“There are, however, exceptions to this reliance on feelings as evidence of truth: if, for instance, your feelings lead to disbelief instead of belief, they're apt to be dismissed as some form of denial. This is not a common problem. Usually intellectualism, not feeling reality, is blamed for disbelief. But, some angel experts suggest, there may be emotional as well as intellectual barriers to belief: unwillingness to believe in angels can reflect low self-esteem.” IfsBelieveWellsMaySelfFeelingsProblemRealityFormBeliefCommonAtheismSelf EsteemEmotionalIntellectualLowsEvidenceAngelPositive AtheismEsteemInstanceDenialExpertsExceptionBarriersRelianceDisbeliefLow Self EsteemIntellectualism Author:Wendy Kaminer
“There's a way in which all of these grazers at the spirituality buffet are performing a service, because you could argue that grazing leads to a kind of tolerance. People who incorporate teachings from a lot of different traditions into their own belief systems are going to be more tolerant than people who confine themselves within the strict boundaries of one particular religion. Does it contribute to our confusion? I don't know if it contributes to confusion so much as it is evidence of a certain kind of silliness and shallowness.” PeopleKindDifferentSpiritualityBeliefTeachingEvidenceTraditionArguingToleranceBoundariesConfusionPerformingSillinessShallowness Author:Wendy Kaminer
“What makes fantastic declarations believable is, in part, the vehemence with which they're proffered. Again, in the world of spirituality as well as of pop psychology, intensity of personal belief is evidence of truth. It is considered very bad form - even abuse - to challenge the veracity of any personal testimony that might be offered in a twelve-step group or on a talk show, unless the testimony itself is equivocal... Whatever sells, whatever many people believe strongly, must be true.” PeopleWorldBelieveWellsShowsMightFormReligionSpiritualityBeliefChallengesStepsPsychologyGroupsEvidenceAbuseSellsPopsBeing TrueFantasticIntensityTwelveDeclarationTestimonyBelievableTalk ShowsTrue ReligionVeracityVehemencePersonal Beliefs Author:Wendy Kaminer
