thanks for the knowledge!!
This was really beautifully explained. Very well done!
- I have been an atheist for about 5 years. Roughly 2 years ago, it hurt to hear my dad speak of his disbelief that "he got old." I was witness in the 90's, upon visiting my parent's church, to the strong belief by that group that the second coming was happening any day. It was clearly shown, through scripture compared to current events, how they knew this was true. 28 years later . . . My dad is still a believer, I am not.
Every generation since Paul has believed that Jesus was coming back in their lifetime.
@@scout2469 and what stopped Jesus from coming back ?:. How do you explain Israel ? Exiled from their land for more than 1800 years, restored just in time to be the time clock for the tribulation ! Their return (1948), was prophesied (about 30 AD,) before their exile!! *BY JESUS AND ZECHARIAH (ABOUT 500 YEARS EARLIER) IN THE BIBLE !*
@@scout2469 He couldn't come back until the fulfillment ! Still 2 more prophesies to go !
@STUDY GOD'S WORD KJV - Funny how people who claim the Bible is prophetic only site verses that can be interpreted as prophetic. While ignoring verses that plainly fail at being prophetic . . . for example; Matthew 16:28. I am quite certain that it is not demonstrated that any of "some who are standing here" are still alive awaiting his return.
Keep reading. In the very next chapter and verse … Peter, James, and John have climbed up a high mountain and they witness Jesus being “transfigured” and the presence of Moses and Elijah! The coming of the kingdom of God is not the same as the future establishment of the kingdom of God. Jesus taught believers to pray … thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. For two thousand years this pray has effected incredible change around the world. The nation of Israel uniquely and miraculously has been reestablished and therefore the establishment of the Kingdom of God is very near.
Thanks Mathew…printed excerpts with citations! …helpful graphics, illustrations and photos …and…Referencing authors who would disagree! Top quality presentation! I look forward to learning more. Now, I’m curious about your thoughts on how what begins as a response to disappointment transitions to endemic anti-semitism and colonialism. What happens when marginalized failures succeed at flipping-the-script..and begin to conquer? Does one again find that social psychology offers a framework to comprehend expansion and domination? CogDis explains survival..what explains triumph?
Amazing, such an accurate analysis. Perfectly explained, absolutely on point! This needs to be seen more widely! bump bump bump!
Very interesting perspective. I look forward to digesting more of your videos...
People do not realize how much work and research it takes to make a video like this. Thank You and are you a historian?
I think the TV series 'The Leftover' tackles with this subject so well. When confronting the unknown and unexpected the character rush to reaffirm their anchors, afraid that what they held onto was false. Looking to their beliefs for meaning and purpose in their lives. Anticipating that they will have a part in the wider cosmic story and how that can lead characters astay as they become obsessed in the fulfilment of prophecy.
I love The Leftovers because it portrays such a human and relatable desire to make sense of suffering and hope in a better future.
Such a good show
You mean the HBO series?
"Looking to their beliefs for meaning and purpose in their lives"
Clearly it is better to not have a purpose!
@@thomasmaughan4798 Not when it's founded on unjustifiable beliefs.
@@jghifiversveiws8729 "Not when it's founded on unjustifiable beliefs."
To whom must justification be made?
Hey thanks for the informative video, like charts and glad you mentioned SDA, was one for 30 years unfortunately! Left organized religion years ago. With charts I can take screenshots and post later!
Incredible video thanks Matthew!
Clear and concise application of cogdis...well done. The scary reality is that it leaves apocalyptic believers in a permanent state of expectation and renewed fervor to further evangelize and indoctrinate as they actively pursue the fulfillment of updated prophecy.
true, also on the internet there are many channels saying its the blood moons, solar eclipses or wars , earthquakes and secret bible codes. and Christians having dreams and visions of God or Jesus spoke to them. whats more amazing is that Jesus never wrote anything himself. he probably couldnt read or write. very few people then could read or write and this stuff was written in Greek and they spoke Aramaic. they cant grasp the fact that hes not coming back and never will
Is not progressivism just such a “faith.”?
Maybe yes. But Christianity and progressivism might not be the only options available to us.
@@markangellotti893 I am neither . think, use logic, and intuition. know that all people are just like you. they have faults, nobody is perfect and we all make mistakes and bad choices, and fear can be induced by false science , false history, and they get hooked and cant escape
One does NOT necessarily have to be some "True Believing" fundamentalist Christian waiting for The Apocalypse to experience cognitive dissonance.....But it certainly "helps"👹 😫😳🤯😵
Almost any religion can produce the same effect with the right type of brainwashing to begin with...Hell, (No pun intended), one doesn't even need to be religious....Atheists can experience cognitive dissonance if they have enough capacity for intellectual honesty, and have a modicum of SELF AWARENESS, and can be truly empathetic towards their fellow humans.
Very well said. Excellent video 😀
If i hadn't already deconverted, this video would have caused me a huge cognitive dissonance. Excellent work, Matthew. Keep it up!
Let us know when you all find the Lord's body and get the fringe minority position Christ mythicists to help, Hebrews 9 v 27 & John 3 v 16.
@@HebrewsvJohnv you'll be waiting forever for anyone find the lord's body, since, if you mean Jesus, he's nothing but dust now.
@@zacharyberridge7239
Do fictional messiahs turn to dust or just dried ink ?
Well i guess that's dusty too.
@@HebrewsvJohnv Re John 3:16. If I were "to give" my son, for that I "so" loved something, what do you think that would mean? What sort of giving is usually connoted with such language? That "so" infers a pretty big deal. What did God give exactly, and what fears did this omniscient being experience in those three days after his son's crucifixion? Was he ever separated from his son? How does this matter compare to a situation in which you or I were to have "given" our only begotten son"? Is it possible that the write or John was not on the same page as other writers, because 3:16 doesn't really jive with the circumstance of God during all this, unless you can point out how it does.
@@mh4zd Jeremiah 29 v 13.
Such a diligent exposition with well-cited arguments while still maintaining accessibility. Thank you sir
not a Christian, but here's something we should consider: not only is the response to coginitive dissonance helpful, it's actually pretty rational. If you use a tool to achieve a goal, and you fail, would it be more reasonable to assume that the tool is faulty or the goal is unreachable?
If you calculated the movements of the planets and moons and you predicted the exact date of a solar eclipse, but at that day the eclipse doesn't happen, should you rather believe your calculations were wrong, or that math is wrong or that solar eclipses don't exist?
The answer is obvious. And by no means is that to say that God exists and we just misinterpreted everything so far. The truth is, we don't know. and we might never. But I think it's important to point out that the same things that explain Christian beliefs also explain the entire enlightenment and scientific pursuits of the 19th century.
Wow, brutal. Thanks. This is an angle I hadn’t considered before.
Thank you for this excellent video; I have it bookmarked for future viewing.
Great video.
Reminds me of how God supposedly answers prayer by:
1. Giving what you asked for due to your faith
2. Not granting the prayer which is still an answer - that you need to repent, didn't have enough faith, God wants to try your faith (and will grant your prayer later) or a sign that He has a different path for you to take.
In all cases, the believer is expected to thank God for the result and strengthen their faith that their prayer was "answered".
(Edit due to judgmental responses) - I didn't make this comment out of spite for unanswered personal petition. The comment was on teachings/testimonies that I have heard about prayer.
Do you realise the idea of praying to receive rewards is literally the 6 year old child, cartoon understanding of prayer?
@@Alfred5555 theres more to pray for than rewards, pray for safety, pray for health, pray for family,
@ktownbball ktownbball Thanks for the expected jump to judgement. This is not just to you but to the others that replied. People pray for health, for healing and it does not come. People pray for consolation and it does not come. Do not assume that my remark was asking for a new car, favored plane seats or for helping to find car keys, etc.. even though those things are touted among the faithful as answers to prayer. My remark was regarding the teaching promoted that many times. any or no answer to prayer was the same faith promoting response. Nevertheless hope you have a nice day and that no one else encroaches upon your holy hopes. As for me I do not care if an imagined being creates an imagined connection to something I hoped would happen or doesn't.
@@darthcaliginous2066 Exactly
@@Alfred5555 And the book of Genesis is not a 6 year old child, cartoon understanding of the world?
"Religion is regarded by the common people as true, by the wise as false, and by the rulers as useful."
~Lucius Annaeus Seneca
Search for "The Crucifix Fish - What the Crucifix Fish Reveal" to see the creator's memorial of the crucifixion.
How to appeal to atheists.
1. Speak authoritatively while doing Sola scriptura
2. Place books in background.
Thanks for the non-argument.
@@donnievance1942 it’s not supposed to be an argument.
Based
Thank you for taking the time to research the theory of cognitive dissonance and break it down so it is easily understood. I hope you don't mind but I have transcribed your presentation, citing you, of course.
Clearly and incisively argued! An easy subscription for me!
I must say I’m intrigued by the tagline at the top of your page. I wonder what exactly you have in mind.
What should a theology (however broadly conceived) that starts from here look like?
Personally, I am very interested in what makes a belief so deeply held in the first instance. It is not obvious to me what ‘deeply held’ means, or whether all kinds of belief are capable of being deeply held.
@@joyinthemorning44 Amen
You just made me feel really good. I teach Dual Credit US History in High School and the very first lesson I teach is that we have to be willing to change our minds when presented with new evidence. When I teach about The Great Disappoint, the students want to know why people didn't just abandon Miller. I tell them that some did, and some remained convinced they'd just got the date wrong and they still needed to be ready. I tell them about the 7th Day Adventists and the Jehovah's Witnesses, pointing out that their newsletter is The Watchtower. I reasoned along the same lines you presented, but my information came from the study of a UFO cult. Great presentation!
Well, you can't pour new wine into old wine skins lol.
A mind is like a wine skin...there is only so much knowledge and information it can process and contain.
Add something new and outlandish such as faith...mind blown 😆.
Funny I was just talking about a 7th day Adventist who called me a murderer infront of a bunch of jehovahs witnesses at work in the breakroom.
It was a trap. I was hungry when returning from work, but forgot to bring money so I figured I'd be hungry until I got home to eat. I walked into the breakroom and there was a drivers appreciation breakfast provided with McDonald's. So I was greatful for the sausage biscuit etc. I only took my share ,but I knew I'd still be hungry.
I sat and then my coworker sat next to me and offered me his sausage biscuit and I was so happy cause I was still hungry. While I was eating he started in on being a 7th day Adventist and not eating pork etc. I'm like yeah ok...the. he just started off on some kind of preaching and his logic basically went to calling me a murderer etc.
I am a born again Baptist so I stick more to the whatever God declares clean to me I will eat and I am more about having a personal relationship rather than following traditional or religious values.
In my mind I asked God who had clearly provided for my need whether I should argue or speak on what the man was saying to me and in my mind I heard, nope...enjoy your biscuit so I did.
I did not respond.
He finally quieted down and I got up and on my way out I ran into another Christian man from another denomination who approached me with his hashbrown and orange juice offering it up because it didn't agree with his stomach and would give him heart burn.
I thanked him and I thanked God for satisfying all of my needs that day.
Can't really explain spiritual things to people who don't understand spiritual things...they miss the spi...and life becomes a ritual.
People say God works in mysterious ways, but they are really not that mysterious if you question everything it is revealed to you.
I had been all over and I have recieved education in different religions and philosophies and I even took psychology courses...none of those things can entirely explain my life's experience. They may be able to explain certain aspects of it and I am quite aware of my childhood trauma as well and of dissonance, but I don't freeze in the face of adversity I don't try to flee from anything into anything. I am in a sound mind about things concerning myself.
And I understand the different perspectives of people in the way they perceive life. I just won't be talked out of my beliefs and convictions as much as I don't wish to talk anyone else out of theirs.
But when I am blessed in my life and people wish to know...then God the Father the son and the holy Spirit...the source of all my being and all of what I have in life. Faith as a child in full dependency with my creator 😊
For any one (believer or ex-believer) who finds this video interesting, I highly suggest you look up the book he mentioned near the beginning “When Prophecy Fails”.
I found it to be one of the most cant-put-it-down books I’ve ever read! A fantastic real life psychological study of the capacity for humans to cling to Faith despite reality crashing in around them.
It's almost like faith in God is more powerful and familiar to the human mind than reality.
@@Alfred5555 indeed……..what a shame that is……….
Well, if you’re looking for that kind of cognitive dissonance in real life… You only need to think about our current political situation. Or even the fact that many conservative and values-based people voted for someone who demonstrated a different set of values. But the fact that this person who’s going to be good for their pocketbook and worldview… They overlooked a whole Lotta malarkey.
@@Alfred5555 Takes more faith to be an atheist
@@tobertcordless2491 But faith is a good thing, isn't it?
Thanks for this. Great video!
Interesting video, will be subscribing
Great overview of CDT and religious belief, especially eschatological. I remember watching a documentary many years ago (maybe early-mid 00s) about a cult living out on a compound out in remote desert area of American SW. The leader was a full up messiah type and had a date set for some perceived eschatological event, like his ascent to heaven, start of the tribulation, return of Jesus, etc…. The documentary crew was there with cameras rolling throughout the day and night of this prophesied event, the members were frenetic in prayer and anxious for the pending cataclysmic event, and, you guessed it, nothing at all happened. The next morning, the cult leaders declared that the event had in fact occurred, but in heaven/spiritual realm; exactly as explained in this video. What I found most interesting was how all of the followers just rolled with it, seemingly accepting the BS excuse in its entirety, celebrating this supposed miraculous event.
It is fundamental brainwashing.
You've returned with a belter! Really good essay
Keep it up bro. Love your work.
Video is popping off; 36k views in 4 days! congratulations
Saw you on MythVision. Came here and have watched this multiple times. I deconvrted years ago, but I'm surprised how much I downplayed this issue even up until now. I deconverted from being convinced Jesus didn't fulfill Messianic prophecy. This topic should have played a bigger part in my journey out. Great presentation.
Why haven't I heard of you before?
Got my subscription, easily.
This is a really interesting explanation. I grew up Seventh-day Adventist and so I am very familiar with the Millerite story. I had never connected it to the very origins of Christianity like this. Thank you!
You put this together very well. I can't imagine what it would be like to view this from the perception of a believer. I suppose they would just deny and rationalize like they always do.
Great video! It’s fascinating to see modern psychological concepts applied to significant historical events like this. It really makes me realize how much I don’t know.
While I’m a Christian mystic, I concluded a long time ago that the historical accuracy of the Bible is all but irrelevant to my faith. The stories and lessons are what count, not whether they really happened. I follow Christianity not because it’s true in history, but because it seems to be true in practice-it produces positive results when we follow Jesus’s example and believe His teachings.
It seems to me that most of the biblical writings are symbolic and allegorical, but when we insist on reading them as history, we miss their psychological and practical significance. The way most Christians approach the Bible is like a child hearing the story of Little Red Riding Hood and fixating on the events of the story themselves, while completely missing the cautionary lesson that the story was meant to teach.
As a skeptic, I couldn’t agree more! As Gandhi said, “I like your Christ but I don’t like your Christians.” If we could focus on useful and positive interpretations of Christ’s teachings, and embody them, there would be no need for taking them literally. And it’s ironic and sad that throughout history Christianity has been tightly fused with authoritarianism, when the teachings of Christ are nearly the exact opposite…
Your analysis and J. Gordon's quote at 25:52 would seem to add the sunk cost fallacy to the mindset of believers. They've already invested so much in the belief; cognitive dissonance is inevitable should they not adjust their interpretation of prophecy. To even suggest they were mistaken after all this time would be unthinkable to them.
A really good piece of work - thank you.
Wow this was really really insightful thank you.
Well done. I'm rather surprised that there are so many reinterpretations of the Bible within the Bible itself. I never knew these existed until now.
The comments to this video are a great example of confirmation bias. The video really provides no compelling reason to reach the conclusions you do. It's just an exercise in constructing alternative explanations. Which I'm fine with, but that's different from arguing for that explanation.
I want to note something really important for this video that a lot of the commenters are missing: cognitive dissonance is a normal part of human psychology, it arises every day, and fuels all inquiry, scientific or otherwise. Everyone has it, and we all resolve congitive dissonance through revising our beliefs in some way. Just because someone or some group resolves cognitive dissonance doesn't mean anything. The question is whether they did so rationally or irrationally, cynically and in a self serving way, or truthfully. This video really doesn't make that clear.
You can analyze almost anything along the lines of cognitive dissonance or other irrational, cognitive dysfunctions. You can reduce every motivation to something cynical. The question is whether that's a good explanation, whether this is really what's going on or not. For instance, cognitive dissonance and rationalization follows the broader pattern of belief adjustment that all humans engage in. Any time we have any sort of unexpected experience, we integrate it into our beliefs by modifying the structure of our previous beliefs to remove tension. This is just how the human mind works, both when it's functioning rationally or irrationally. Any particular instance of adjusting our beliefs can be interpreted under the lens of rationalizing away cognitive dissonance. Cognitive dissonance is itself simply tension. The question is this: is the way we relieve this dissonance rational, or irrational? You can't just say "oh look they're relieving cognitive dissonance by modifying their beliefs" and conclude anything profound from that. Cognitive dissonance and belief modification is the starting point of all inquiry. You can draw parallels between any act of synthesizing and the crazy spiritualization of the Millerites!
You should probably ask more clear questions, like:
(1) Did Jesus Himself, prior to his death, really teach that the disciples were misunderstanding him? Or is this a later revision/invention to make sense of failed prophecy?
(2) Did the OT source material have a specific, well defined messianic vision? Or were there multiple readings even prior to the 1st c? You assume that the early Christians had to "reinterpret" certain OT passages, and impose new order on them to make sense of their failed prophecies, all part of a process of spiritualization. But that assumes they needed to do this, that the way they read their texts were like how the Millerites read theirs.
(3) Did the disciples really believe they had scene Jesus resurrected? That they had spoken with him in person, etc? This would suggest against a mere spiritualizing process of relieving cognitive dissonance.
(4) That is, did the early Christians have gold reasons to resolve their cognitive dissonance in the ways they did, or did they do so irrationally?
Tldr: you can't just say "oh they were resolving cognitive dissonance" and infer anything more profound from that alone. You jump from giving a possible explanation to saying that it is THE explanation.
This is so facinating! Phenomenal discussion
I like videos to mark what I’ve seen on said topic or not. I liked this video because I like the content. Thank you ❤
Well you are obviously very intelligent and articulate. This doesn't disturb my faith at all.
Could Trumpism then qualify to be considered apocalyptic cultism?
Fellow ex-ihop intp (now atheist) here. Saw your mythvision interview. Keep up the good work
I love how your video is so transferable. I couldn't help but compare it to our current situation. Everyone will regurgitate "follow the science" but when that science shows something they don't want to admit to... cognitive dissonance reeeaallly sets in.
Well no science isn't something you "follow" science is the systematic study of the structure and behavior of the physical and natural world through observation, experimentation, and the testing of theories against the evidence obtained. "Following the science" isn't a thing. You cant really disagree with objective reality lol
@@schnoz2372 but they do and you proved my point. Yes I understand what science is but when it comes to the cult of "follow the science" ...they reject the scientific method when it goes against their highly held narrative.
What, in your opinion, would be an example of science showing something we don't want to admit to?
Fasincating to think that this very process of re-interpreting history could be fundamental Jewish/Christian notions of God and time. John Verkaeke in his 'Awakening from the meaning crisis series' episode 3, points to the Israel's new god presented in the burning bush narrative is a new category of deity 'I will be what I will be, I am the god of the open future'. Which, looking at the documentary, supplementary, and duel origins hypotheses, shows how the the earlier local god El, and the different story traditions were compiled in a new reinterpretation by later authors. Sythesising these god and stories into unity.
Micheal Googan describes how the god of Israelites seems to have become to be the lord of history, mythic history in which the meaning has to be fathom to figure out what Yahweh is up to for “whatever happened was ultimately Yahweh’s doing”.
So act of re-interpreting history and prophecy has been a core of the tradition.
I think cognitive dissonance explains a lot of groupthink, not just traditional religion
Interesting video and compelling points of many instances of "moving the goalposts". Wouldn't the "spiritualization" you mentioned involve claiming a spiritual resurrection rather than a physical one? Or does it take CDT + another resurrection specific theory? (swoon, stolen body, etc)
I don't think it needs either because I don't think his argument works. The problem is two fold. First, he presents a very watered down and incomplete picture of Christian doctrine but second, he ignores the justifications that the early church used. They appealed to their prophecies being fulfilled. There is a shift in Jewish... not scriptural... thought on the purpose of the Messiah but it wasn't on a whim. It was made with the authority of predictions concerning the suffering servant throughout the book of Isaiah.
Matthew used as an example the Millerites of the 1800s. This was a cult group that had its prophet and prophecies. Like other groups who have made end time predictions, the time came and past. The difference is that these groups don't parallel what we see in the NT. Whereas, these groups followed a man. They put their full and unwavering trust in the "prophet."
The apostles speak of experiences. Not just the rationalization of a pre-held belief. That is something none of these cults appeal to. Its hard to make a case for cognitive dissonance without first demonstrating that the stories themselves are false.
So the argument becomes circular. How do we know its Cog. Diss? Because the stories told aren't true. How do we know the stories told aren't true? Because they were suffering from cognitive dissonance.
Love this video. Thanks so much!
Matthew, one nagging thought I have about your presentation is that there’s a substantial difference between what the Millerites needed to fix their problem and what the early Christians needed. In the former case all they needed was to say something non-empirical happened (Jesus did something in the heavenly sanctuary, or whatever.) By stark contrast, the early Christians had to make an empirical claim about an empty tomb, one that at least in principle could have been disproven.
I’m curious how you would respond to this.
I think the reply is that the empty tomb is a much later belief as it’s not mentioned in the epistles of Paul. The empty tomb is only relevant if there are resurrection appearances which do not occur in Mark, the earliest gospel.
How many of the 1st century Christians do you think had actually seen the empty tomb with their own eyes? Paul the apostle certainly hadn't and he was chief responsible for spreading "the good news" that Christ had risen from the dead. This to me looks like a clear example of a cult reinventing the past to make it fit their new belief. "Is Jesus dead? No, he rose from the grave after two days and a month later he went to heaven". Boom. No savior defeated and dead. In fact this whole crucifixion deal was a part of his clever divine plan for humanity.
Thanks for the content, Matthew! I'd like to ask a clarifying question. You mentioned that the example of the "non-event of Oct. 22nd, 1844" can be compared to the earliest Christians and their belief that Jesus had been resurrected to heaven. It seems from the testimony that they claimed that Jesus interacted with the women, disciples, and others for over a month, which doesn't seem like they're grappling with explaining a non-event. So do you believe that the original witnesses lied about interacting with a resurrected Jesus or do you think that they truly believed it? And does this argument assume that the gospels must have been written by people who were far removed from the life and ministry of Jesus?
We absolutely know that the Gospels were written by people removed from Jesus' life. The earliest, Mark, was written about 40 years after Jesus crucifixion, according to most mainstream scholars (who are mostly Christians, by the way). No book of the NT was written by anyone who ever laid eyes on Jesus. This is the scholarly consensus. The earliest books of the NT were written by Paul, who didn't become a Christian until at least 10 years after Jesus' death. Paul himself never met Jesus before or after the crucifixion, but only had a "vision" of him on the road to Damascus.
@@donnievance1942 I guess autobiographies written by people in old age, 70+ years old, can't be trusted as good references for that person's early life experiences. Or biographies written by a person's grandchild maybe 100 years after the subjects death, based on the personal contact and recited stories.
@@Alfred5555 Not when they claim fantastical abilities far beyond physical science - walking on water, raising the dead, transubstantiation of matter without the use of a particle accelerator, and I'm sure you are familiar with the rest I have not mentioned. Do you believe the reported and written claims of all UFO abductees? Not likely, I'm sure you only believe what you WANT to believe.
You will find the answer to all your questions in Bart Ehrman videos, he is an expert on Jesus and Christianity. To me, Jesus did not said anything that would make me go Whoa! I would have been impressed if he would have said - Those people that you are accusing of being possessed by the devil are just having a epileptic attack caused by a brain problem, do not kill them.
@@aliensoup2420 Did you get a Nobel prize for discovering the limits of physical science all by yourself?
Well done, sir.
The other question l will like to ask you is how did you collect the data that qualified your subjects were suffering from this theory ? Unless you were assuming this to be a common behaviour claimed by.many social psycholgists studying the same subject and having the same consistent result . Are your concerns and conclusions drawn from the secondary data used or your own primary observations?
I'm newly deconstructing and this video puts into words and give sources for everything I'm trying to sort through in my head about how Christianity came to be and how it rationalizes nonsensical things. Thank you for this. It helps me make sense of things and I appreciate you digging into this so deep.
Don't just rely on his video. The problem is that he presents a very simplified picture of Christianity as laid out in the scripture. He compares cultists without any corroborating stories to support their trust in their "prophet" to the apostles who give story after story of their experiences. Matthew's argument becomes circular. The stories told can't be real because they are experiencing cognitive dissonance. How do we know they are experience cog. diss.? Because, the stories aren't real.
The NT doesn't hide the fact that the apostles still thought as Jews. They believed Jesus was coming to establish his earthly kingdom. Their transition and the reason for the transition is not hidden either. They don't play a rationalization role in that transition as you see the cults use. As they begin to wrap their head around what happened, they begin appealing to what the scripture actually said and not on a reliance of the cultural understanding as they begin to quote and use Isaiah's suffering servant, written 600 years or so before.
"He has no stately form or majesty that we should look upon him, nor appearance that we should be attracted to him. He was despised and forsaken of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and like one from whom men hide their face he was desposed, and we did not esteem him. Surely our griefs he himself bore, and our sorrows he carried; Yet we ourselves esteemed him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But He was pierced through for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the chastening for our well-being fell upon him, and by his scourging we are healed. All of us like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; but the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on him."
@@blusheep2 Accurate
@@blusheep2 But they do in fact play a rationalization role even if they begin to appeal to an interpretation of the OT, the fact that they completely changed the idea of salvation from being dependent god's mercy or will to be theologically unnecessarily dependent on a human sacrifice that wasn't actually a sacrifice because of the resurrection that is also put there unnecessarily (because when talking about a sacrifice something has to be given up which in this case was un-done) but it's only necessarily put in order for him to be able fulfill the other important messianic prophecies (which is so Ad-hoc and convenient and also unfalsifiable).. or that the reason he isn't here now is because that he ascended (again unnecessary but convenient to make it unfalsifiable and again is another case of Ad-hoc) ... the fact that all of this sound so Ad-hoc and unnecessary shows cognitive dissonance.
it's like saying what's the the evidence that these other believers of these false prophets had cognitive dissonance ?
The answer would be the obvious ad-hoc, unfalsifiable and unnecessary explanations they put.. is that also circular ?
Well if not then it's also not the case with the resurrection.
It's funny because we see throughout the NT the same pattern of cognitive dissonance regarding the failed expectation of the coming of Jesus and the end of time during the lifetime of the disciples/their generation through some obvious Ad-hoc attempts of backtracking in the gospel of John (as if the false prophecy wasn't so unequivocal) or a cute excuse made in the epistle of peter (as if the omnipotent God is limited by time that's why he is a bit "late" to his promise).
If the only testable falsifiable claim of the NT (i.e. the eschaton being in their lifetime/generation) is so obviously blatantly unequivocally false and late 1st century Christians are making up excuses for it , which shows cognitive dissonance, Then why should you think that the early 1st century weren't like them when they were the ones made that falsifiable prediction in the first place ?
If you want more details his previous videos are talking about what I'm saying
@@Sheragust Have you ever considered that you are just missing something?
One of the things said about Jesus was that he was the first to be risen. That speaks to eternal life where those that put their faith in Him will also be risen. So, If I jump in front of a bullet for you, would that not be a sacrifice because, one day I will rise a new man? I don't think so. So, in this point, at least, I don't think its ad hoc. There is purpose to the resurrection.
There is more to it then that. The wages of sin is death, and though Christ suffered for us, the penalty of sin couldn't hold him in the grave because He was sinless. So he went as a proxy for us and took on that death and suffering so that we might experience a life not held down by the grave. There is nothing arbitrary about that either.
You might say that the "wages of sin" is ad hoc and maybe your right but maybe the problem is that you are trying to reason against God, as if you can. I'm not saying I can answer all your questions satisfactorily, but I can say that I don't think there is anything arbitrary about why God does what he does and when I hit an area that I don't understand, I don't begin by assuming that its ad hoc, which would be the assumption that I can know the mind of God.
Cognitive dissonance means that you can only hear what supports your position. That isn't me. I recognize where you come from. I understand why you feel the way you do. That being said, there are answers to your attacks.
Jesus never gave a time for his return. He said stuff like "soon" and "you will see me." To modern readers and even ancient ones, it can take this in two ways. A literal way or a figurative way. We see in these statements eschatological language but we also see in other parts of scripture, stages that must take place before it all comes to pass.Stages that Christ talked about. For instance, he says not to worry about wars and rumors of wars. This is always happening. He said we should pay attention when the abomination that causes desolation is set up in the temple. Well, since Jesus, in Mark, predicted the destruction of the temple in 70 AD (Is it cognitive dissonance that you don't recognize this as a "testable falsifiable claim in the NT?), then the abomination that causes desolation can't really be set up in it until there is a temple again.
Peter goes on to explain why his audience, who was under the stress of Nero's persecution, was misunderstanding Jesus's timeline. They hoped that Jesus's promise to return soon would save them from the persecution, but Peter was trying to warn them that we don't know the day or hour which He would come.
So though I understand that you might take the promise more literally, I think I have many reasons from scripture to understand these statements as eschatological. I don't see where cognitive dissonance comes into play. If you think I'm rationalizing something, thats fine, but its not cognitive dissonance. I'm not ignoring anything, nor are other Christians.
@@blusheep2 That example of your resurrection isn't the same because your death won't be there for just two days, and isn't comparable to the sacrifice to end all sacrifices which is the main point of Christianity and the immediate resurrection makes absolutely no sense theologically it's still and ad-hoc rationalization to the lack of fulfillment of the messianic expectations in the OT.
There is nothing arbitrary about a completely unnecessary sacrifice to atone for sins when the Jewish scripture and theology already has God being able to forgive sins ?
it solves a problem that isn't there to begin with.
Also him not staying dead because he had no sin is begging the question since it assumes that the NT claim about him having no sin being true which is also unfalsifiable.
We have got falsifiable prophecies of the coming of the son of man in Mark 14:62 , Mark 9:1 , Mark 13:30 , Matt 16:28 , Matt 10:23 , 1 Cor 7:29 , 1 Thess 4:15
This is an eschatological promise and a time is given to be within the generation/lifetime of the disciples and also Paul and his contemporaries.
It didn't happen , and whoever authored John or Peter tried to water these failed prophecies down or make excuses that don't make sense.
As for the prophecy of the destruction of the temple is given as a sign of the end of time that is going to happen during the generation of the disciples that are also going to witness the other signs in the Olivet discourse.
And it failed you don't get a point for getting 10% of the prophecy right and fail at the rest.
That's assuming that it's historical anyway since this stuff is written decades after the fact so it would be convenient for the author to make up an ex-eventu prophecy, either way it's a speculation and even if it's historical it still a part of a failed prophecy.
You have to at least to sympathize with us a little bit here since again the only falsifiable claim the NT makes is so blatantly false yet Christian apologists insist to use other unfalsifiable claims as evidence for the Resurrection while ignoring the falsifiable part.
So far CDT + Old Testament hypothesis trumps over any other explanation for how Christianity started and became what it is.
I had seen this on several occasions in the past examinations of things like John 2:18-22, but this video clarifies WHY and HOW this misunderstanding was created.
Superb. And it fits so many other cults, such as the Mormons, Scientologists, Christian Science, JW, and a whole lot more.
Jews too. Many atheist Jewish people today claim... Israel is "legitimate state" for them but also justified by Biblical claims they do not belive in. Or worse they scream "Naziiii" while Israel basically is based on genocode of Canaaneans.
Are you aware that Western Christianity isn't the only faith and religion in the world?
@@Alfred5555 He acknowledged Scientology, so yes.
You have an essentialistic understanding of logical definition and deduction. There's an episode in this anime called Kino's Journey about the Millerites but made a bit more into a parable, as every episode in that show does that. It's pretty good to match these forms of content for me, I'm thankful. Intuitively I always had a problem with physical eschatology, prophetic events in dualism and the notions of good and evil that require national-supremacistic ideas about how to make such "justice" and I am glad to see such a well researched individual compiling all these implications in a single video.
- Your Quality Apologist
I find it so interesting how some believers desperately want the world to end. I, personally, would like the world to continue to exist and do my part, little by little, to make it better.
There is a better world with the LORD ! in the Kingdom of Heaven
You should be nihilistic, the world will eventually end, our star (the sun) will explode and kill everyone of us, reality is meaningless, we will all die
This video is an example of, to use Christ's words, "straining at a gnat and swallowing a camel." Every angle is explored, except the most basic and relevant. The Bible specifically says that no one knows the day of Christ's return, no, not even the Son but only the Father knows. So the Millerites were not just guilty of misunderstanding prophecy but in actually contradicting Scripture, which is a massive sin that deserves rebuke. Cognitive dissonance isnt the real issue here; the Millerites simply contradicted Scriptural warnings regarding Biblical prophecy.
Wow, this clarified a lot about my uncanny feelings about this religion I grew up in. Always when I thought I understood it and I tended to believe truly the goalpost was moved. Most significant was when some years ago more and more scholars said Genesis 1 has not to be taken literrary. When I went finally with that step, everything fell down. No cognitive dissonance for me any more, I'm done.
The Vernal Equinox of 2030, marks the beginning of the 3rd, 1000-year Days of Heaven, since Jesus taught us, ALL men are brothers, love one another, and be perfect -- and was then crucified in 30 AD. 2 Peter 3: 8 Matthew 5: 44-48.
It brings the fulfilment of the resurrection, as Jesus, Himself explains -- John 16: 7-15 -- when the Spirit of Truth -- NOT Jesus in the flesh -- comes to all who will receive him . . . and final judgement for the devil and dragon -- Daniel 7: 9-14 Revelation 12: 12-13.
The Republican CHURCH is now the synagogue of Satan -- Revelation 3: 9. The Catholic Church is STILL the Whore of Babylon. Final judgment for the churches is 10/12/26. Epochal eclipse April 8th 2024 -- Matthew 16: 4 Jonah 3: 4-5, 8 Jonah 4: 11 Don't stare at the sun.
09/23/26 is exactly 3.5 years sooner. It's the autumn equinox of the US' and the illuminati's 250th year (1776-2026). That's when we unveil the NEON GAUD -- at the Great Re-Set.
@@humboldthammer Sounds like you have been staring at the sun too long.
@@sulas548 Everything I write is true, The Republican CHURCH became the synagogue of Satan. The Catholic Church is STILL the Whore of Babylon. 100's of millions of Christians Deceived by FAKE EWES -- ravening wolves, dressed like sheep. It is a serious SIN to mislead the ewes in the pews. They shall not escape.
@@humboldthammer You quote from the Bible a lot can you tell me the exact method that you personally used to verify that any of its contents can be trusted to be true?
@@sulas548 Exact method? I also told you what's NEXT. Silly ewe. I have read over 700 books. And that was before high speed Internet reached my locale in 1999. I cite the Bible for the believers. It is 100% the work of men. God did not write one word.
You should assume that I know everything -- that there is very little that I have not already looked up and examined for myself.
Everything I write is true, by my intent, before I post. ONLY Truth will win an argument with me.
Rather than asking me to teach YOU -- why don't you share YOUR explanation? Tell Me what's NEXT.
Much of what I write will not be found in ANY BOOK. Show me how smart you are. What's NEXT?
Would love to hear a part 2 on this topic with Randal Rauser!
This puts into an explainable way my thoughts on religion. Thank you for that.
I am 76. I grew up as a Christian and had roles within the Church. I am now an atheist because, while I was in the church, I knew that it was just silly and I only went along with it because I would have been cast out of my family (the proof of that idea has now manifested itself ... I am shunned well and truly).
I don't mind being an outcast ... it is rather wonderful, really. I am free of the stupid mind-bending drivel that everybody went on with ... and now having read the Bible through twice (none of my church members read all of the Bible - just parts they were directed to read) I have a very good in-depth understanding, an understanding that assures me that 76 years of doubts were justified. I climbed a mountain and left everyone in the swamp.
Where did you find yourself at 76 years.? Closer to a pointless nothing after purposeless now?
Brother you are going to die.Then what?All you are doing is betting aainst your self.
@@ralphgreenwood2469 so you are nearing your pointless termination, your belief in yourself has lead to that nothing. Is that really what you think?
@@patricksee10 luckily, point and purpose are subjective concepts. I'm quite confident MegaPeedee is enjoying far more personal fulfillment in determining their own purpose and value.
@@sledderal1016 luck is a false consciousness.
My old mum clearly uses her religion as a check out from reality. I am sure she knows she's nose deep in BS. But it's a great buffer from dealing with anything for her. Sad part is she clearly agreed to deep six and explode her human relationship with me her son. But who cares. She's obviously dealing with childhood trauma. But instead of therapy, she goes deep diving in Christianity.
Wow this talk is an awakening bombshell. Thank you so much.
Make more videos man. This is one of my favs, I know you've got more in the tank lol
Very interesting and informative video!
I do find it interesting how pretty much all of Christianity can be explained with cognitive dissonance. Even the fact that Yeshua fulfilled basically none of the messianic prophecies and therefore CANNOT be the messiah is somehow turned around by these cognitive dissonance structures to reaffirm that he is definitely the messiah. Wild.
Anyway, thank you for sharing the great video. You put a lot of work into it and it shows! I look forward to your future work as well!
Your Special Speading, Cognitive Dissonance and Willfull Ignorance is disturbing Seven
Not just Christianity, every religion, and I would also place people who call themselves spiritual in that group as well.
@@hudsontd7778 lmao, type that up with proper spelling so we can all clearly tell what you’re trying to say first and then I’ll give you a proper reply. Also try spelling my name right. Here’s a hint: it’s not Steven
@@mrirish12many You mean the word of God that says it is okay to own people as property. Or the one that talks sbout bears mauling dozens of children to death because they laughed at a bald guy. But other religious texts are false. That is what they call cognitive dissonance.
@@mrirish12many
Yeshua did NOT fulfil the messianic prophecies. Ask any Jew, y’know, the ones whose faith actually contained those prophecies. After Yeshua died without fulfilling the prophecies, his followers scrambled to find reasons and did exactly what the video did: split it up into “fulfilled spiritual things this time and will fulfill physical things next time”, but that was never a part of the messianic prophecies (and a bunch of the “prophesies” Christians claim he fulfilled were never about the messiah at all and were just verses taken out of context).
Only Christianity? How about all religions?
Very in-depth ideas here!
Do you fully agree with everything that was said?
@@nkoppa5332 pretty much.
Hi! What do you think of the "Nature"-praised debunking of the resurrection called "The Gospel of Afranius"? (I have tested it on a couple of apologists and they don't know what to say!)
For a man struggling with his faith, this is hard to hear, because it is so logically consistent. I wonder how Dale Allison accepts this yet remains Christian.
Well...earth is flat...you might want to reconsider your position. The Bible is true. Apocalypse means unveiling....Mystery Babylon is about to be thrown down. Freemasonry is almost finished. Earthbia flat and stationary....like the Bible says.
And if you wish to listen to this fool, do so. He isn’t ‘logically’ consistent in anything he said. He is simply preaching to the choir. Nothing new under the sun. Maybe a bit harsh but I am growing increasingly tired of these deconstructionist hacks.
I have wondered that ever since I was introduced to his work.
I mean, typical answer is that this derives from a deeply ingrained sense of social identity.
But like, damn, dude has been hanging out on a knife's edge for decades and he continues to dance.
It sounds exhausting.
@@rainbowkrampus . The King James, Bible has 1800+ fulfilled prophesies, it proves it's self very strong, and accurate !
You clearly haven’t been supporting your faith well enough
I like the name - cognitive dissonance as it perfectly encapsulates this video, as much as large portion of human behavior and belief. Please, allow me to explain.
The speaker in the video rightly presupposes that truth exists and tries to show that belief in lies is devastating to the deceived, in wasted potential, time, life and material wealth, to name a few. However, the deceived still reject to correct their erroneous beliefs when confronted with “common sense.” This shows how common sense is rare, but more importantly it shows us our own, human nature and tendency. It is foolish to presume that: _Only those silly people over there believed in obvious lies, but I am above such foolishness._
To continue I have to stress the obvious here- as it will not be to many people reading- truth exists. Truth reigns in your life regardless if you understand it or not. It's up to you to realize this fact and adjust your life accordingly. Seek the truth. Truth is one. Not knowing the truth does not lessen the impact of your folly due to ignorance. Falling still hurts regardless how familiar you are with gravity or whether or not you believe in it. Insisting that you don't believe in reality does not exempt you from being subject of reality.
No hypothesis in history has more scientific confirmation than belief in the universal, eternal and singular truth. Reign of truth impacts you regardless of your belief or lack of belief. There is nothing better you can do with your life than to seek and love the truth with all of your heart.
Yet, many insist that truth does not exist. Like most young adults, I was saturated with ideas like:
a) _Truth is relative. What is true for you is not true for me. Nobody can say what is true._
b) _We are all products of blind evolution. Who is to say that we can even find truth? As mere moist robots, free will is an illusion and we have no chance of finding truth, even if it exists._
c) _Even if truth exists, why bother with it? It only excludes and marginalizes people. Saying that something is right, inevitably means that many are wrong. Is hurting their feelings worth sheepishly focusing on the truth?_
These three are the exact inverse of Christian thought: "1.Truth exists. 2. We can find it. 3. Truth is the best thing we can follow." Where Christianity insists on clarity and truth as the highest goal, these focus on creating confusion, doubt and helplessness. This is not an accident.
Both worldviews rest on faith. You have to believe that truth exists first, before you go out there in the world and start exploring it and doing science. Entire science rests on existence of knowable truth and an intelligible universe. However, this alone is not enough.
Christianity doesn't stop with merely stating that truth exists and that truth is God (John 14:6). It goes further with declaring that we are made in the image of God and therefore we have the free will necessary to choose and follow truth. This is why we are capable of choosing between many different, competing and contradictory ideas. We are not doomed to be hopelessly lost in a sea of an endless confusion.
Lastly, Christianity insists that we are called to love truth with all our heart, mind and soul. (Matthew 22:37). Christianity insists that there is nothing better we can do with our life other than follow and love the truth. This is the first of ten commandments. It is that important.
We know the universe is intelligible. It was made with a single mind, a single truth that ordered it all. No hypothesis in history of the world has more scientific confirmation than belief in the universal, eternal and singular truth. Truth reigns regardless if we understand it, believe it or don’t. Only truth can set us free from lies that have us trapped.
Christianity also teaches that most chose the “broad road to destruction” - all the many ways you can reject truth and go your own way. God allows us the freedom to act contrary to our own benefit because we have free will. We are not slaves who have to obey truth and love. We can, and do- chose lies and hate. It is exceptionally difficult not to choose lies and hate. Just look at the world we live in. Look at human history. What do you see? The modern lie that “humans are basically good” or the biblical truth that we are fallen, we have rejected the truth, cast out from Eden as we love deception, darkness and sin?
I hope this helps. Thank you for reading and have a nice day.
Great stuff!
Well done! I think this is a big step toward understanding why so many people have fallen for Christianity over the centuries. Sad that people just can't get over all of it rather than it going on generation after generation.
Maybe because it offers a true description of the way humans should behave.
@@johnschuh8616 Gosh now, applying a scientific method to history and human nature would never occur to a Liberal mind. Just make dialectic psuedo-arguements based on cartoon strawmen of course.
@@Alfred5555 One thing one does not do circular reasoning , which is reality of the bodily resurrection of Jesus. He starts from the premise that such a thing could never have taken place. Ironically, this ignore the fact that the Jews of the time would have agreed. Ghosts they would have accepted, or stolen bodies, or even resuscitated corpses. We are so infatuated with modern science that we think ancient folks were any more superstitious than we are. Maybe kings and emperors no long employ astrologers. because we now know with certainty the things of near space, but today’s “Royals” employ equivalent pseudo-scientists..
The inability to understand the persistence of Christianity in the midst of apparent "cognitive dissonance" is a failure to see the inadequacy of the criticism. If something keeps persisting despite perceived absurdity, it may in fact point to an inability to understand what is actually happening. It's easier to dismiss it as "falling for it" than come to terms with the limits of "cognitive dissonance".
When you are indoctrinated at birth, it is hard to escape. It binds people with social and cultural ties, not to mention "the wrath of god".