arg, matey. believing with zero back-up....!!

Very simplistically, the question is answered when one looks into the psychological dynamics of individuals and groups. We all begin within and belong to groups ~ family, friends, school, church, suburb/town, politics, nation etc etc In groups the leaders lead and the followers follow. Followers are the majority and leaders are in the minority, because earliest learning is instruction in obedience to the parent, family, group, teacher, school, local government structure, church, creditors etc etc and is inculcated into the psyche of each of us from the beginning. This may be an effect of some primal "safety in numbers" mechanism that helped preserve the group/species in pre-historic times, but it creates a paradigmatic belief system that unquestioningly self perpetuates which is neither necessarily good nor perfect - it just worked at the time, so remains unquestioned.
Take for example the "Michael Moore's" of this world, who in questioning the values of the society in which they live, polarise viewpoints into those who accept the paradigm and those who question it.
Religion is no different in that it is an accepted paradigmatic belief system into which we of the "christian world" are born, and the same applies to all other religions. Those who follow will continue to unquestioningly do so, and those who lead are empowered by the belief in doing so. Those who question are suspect because they neither lead nor follow the paradigm.
"Defending the faith" is defending the paradigm, for to question it one must also question the integrity of all that one has ever been taught, as well as the processes of individual thought and mind ~ the very basis of "self" and "individuality".
In order to be "born again", one must eradicate irrational or unquestioned paradigms so as to discover the 'truth which sets you free" ~ the result of which for me is contained in the technology desribed in my website.

 

nitemare, sadly enough, a lot of people "beleive" in things that they know nothing about, have never studied and just beleive because they were either told to, or because they are afraid to think otherwise. Most people don't think or reason. Someone told them something, and that is what they beleive for life.

In the Christian faith, it is unbeleivable how unknowlegable many people who claim to "believe" is.

One doesn't need "proof of God" to believe, IMO, but one should at least THINK about what their faith is, and if it makes sense. Most people simply don't do this. I can't tell you why. I think that questioning can make faith stronger, not weaker. But IMO, people with shakey faith, or faith with no foundation, are afraid to question, because they are afraid they might run into something that would shake them to their core. And in most cases, this is what these people need.

I AM this personality type, but I also have Faith. My faith has nothing to do with needing evidence for scientific or historic information. They are two completely different things. Which is why I always laugh when people say "You can't prove God exists! So there." Proof simply isn't needed, and I don't care if "proof" of God exists or not. JMO.

 

Analytical, skeptical personalities probably make good leaders in the religious world. They are the ones who can answer every argument made to them by another. They can confront other beliefs head on and won't be shaken in their own. But not everyone is a leader, not everyone is skeptical, not everyone questions, analyzes, and doubts. Not everyone even cares enough to involve themselves in the debate. You will find people of all kinds in every belief system.

For people who believe without question, or believe simply because they were raised that way you will find people who love the research, study, and debate of their beliefs, and also about a million people inbetween.

 

Great point Maggie Sugar, and one that I wholeheartedly believe to be true.
I know for myself that when christian I never questioned my "faith' for fear that God, listening in to my every thought and feeling, would condemn me to hell. But over time, I considered that if the real God (as opposed to the jealous vengeful bible god) was truly Divine and real, then exploration of every aspect of 'his' creation would be something that 'he'd' encourage. So I did, and in so doing I indeed discovered the truth that set me free.
How wonderful truth is!