How can you 'not know' what you believe?

Question

I can understand being *unsure* of ones beliefs.
I can understand *not* believing in something.
I can understand believing in something.
I can understand not knowing whether the beliefs you hold are factual or not....

I cannot understand the claim that any person would 'not know' what they believe... Unless you never thought of something ever, how would you not know what you believed about it? And, if someone asked if what you thought about that something, you'd think about it, and therefore have a belief about it that you knew about.

Could someone explain what not knowing what you believe is supposed to mean?

Answer 1

I have also been quite baffled by people who answer "I don't know" when asked what they believe. However, I may be in that boat now. I'm currently examining beliefs other than my own. I mean, I've always done that, but am now examining them with the possible intention of joining a new belief system. Sometimes, I feel the urge to clarify (something to the effect of "I'm currently a member of this particular faith, but am examining other beliefs, as well.") but am aware that for many people, that's as good as saying, "I don't know." But I do know what faith I am currently a member of, and the types of faiths I'm researching, and the sorts of beliefs I'm drawn to. It's not as if I'm just completely stumbling through my spirituality without having a clue of what I'm actually looking for. Sometimes, saying "I don't know" seems easier than launching into a massive dissertation about what I believe while I'm in this interim period of spiritual examination.

Answer 2

Sometimes we're still asking questions. 'Unsure' implies lack of confidence. 'Not knowing' suggests an open mind.



I don't know how other people use it. I'm not the least bit unsure of that fact. I'm simply in a state of not knowing.



And there are personal things as well like how would I react in this or that situation. If I say that I think I might do this, I'm unsure, which is fair enough. But I've learned that we rarely know before we get there, and are often surprised. So I say simply that I do not know.



My religion is comfortable with that lack of certainty. We don't know, we cannot know, what happens after death, if anything at all. So we focus on living our lives as ethically, mindfully and honestly as we can. We're not unsure. We simply don't know. And we're cool with that.

Answer 3

Wish you had given an example. Or the source of your consternation in the real world.



One can believe all that one's Physics Professor Dad says (because he has a Doctorate in Physics) without knowing the matter of that belief. That much is to be expected.



But without knowing what's really bugging you, I can't go further.

Answer 4

My guess would just be willful ignorance of it. Even so, not having thought about it doesn't seem like a very good reason for not knowing what you believe.

Answer 5

For me, the "not knowing" is all part of the unknown factors. After all, religion or spirituality is not something we can physically embrace or touch. I know what I do not believe, and being raised Catholic, I also know what was pounded into my head on a daily basis about what I should believe (according to Catholic doctrine). I also understand various other religions and there are aspects which I agree with in some and disagree with in others. I agree with some aspects based on what makes sense to me. Does that mean I believe in it? No.



I don't think anyone's beliefs are based on pure "fact". Certainly, it isn't a matter of proving, say 2 + 2 = 4. So I know what makes sense in some respects, but I really don't know what I "believe", because to believe is not to have any doubts whatsoever.



Hope this makes sense.

Answer 6

Some people are just told what to believe without background information. They see the shallow end of the pool but when they swim to the deep end they sink because they were never given a foundation. They think they know what is at the other end, but won't go there.

Answer 7

Many beliefs are formed in early childhood, based on indoctrination from parents and teachers. Those beliefs were not formed through any real thought, they were simply absorbed as fact without any real basis.



Those beliefs are very hard to root out later - they will come up and take over when faced with a situation where they apply. Some are probably good for society, some not so much. Examples:



When someone brings up the idea of cannibalism, most people don't have to take time to consider the medical risks, the social damages, and so on - they immediately react negatively. Which is good - there are people I wouldn't trust to not kill others for meat if there wasn't such a powerful taboo.



A worse example would be the standard reaction to male homosexuality - "Ewwww!" There's no thought to the reaction, but it still controls the attitude of most people to issues like gay marriage, gay adoption, and so on.

Answer 8

plain and simple...avoid thinking about it cause of fear or confusion which causes fear. If people therefore don't think of it then they don't have to decide and if they don't decide then it doesn't matter to them if there is a hell for them. or even just being afraid of death itself.

Answer 9

One of the various psychopathologies associated with religiosity is the claim to be able to "perceive" things. This leads some people to the delusion that they will claim to know what another person believes, so much so they will correct them.

Answer 10

The only way I can understand that is if they are very young. Kids and teenagers don't care about stuff like that. They are too busy thinking of getting a date. lol

Answer 11

HAPPY NEW YEAR

Answer 12

Yeah that's why I don't get how people can just be "agnostics." Without being atheist or theist.