What 'makes you' believe?

In past exchanges with FMF, he has claimed that he cannot choose to believe in something if he doesn't find it credible. So the question is what criteria does someone use to decide whether or not something is credible? Some people find the existence of God to be credible whereas other people don't. Do people have a choice whether or not they want to believe in God? If not, is there an external force that causes people to believe? I would like to hear your thoughts on this matter.

Originally posted by @dj2becker
In past exchanges with FMF, he has claimed that he cannot choose to believe in something if he doesn't find it credible.

Yes, we have discussed this at length and in depth ~ and repeatedly too. It will be interesting to see how you get on when discussing it with other people.

A slight but significant correction/clarification to your OP, if I may: What I have claimed, as you already know - specifically - is that I cannot choose to believe in something connected to supernatural phenomena or supernatural beings if I don't find them credible.

As I have explained to you on several occasions, I think that belief in supernatural things comes by something more akin a process of realization - perhaps by way of a 'gut feeling' - rather than a conscious decision or choice.

I cannot, for example, just choose to believe in the Hindu gods ~ even if a Hindu were to give me evidence that supported their religious faith.

And you will remember us discussing this as well: what I believe I can make conscious choices about are what information [claims regarding supernatural things] I expose myself to or things like how long I choose to expose myself to them.

I personally think this is psychologically true for all people and not just me, regardless of what claims they make to the contrary. It will be interesting to see how your discussion with people goes.

Atheism is an intellectual philosophy a young American man espouses concurrent with his obtaining his first girlfriend.

(Not completely serious here)

Originally posted by @fmf
Yes, we have discussed this at length and in depth ~ and repeatedly too. It will be interesting to see how you get on when discussing it with other people.

A slight but significant correction/clarification to your OP, if I may: What I have claimed, as you already know - specifically - is that I cannot choose to believe in something [b]connected to supernatur ...[text shortened]... ims they make to the contrary. It will be interesting to see how your discussion with people go.

You clearly believed in God at one point (as you said you were a Christian for decades) so you found His existence to be credible.

What caused what you previously found to be credible to no longer be credible?

Originally posted by @romans1009
What caused what you previously found to be credible to no longer be credible?

I shared with you all I am willing to share ~ in answer to this question ~ shortly after you started posting here. Perhaps you "don't recall".

I also answered this question ~ several times ~ in as much detail as I was interested in giving when asked by dj2becker (also when he was posting as Fetchmyjunk], so he knows what my explanation is and the extent to which I used to be interested in discussing it.

I am not interested in talking to you about it.

Originally posted by @fmf
I shared with you all I am willing to share ~ in answer to this question ~ shortly after you started posting here. Perhaps you "don't recall". I also answered this question ~ several times ~ in as much detail as I was interested in giving when asked by dj2becker (also when he was posting as Fetchmyjunk], so he knows what my explanation is and the extent to which I used to be interested in discussing it. I am not interested in talking to you about it.

Nice dodge.

You shared nothing about that with me at any point, but you have a habit of falsely claiming you already answered questions when you’re caught with your knickers down.

No surprise you’re doing it again.

Originally posted by @sonship
Atheism is an intellectual philosophy a young American man espouses concurrent with his obtaining his first girlfriend.

(Not completely serious here)

Mindful of the fact that you are not being completely serious, it still crash lands unless its purpose is to satirize outdated perspectives. If tit is a reference to the "sin" of pre-marital sex, then I have to wonder what world you are living in. Only a naive observer would believe pre-marital sex is the realm atheism. If you think all those countless Catholic men who have left unmarried mothers in their wake in the Philippines [for example] are not theists, then you are going to have to lean very, very hard on the No True Scotsman logical fallacy.

This is just an aside, as was your humorous aside.

Originally posted by @romans1009
You clearly believed in God at one point (as you said you were a Christian for decades) so you found His existence to be credible.

What caused what you previously found to be credible to no longer be credible?

This is the question that FMF cannot fully answer. He claims that after being exposed to stuff (stuff he somehow cannot specifically mention) he came to a realization that he no longer found Christianity to be credible. Apparently he had no choice here and he was not able to make an informed decision like other normal people do.

Originally posted by @dj2becker
This is the question that FMF cannot fully answer. He claims that after being exposed to stuff (stuff he somehow cannot specifically mention) he came to a realization that he no longer found Christianity to be credible. Apparently he had no choice here and he was not able to make an informed decision like other normal people do.

In one of the old threads he posted a link to, he said he was in a near fatal motorcycle accident some years ago. I wonder if that event coincided with him becoming an atheist.

Originally posted by @romans1009
Nice dodge.

You shared nothing about that with me at any point, but you have a habit of falsely claiming you already answered questions when you’re caught with your knickers down.

No surprise you’re doing it again.

Whether you recall me telling you or not, or whether I have misremembered telling you before, I am not interested in answering your question about what caused me to no longer find credible what I once did find credible other than to describe it as a long drawn out and gradual process of reflection that resulted in me realizing that I no longer believed the claims that Christians make about themselves and about the meaning of Jesus' life. So, eventually, I stopped self-identifying as a Christian. You'll have to settle for that.

Originally posted by @romans1009
In one of the old threads he posted a link to, he said he was in a near fatal motorcycle accident some years ago. I wonder if that event coincided with him becoming an atheist.

I was not a Christian when I had my near fatal motorcycle accident in 2010. I have never posted anything on this website from the perspective of being a Christian.

Originally posted by @fmf
I was not a Christian when I had my near fatal motorcycle accident in 2010. I have never posted anything on this website from the perspective of being a Christian.

Another example of him trying to get traction out of personal information shared by other posters.

It's bordering on creepy.

I guess the next question is whether or not a 'realization' about the supernatural involves any rational thought processes and whether or not you have the ability to make decisions about your own supernatural beliefs or lack of them.

Originally posted by @fmf
Whether you recall me telling you or not, or whether I have misremembered telling you before, I am not interested in answering your question about what caused me to no longer find credible what I once did find credible other than to describe it as a long drawn out and gradual process of reflection that resulted in me realizing that I no longer believed the clai ...[text shortened]... life. So, eventually, I stopped self-identifying as a Christian. You'll have to settle for that.

You based your decision on whether God exists and whether Jesus Christ’s Resurrection was true on what other people said about themselves and what they said about Jesus? Are you kidding?

The evidence that led you to no longer believe in God was other people talking about themselves and talking about what Jesus’ life meant?

I think your claim of being a former Christian is about as true as Ghost’s claim of having a theology degree. No wonder you don’t want to talk about it.

Originally posted by @ghost-of-a-duke
Another example of him trying to get traction out of personal information shared by other posters.

It's bordering on creepy.

Many people abandon religion or belief in God after a traumatic event, whether it happened to them or a loved one.

I realize you’re back on your heels and flailing away, but you should be used to that posture by now.