Why are humans so often resistant to believe that which they cannot see? I have discussed this before in my blog, and it only seems fitting to raise this issue again given the recent debates over naturalism and supernaturalism that have taken place recently in our class. For hundreds of years humans have debated whether or not they should believe in the supernatural beings of gods. Some have held firm in their beliefs and do not question the existence of a divine being. Others have been incredibly adament that we can only prove what we can see, and well, there is no way to "see" a god. What makes a person prefer one side over the other? How can some people have such "faith" in the unknown while others have such strong "faith" in science? I simply wonder if there are psychological characteristics that "determine" in a sense, which belief a person will lean towards. For instance, can people be genetically predisposed to having a faith in God? As I mentioned in a previous blog post, there are certain "thrill-seekers" who love chasing the unknown, so this seems entirely possibly. If this is the case, are people who believe in a god more inclined to believe in entities like ghosts? I believe they are, for if a person has the tendency to hold true one invisible being, they most likely do so with others as well. Additionally, is it possible for a person to believe in ghosts and not believe in a god?
It may seem like I am raising more questions than I am answering, but that is because the world is such a mysterious place. There are so many things we are not meant to understand, and it is questionable if it is even worth our time trying to find the truth. It would be a much different world after all, if humans were simply not that inquisitive. Nevertheless, we are, and we need to learn how to deal with things when we do not find the answers. So, in regards to religion, unlike Thomas Clark, I do not believe supernaturalism and naturalism can coexist peacefully. They never have, and they never will, no matter how much individuals may want them to.
I replied to your question on my blog.
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